HAPPY DEATH DAY [2017]

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Jordan Dodd

Starring: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine

Happy Death Day doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be.

A comedy? Horror? Mystery? Romance?

It is all balled up into a knotted ball of yarn that would keep a cat amused for years, and this problem has a strong effect on any tense moments. When the movie does ramp up in intensity, it simply isn’t confronting due the previous many, many attempts at humour that more than often don’t land. The lacklustre soundtrack does not help matters.

The premise is simple but also exceedingly unoriginal. A girl – Tree- is murdered every day and upon ‘dying’ she wakes up each time back in the same day, reliving the events of that day. It gets old very fast, as she begins to predict what will happen during the day in an unbelievably arrogant and irritating way.

Of course the major selling point is that she must figure out who is killing her, and seems to have unlimited chances in doing this. The climax to this mystery is underwhelming to say the least.

One positive aspect of the film is the way Tree later into the film grows as a person as she lives the same day over and over. She realises that she has been a bitch to many of her friends.

These are the only meaningful moments of the film though, and while these moments resonate and add a layer to the film that it desperately needs, it is further ruined by the incredibly… teenage moments that litter this film elsewhere worse than a kitty litter tray shared by seven cats. It snaps any momentum that may have been built up.

These moments are cheesy and honestly make one want to groan in frustration while hurling popcorn at the screen.

Of course, we all know how the film will end, another big downer. For a similar film that uses the Groundhog Day concept, watch Blood Punch. It may be a low budget NZ film but it sure shits all over this piece of trash, as it is far more interesting, both the story and the acting, and is not only funny but quite intense at times.

Skip this one. It is trash.

Two sixers is being generous.

2/6

Category: 2017, Film

8 Comments on “HAPPY DEATH DAY [2017]”

Wendell
October 21, 2017

Hmmm…the premise sounds great, even looks great in the trailer, but I was afraid it wouldn’t turn out so hot.

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- Jordan Dodd
  October 21, 2017
  
  I may have been a little harsh but the teenage/YA atmosphere just made me want to blergh hehe
  
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ckckred
October 21, 2017

Nice review Jordan and I agree; Happy Death Day was a dumb mess. The mix of comedy and horror in this picture doesn’t work, and it’s blatantly clear the film’s aiming towards a teen audience. Admitting that you’re just a Groundhog-day horror riff doesn’t make you any better too.

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- Jordan Dodd
  October 22, 2017
  
  yup, with you on all counts. Just… trash.
  
  BTW the NZ flick Blood Punch kinda uses the same Groundhog type schtick but really makes it worth. Its quite an interesting flick, nothing amazing, but its a classic compared to this!
  
  Check it out if you can be bothered, its on VOD
  
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  - ckckred
    October 22, 2017
    
    Will try to check that out, but yeah, Happy Death Day feels real played out. Too many horrors these days feel like self-referential humor or breaking the fourth wall is all that’s necessary to make them smart but it’s worn its welcome real fast.
    
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  - Jordan Dodd
    October 22, 2017
    
    yeah, that ending scene was plain stupid. I loudly made a “PFFFFT!” sound and walked out before the credits rolled.
    
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sati
October 27, 2017

Damn, looks like there are no good new films to watch for Halloween this year

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- Jordan Dodd
  October 27, 2017
  
  Newp. Not that Halloween is really a thing down here, but still… =/
  
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