Happy Death Day 2U (2019)
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Happy Death Day 2U is a surprisingly compelling film. In this respect and others, this film shares a lot in common with its predecessor. It revisits the original plot, but with purpose. It keeps you hooked with surprising sci fi twists, combined with quick fire comedic elements.
In Happy Death Day (2017), the first film in the series, we follow Tree, a college student doing the walk of shame on the morning of her birthday. The day is April 18th. She then goes through her day, returning to her sorority and encounters a variety of characters. This is until we watch Tree be brutally murdered by a killer wearing an unnerving mask of a baby’s face.
But Tree’s story doesn’t end here, we see her repeatedly waking up in the bed of a kind stranger, only to repeat the same events of April 18th. Her day always concludes with Tree as the victim of a myriad of creative murders. Tree’s actions during that same day may change and effect the environment around her, but no one else is aware of the time loop that Tree finds herself caught in.
It’s a plot device we have seen many times before, most notably in Groundhog Day (1993) and Russian Doll (2019). And it’s a clever plot device at that. Our leads are forced into a time loop which compels them to relive past trauma and learn from their experiences as a means for escape. Tree starts out our first film as a careless and often cruel person, acting out as a coping mechanism following her mother’s death. By the end of the film, Tree has grown as a person. She has lost none of her snark, but she has regained her appreciation for life and those around her.
In Happy Death Day 2U, Tree has finally broken the time loop and is living out her life in a forward moving timeline. That is until her boyfriend Carter’s roommate, Ryan, is subject to the same fate. The opening sequence sees Ryan wake up in his car, only to go through the day, be murdered and forced to repeat that same day. Tree and Carter attempt to help Ryan break the cycle.
Unlike the first film, in this sequel there is a development that opens up the possibilities of alternative dimensions and cyclical timelines. Ryan and his fellow science nerd friends have created a device that they call “Sissy”, which can manipulate time. This plot development is not explained in detail for the layman viewer. We are left in the dark, trusting Tree and our scientists to break the cyclical curse by testing various algorithms. Early on in the film, Ryan turns on the machine in a hurried attempt to fix everything. His irrational actions force Tree back into her time loop from the first film, on her birthday, April 18th.
If this sounds like a lot of exposition, you don’t even know the half of it. Happy Death Day 2U throws out plot developments like a never-ending stream of consciousness. Tree has found herself in an alternative timeline, which provides an entirely set of issues for Tree to overcome.
I found the various threads of this film very messy. Ultimately, the film explores love and loss, and like the first film, this script is emotionally compelling. The stakes feel very real as Tree must face the choice between two very different plains of existence.
The creators of this film have proven to be endlessly inventive with what could be a tired plot device. The film is also genuinely funny at times, playing on the black comedy of death without real consequences. We also see much more of Ryan and his friends during this film, making this incarnation of Happy Death Day a lot more inclusive. The diversity in this film makes way for more humor, such as Tree earning herself the nickname “Crazy White Girl.” I can see that this film took on a lot of love from its creators and we are spoilt with great performances from our leads.
The science fiction elements in this film are explored in greater detail than in the first film. In many time loop stories, we are never provided with a real explanation for time glitch. In Happy Death Day 2U I was surprised that the writers actually attempted to provide greater detail to the strange goings on. It was very ambitious, if not the clearest explanation for the predicament of time loops. One of the best parts of the film is a montage of Tree experimenting with the time loop to try and “close the loop.” I won’t spoil what that entails.
I wouldn’t say that Happy Death Day 2U works in its entirety. The stakes felt real, but the payoff left me feeling a little dissatisfied. I wouldn’t say that Happy Death Day 2U works in its entirety. The stakes felt real, but the payoff left me feeling a little dissatisfied. I enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I think that Happy Death Day 2U is worth the watch, and many critics seem to agree. I would say watch the first film, because without it the sequel makes even less narrative sense. Also, keep your expectations very low. You may even find yourself enjoying this story, unlike any of our characters.
