Film review: Happy Death Day (15)

The ‘Groundhog Day’ concept has been done to death over the years. The ‘Groundhog Day’ concept has been done to death over the years.

For every Edge Of Tomorrow – which is my favourite ‘live the same day’ film of recent years – there’s a sub-standard rip-off of the 1993 Bill Murray classic.

Happy Death Day may not sound all that appealing, but the dark comedy certainly offers a different spin on the Groundhog Day idea.

Directed by Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones), it’d be far fetched to call it a horror movie.

We follow the story a sorority student named Tree (Jessica Rothe), who is – let’s be honest – a pretty awful human being.

After a boozy night, she wakes up (on her birthday, no less) in the bed of a random guy and goes about her business.It’s fair to say that she engages in largely selfish activities – and almost everything she does will annoy you.

However, that changes when her day ends with a maniac in a baby mask killing her.

But, instead of dying, she wakes up at the start of the day again and begins to realise that she’s already lived through the exact same set of events.

You can imagine how events go from there, with Tree attempting to get through the day again without being attacked, and ultimately killed, by her masked enemy. 

The catch here is that while Tree survives her death, she comes back weaker each time.

So, while having multiple lives to try and figure out who wants her dead, she isn’t invincible.

And, despite the high stakes, seeing Tree die over and over again is actually the comic relief here.

Naturally, she is able to slowly piece together more information on each day she attempts, making her deaths feel a little like an old-school video game that would send you right back to the beginning of a level.

And, while she starts off being vapid and intolerable, Tree’s experiences do ensure that she goes on a largely enjoyable character arc.

Those of you hoping for a pre-Halloween horror-fest will be disappointed, with Happy Death Day much more amusing than it is scary.

Sure, the masked killer is pretty menacing initially, but the tone of the film ensures that the many death scenes deliver more giggles than gore.

I very much enjoyed Rothe’s performance as Tree, too. She plays so many versions of the same character well and you will enjoy some of her no-consequence decision making, ensuring you root for her by the film’s conclusion.

I’ve deliberately not mentioned the other characters, as you’ll feel like you’ve seen the entire film with too much information, given the Groundhog Day style of proceedings.

Of the supporting cast, Israel Broussard’s Carter is the only real stand-out.

I can’t pretend that Happy Death Day is a classic and it won’t be for everyone.

But if you fancy a fresh take on a familiar formula, it certainly makes entertaining viewing.

Voice Verdict: 8/10 (reviewed at Boston’s West End Cinema)
+ Rothe is great
+ Fresh take on Groundhog Day concept
+ Plenty of laughs
– Weak supporting cast

SHOWTIMES
Boston’s West End Cinema (Fri, Oct 27 to Thurs, Nov 2)

**A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS (15)
8.30pm (Wed/Thu)

**THOR RAGNAROK (12A)
2D – 11.30am (Fri-Mon), 2.30pm (Fri-Mon), 8.30pm (daily)
3D – 5.30pm (daily)

**GEOSTORM (12A)
2D –10.30am (Fri/Sun/Mon), 1pm (Fri/Sun/Mon), 6pm (daily), 8.30pm (Fri/Sat/Mon)
3D – 3.30pm (Fri-Mon)

**HAPPY DEATH DAY (15)
6.30pm (not Sun), 8.45pm (daily)

**JIGSAW (18)
2pm (Fri/Sat/Mon), 4.15pm (Fri-Mon), 6.30pm (daily), 8.45pm (daily)

**MY LITTLE PONY (U)
10am (Fri-Mon), 12.25pm (Fri-Mon), 2.45pm (Fri-Mon), 4.15pm (Tue-Thu)

LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (U)
11.30am (Fri-Mon), 2pm (Fri-Mon), 4.15pm (not Sun)

BREATHE (12A)
5.40pm (daily), 8.20pm (daily)

BOTOKS (18)
8.30pm (Sun)

RAMALEELA (12A)
6pm (Sun)

KIDS’ CLUB
10.15am Fri-Mon – The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature (U)

SILVER SCREEN
Wed 11.30am – Geostorm 2D (12A)

SUBTITLED SHOWING
Tuesday 8.15pm – Thor Ragnarok (12A)

**FREE LIST SUSPENDED