Connect with us

Movies

[Review] ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Offers Plenty of Comedy and Drama, But Few Thrills

Published

on

Back in 2017, Blumhouse released a Groundhog’s Day take on the slasher genre. Happy Death Day was unexpectedly funny, smart and boasted some fun PG-13 kills. Two years later, Tree (Jessica Rothe) and the gang are back for round two with Happy Death Day 2U, a sequel that leans into the series’ comedic potential, introduces some light sci-fi and, unfortunately, completely forgets about its slasher elements.

The film opens with Ryan Phan (Phi Vu), Carter (Israel Broussard)’s roommate in the first film, waking up in his car. Writer/director Christopher Landon tracks Ryan’s walk down the street and back to the dorm room, training the audience to make note of incidents that could recur should the day repeat. After being booted out of the room by Tree and Carter, Ryan is sequestered in his lab with his scientific thesis project before he is lured into an empty room and stabbed by Baby Face, the franchise’s cherub-masked killer. He immediately reawakens back in the car, retraces his steps and confesses his déjà vu to the lovers. Upon hearing about his experience, Tree and Carter snap into detective mode, aiming to keep Ryan safe and uncover the identity of his assailant.

In these early scenes, Christopher Landon’s screenplay is filled with potential. The opening attack initially makes it seem as though Ryan has replaced Tree as the new repeat survivor of the film, a concept that is upended as both the source of the time loop is revealed and a new loop is instigated… with a twist to keep things fresh and interesting.

This means an increase in screen time for several of the first film’s secondary characters, including Ryan and, more specifically, Danielle (Rachel Matthews) who accounts for a great deal more comedy. Meanwhile, the introduction of a key character pays off one of the first film’s weaker subplots. It also allows Rothe several emotional scenes in which to flex her dramatic muscles.

Suddenly all of the familiar character traits and relationships from the first film are upended (these are hinted at in the trailer). These alterations allow HDD2U to playfully shake things up and help the sequel avoid becoming a déjà vu loop of its predecessor.

Whereas the first film centered around Tree’s need to die repeatedly in order to identify the Baby Face killer, the main thrust of the sequel is driven by Tree’s desire to reset this loop and return to her stable relationship with Carter. This means less focus on the killer and more on Tree’s work with Ryan and his lab mates, Samar (Suraj Sharma) and Anna (Sarah Bennani) trying to identify a scientific algorithm over several weeks worth of trial and error, resulting in another terrific montage set to pop music.

The new montage sequence is a high point of the film, which struggles with its energy and focus. Landon’s efforts to pay off eagle-eyed fans of the first film is admirable as whole sequences and lines of dialogue are replayed. Attempts are also made to explain narrative gaps such as Tree’s accruing injuries and why the school has such an unusual mascot, but overall Landon’s witty screenplay is much more comedically inclined than it is in revisiting the slasher tropes of the first film.

This is most apparent in the egregious use of Dean Bronson (Steve Zissi), an unfunny new supporting character who acts as a foil for the group’s work. Bronson would fit right in on the set of National Lampoon film and he (unsurprisingly) figures prominently in a third act comedic set piece that grinds HDD2U’s momentum to a halt at a time when it should be barreling towards the climax. Sure it’s mildly amusing, but at what expense?

At this point, we should probably discuss the (forgotten) Baby Face in the room. There is still a masked killer (albeit one that is seemingly relegated solely to the hospital). Serial killer John Tombs (Rob Mello) is also back, but he’s little more than a pawn in a new scheme that Landon’s screenplay is completely disinterested in. Baby Face is largely absent from this film, as are any thrills or notes of horror.

Following the first two attacks on Ryan at the start of the film, there is arguably one other scary set piece here, but for the vast majority of the runtime, Happy Death Day 2U is focused on Tree’s emotional relationship. The sequel doesn’t invest in the identity of the killer, so much so that by the time the showdown with the new Baby Face occurs, the revelation and its narrative impact equates to little more than a shoulder shrug (albeit still with a self-reflexive wink to the first film).

Fans who were initially attracted to the original film’s creative deaths and its choose-your-own-adventure style narrative will need to adjust their expectations accordingly. Rothe remains a dominant and endearing presence and her chemistry with Broussard is palpable, plus the expanded roles for several secondary characters is noteworthy. Unfortunately, Happy Death Day 2U too frequently loses sight of its slasher origins in favour of comedy first, sci-fi second and horror a far distant third. The sequel is an admirable attempt to offer a new spin on a familiar tale that frequently works in the small moments, but audiences anticipating a second round of Baby Face will undoubtedly walk away disappointed.

Note: there is a mid-credits stinger that offers hints of where the franchise could go in a potential third outing, but it is also simultaneously a capper in the event that HDD2U is the end of the road.

Joe is a TV addict with a background in Film Studies. He co-created TV/Film Fest blog QueerHorrorMovies and writes for Bloody Disgusting, Anatomy of a Scream, That Shelf, The Spool and Grim Magazine. He enjoys graphic novels, dark beer and plays multiple sports (adequately, never exceptionally). While he loves all horror, if given a choice, Joe always opts for slashers and creature features.

Movies

SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

Published

on

As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

Continue Reading