I watched Happy Death Day 2U on Amazon Prime. If you like time travel, comedies and slasher films, well, you just might enjoy this genre bending film.
In Happy Death Day (2017), the first film in the series, we follow Tree, a college student doing the walk of shame on the morning of her birthday. The day is April 18th. She then goes through her day, returning to her sorority and encounters a variety of characters. This is until we watch Tree be brutally murdered by a killer wearing an unnerving mask of a baby’s face.
But Tree’s story doesn’t end here, we see her repeatedly waking up in the bed of a kind stranger, only to repeat the same events of April 18th. Her day always concludes with Tree as the victim of a myriad of creative murders. Tree’s actions during that same day may change and effect the environment around her, but no one else is aware of the time loop that Tree finds herself caught in.
It’s a plot device we have seen many times before, most notably in Groundhog Day (1993) and Russian Doll (2019). And it’s a clever plot device at that. Our leads are forced into a time loop which compels them to relive past trauma and learn from their experiences as a means for escape. Tree starts out our first film as a careless and often cruel person, acting out as a coping mechanism following her mother’s death. By the end of the film, Tree has grown as a person. She has lost none of her snark, but she has regained her appreciation for life and those around her.
In Happy Death Day 2U, Tree has finally broken the time loop and is living out her life in a forward moving timeline. That is until her boyfriend Carter’s roommate, Ryan, is subject to the same fate. The opening sequence sees Ryan wake up in his car, only to go through the day, be murdered and forced to repeat that same day. Tree and Carter attempt to help Ryan break the cycle.
Unlike the first film, in this sequel there is a development that opens up the possibilities of alternative dimensions and cyclical timelines. Ryan and his fellow science nerd friends have created a device that they call “Sissy”, which can manipulate time. This plot development is not explained in detail for the layman viewer. We are left in the dark, trusting Tree and our scientists to break the cyclical curse by testing various algorithms. Early on in the film, Ryan turns on the machine in a hurried attempt to fix everything. His irrational actions force Tree back into her time loop from the first film, on her birthday, April 18th.
If this sounds like a lot of exposition, you don’t even know the half of it. Happy Death Day 2U throws out plot developments like a never-ending stream of consciousness. Tree has found herself in an alternative timeline, which provides an entirely set of issues for Tree to overcome.
I found the various threads of this film very messy. Ultimately, the film explores love and loss, and like the first film, this script is emotionally compelling. The stakes feel very real as Tree must face the choice between two very different plains of existence.
The creators of this film have proven to be endlessly inventive with what could be a tired plot device. The film is also genuinely funny at times, playing on the black comedy of death without real consequences. We also see much more of Ryan and his friends during this film, making this incarnation of Happy Death Day a lot more inclusive. The diversity in this film makes way for more humor, such as Tree earning herself the nickname “Crazy White Girl.” I can see that this film took on a lot of love from its creators and we are spoilt with great performances from our leads.
The science fiction elements in this film are explored in greater detail than in the first film. In many time loop stories, we are never provided with a real explanation for time glitch. In Happy Death Day 2U I was surprised that the writers actually attempted to provide greater detail to the strange goings on. It was very ambitious, if not the clearest explanation for the predicament of time loops. One of the best parts of the film is a montage of Tree experimenting with the time loop to try and “close the loop.” I won’t spoil what that entails.
I wouldn’t say that Happy Death Day 2U works in its entirety. The stakes felt real, but the payoff left me feeling a little dissatisfied. I wouldn’t say that Happy Death Day 2U works in its entirety. The stakes felt real, but the payoff left me feeling a little dissatisfied. I enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I think that Happy Death Day 2U is worth the watch, and many critics seem to agree. I would say watch the first film, because without it the sequel makes even less narrative sense. Also, keep your expectations very low. You may even find yourself enjoying this story, unlike any of our characters.
I watched Happy Death Day 2U on Amazon Prime. If you like time travel, comedies and slasher films, well, you just might enjoy this genre bending film.
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