Movie Review: Happy Death Day 2U

When the first Happy Death Day sliced its way into theaters just sixteen months ago, no one was really expecting much. A mix of Groundhog Day (1993) and your typical PG-13 horror flick didn’t seem to generate much buzz, but as it seems to happen with most Blumhouse releases, the film became a big hit. Earning over $125 million worldwide against a budget of just under $5 million, it was a no-brainer then for the studio to green light a sequel. Bringing back essentially everyone involved with the first film (even minor extras), Happy Death Day 2U hits theaters not even a year and a half after the first installment; this time with a bigger budget ($9 million), time travel, multiple dimensions, and a better sense of the film it ultimately wants to be. While I was personally mixed on the first Happy Death Day, I feel that the sequel improves in every aspect making for a fun, sometimes silly, time at the movies. Many of the issues I had with the first film remain, but that didn’t stop me from smiling from beginning to end with this go around.

Although the plot of Happy Death Day (2017) is quickly explained in an eye-rolling scene early on in Happy Death Day 2U, it is crucial to see the first movie to get a good grasp on what is going on here. Sure, the adventure is something totally different, but having a handle on the events of the first film will help you understand certain character relationships and motivations throughout the sequel. The basic setup is that Tree (Jessica Rothe in another star-making performance) is forced to go back to the dreaded Monday the 18th after she thought she closed the loop at the end of the first movie. There are major differences this time around though and she confides in her friends to help her set things back to the way they were.

While the first film is certainly a take on Groundhog Day (a reference they make in the film), this movie is certainly more of a horror remix of classic time travel films. It’s reminiscent of The Terminator (1984), Looper (2012), and 1985’s Back to the Future (which gets a shout out this time around), and while Happy Death Day 2U doesn’t add anything new to the genre, the film does a good job of always making it entertaining. Time travel movies can sometimes get bogged down in the logistics of it all, but this movie instead quickly explains things and doesn’t let the audience linger too long on questions they might have. One of the big complaints I had with regards to Happy Death Day was that it didn’t do a decent job of explaining why things were happening, and while I still have that complaint here, I think this movie does a fair enough job of explaining why time travel exists in this universe.

Another big complaint I had about the first film was its lack of a consistent tone jumping back and forth from a horror movie to a Groundhog Day style comedy, but that is quickly fixed this time around. Essentially dropping the horror/thriller elements and instead leaning into the camp and humor of every situation was absolutely the right decision for Happy Death Day 2U. If you’re looking to get scared by this sequel, you’re going to be severely disappointed. While some might see that a misstep, I think it’s the right call because it what made the first movie stand out from the rest of the slasher flicks. This movie is funnier, campier, and ultimately more entertaining than the first film, and although I was never scared, I did not mind. It doesn’t fit with most of Blumhouse’s other films, but it’s created its own crazy universe that is consistently entertaining.

Jessica Rothe in “Happy Death Day 2U.”

Speaking of entertaining, let’s talk for a moment about Jessica Rothe. Her off-the-rails performance in the first film made it watchable, and she continues where she left off in the sequel. Rothe is manic, hilarious, endearing, and heartfelt, sometimes all at the same time. While the first movie certainly gave her character an arc, Tree has a much more personal story this time, one that I think is handled well for the most part. It gives Rothe even more opportunity to shine and I’m excited to see where her career goes next.

Happy Death Day 2U is an improvement over the original film mainly because it leans into what made the original such a hit. While some of the logic is a little wonky and the film fails as a straight horror movie, the film’s tone is ultimately more confident making for a more entertaining experience. It’s entertaining from start to finish and features a truly great lead performance from Jessica Rothe. The door is certainly open for a Happy Death Day 3, and I’m shocked to say I’d be happy to see these characters again…and again…and again.

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Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.

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