In Defense of "Happy Death Day" (2017)

Scene from Happy Death Day

In 2017 it seemed like Happy Death Day, the latest from low budget horror aficionados Blumhouse, existed solely for its novelty. One could practically read the pitch in one sentence: "What if Groundhog Day, but with serial killers?" Even opening it in October on Friday the 13th seemed like the film was going to play every gimmick in the book. The simple answer is that it did. Who's to not say that the film's a goofy, nonsensical journey into PG-13 horror that revels in the absurd? Why does that have to be a bad thing? With the sequel, Happy Death Day 2 U coming out this week (also on an unlucky 13th), it feels like there should be some respect given to one of those horror films that feel disposable on paper, but is a genuine joy for those wanting a creative twist on the genre and the revelation in Jessica Rothe's performance. It's not "prestige" horror like It Follows or Get Out, but it's the type of mainstream scares that should be around more often. 

Again, the novelty should be grating at this point. Every October there are a dozen new PG-13 horror films with scares that only work once (if that). By November, none of them will be remembered. It's an odd shift from what modern horror has become thanks to films like Hereditary and The Witch, where the scares are psychological and built into character. They're artful now, and in that world Happy Death Day feels like it shouldn't work. It should be a film with a dumb premise and a very short shelf life. However, as the sequel will attest to, the audiences have enjoyed it well enough. But why? Why does a film that doesn't feel entirely like an original concept feel like it gets a pass? Much like the other films distributed through Blumhouse, it's in part the ingenuity that comes with low budgets but also filmmakers with ideas that are a tad above cynical cash grabbing.

It's exactly what makes director Christopher Landon's vision so brilliant. It doesn't seek to reinvent the horror wheel. Instead, it twists the idea of the serial killer and the final girl trope. Rothe plays Tree, who keeps waking up to the reality that she'll die at the end of the day. With a self-awareness built into her character, the monotonous decisions slowly build in madness. Tree's desire to get out of this loop is brilliantly portrayed as slowly losing her mind. Much like Groundhog Day, part of the joy in this film is seeing the protagonist be brutally and excessively murdered. In one montage, she plays into the comedic side of things as she slowly begins to realize that death has no meaning anymore. She dies a dozen times without any consequences. All she has to do is wake up and try again to figure out who murdered her.

The story's stroke of genius comes from its setting: a campus where Tree is pledging for a sorority and must deal with the artificial culture it creates. She has a tomboy vibe to her that slowly comes out. She begins with a precocious mindset and slowly buys into the dream that we want all of the final girls to have: revenge. The film's antagonist, the immediately iconic baby face mask, is unclear to audiences yet is the heart of the story. As much as the scares come from abrupt murders juxtaposed against humor of Tree's immediate frustration of barely missing the mark, the film is just as much about the murder mystery. Tree is driven to explore different sides of the campus and find characters that have reasons to kill her. There's of course twists and turns on the way, but the eventual reveal is a rather satisfying and insane payoff.

With a very limited filmography to her name, Rothe delivers one of the best comedic performances in a horror film this decade. She is that cocky sorority girl who is jaded. She follows her own path and her delightful snark makes the whole thing go down smoother. Despite her confidence, the feeling of vulnerability allows the murders to feel more earned. You want to see her succeed, if just because it eventually feels like a minor inconvenience instead of the most traumatic thing she's been through. Rothe's deadpan wit slowly looks through the absurdity and finds a way to focus on the story's internal logic. The story is, of course, very silly and maybe confusing but it's all fueling her character as she unravels and becomes a character out of text. Without consequences, she becomes someone who will do anything to benefit her. It's as much fun to see her solve the murder as it is to see her shake up the monotony. 

There's little about the film that feels smart or essential in the same way that Get Out does. It doesn't set out to have a great message besides subverting the final girl trope. However, it proves that horror doesn't have to be self-serious all of the time. It can be goofy and still produce an entertaining story. Much like the best of pulpy fiction, this is a story with a simple request: solve the murder. It allows the film to transcend its Groundhog Day-esque elements in favor of close attention to its vapid supporting cast. It creates a deeper pathos along the way, allowing Tree to feel more like a human with character development. In a regular story, she would be dead and someone else would solve her murder. Since she has no choice, she does it until she figures it out.

Happy Death Day may be a bit of a gamble if viewed as a franchise. In spite of good reviews, one has to wonder how much more territory could possibly be explored for its limited premise. Still, it's evidence that audiences are totally bought into its mix of silliness and secretive brain. Rothe definitely delivers a performance that should get her more work sooner than later. She has a comic timing that allows the horrors to be scary and the tragedy to be sad without any of it falling too far into novelty. Yes, it's a goofy film that shouldn't be taken seriously and its PG-13 rating means that it's fairly bloodless (and in one scene practically nude-free). It actually works to the film's advantage, allowing the kinetic energy to be far more interesting than how gruesome the blood is. Is the film perfect? No. It's not the smartest film either. However, it's the perfect film for those wanting a silly horror film that will pull you in without having to worry about cheap scares. It does so much more than that, and it's a film that deserves to be appreciated as more than a Groundhog Day knock-off. It's good enough for that honor.