The elevator pitch for Happy Death Day- written by Scott Lobdell (Man Of The House) and directed by Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse)- would be Scream meets Groundhog Day (and, yes, the Groundhog Day reference is made but thankfully right at the very end of the film).
Sorority sister Teresa 'Tree' Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) wakes up in the dorm room of gawky but cute student Carter (Israel Broussard). It's Monday 18th, Tree's birthday, a day she doesn't like. She leaves Carter's room, gets back to her sorority house, sees her roommate, is late to class, then gets ready for a party but- on her way there- she's attacked by an unknown assailant is a very creepy baby mask and stabbed to death. She wakes up again in Carter's room. The day has reset. The same scenarios play out again. With Carter's help, Tree has to discover who wants her dead.
For a teen slasher flick, it's high concept. Cannily, they don't stick to the same death every time, which leads to some inventive offings for the hapless Tree. The jump-scares are present and correct and the tension in several scenes (notably the first murder) is pretty good. And the baby mask is kinda freaky. What's also good is that there's character development- literally. As each Monday 18th passes, Tree gets to examine her life and her personality and makes changes to be a better person. Her relationship with Carter is sweet and develops nicely- although Tree remembers every Monday 18th, Carter (and anyone else she meets) doesn't.
Rothe carries the lead role with aplomb- starting out as an obnoxious bitch who you can imaging several people wanting dead, she gets some great one-liners and a real character arc which is interesting. Broussard is an engaging co-lead as Carter, helping Tree out in her quest to discover the truth. There's a wonderfully catty supporting turn from Rachel Matthews as sorority president Danielle, a proper mean girl who out-Regina Georges Regina George. Ruby Modine is also good as Tree's roommate Lori, who has made Tree a cupcake (despite Tree's antipathy towards the whole birthday thing). Charles Aitken rounds the main cast off with a suitably sinister turn as Dr. Gregory Butler, Tree's teacher who may or may not be the man behind the mask.
That said, the film's not perfect. My main complaint is that the killer's motivation is pretty lame when you consider it, which- after such a good build-up- is a let-down. But what comes before it is a delicious slice of black comedy spiced up with a few good jumpscares. Definitely worth watching if you like your horror with an interesting twist.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Tez
No comments:
Post a Comment