Tree Gelbman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.
Jessica Rothe as Theresa “Tree” Gelbman picks up more or less where she left off in a sort of “Ground Hog Day” meets “Edge of Tomorrow” thriller. “Happy Death Day 2U,” written and directed by Christopher Landon, from characters created by Scott Lobdell, also borrows unabashedly from “Back to the Future,” including – for good or ill – more than a few of the dramatic flourishes.
The film takes place at the fictitious Bayfield University, which of all things, boasts a toddler as the school’s mascot. However, behind the creepy baby mask – at least when wielding a foot-long chef’s knife – lurks Tree’s killer. And so it goes – live, die, repeat – to borrow the alternate title from “Edge of Tomorrow.”
Given that many viewers might not have seen the original, the filmmakers obligingly provide a brief recap. “Happy Death Day 2U,” however, is not a simple rehash of its predecessor. The unexpected smash hit, for example, did not provide much exposition regarding the how and why of Tree reliving the same day over and over. In this sequel, we learn that a nerdy, renegade student experiment in time travel lies behind the mysterious loop. Suraj Sharma, Phi Vu, and Sarah Yarkin play the unlikely group of co-conspirators that inadvertently launch Tree into the time warp.
What makes this sort of film worthwhile, inevitably hinges on the iron rule of not taking itself too seriously. For the most part, “Happy Death Day 2U” manages to accomplish just that. Some of Rothe’s best scenes involve her exasperation with the other students who seem way too slow on the uptake. It’s not their fault, of course – they are all experiencing the unfolding events for the first time. It is Tree alone – along with the audience – who possess the benefit of the knowledge of her multiple iterations, so many times before.
Although Tree’s peevishness with fellow students and the narrative twists keep this an entertaining frolic, occasionally tedious moments do interfere. Perhaps not surprisingly – given that “Back to the Future” receives an explicit reference in the film – narrative techniques appear borrowed directly from the Robert Zemeckis playbook. In the case here, a few too many interminable and – except for the finale – ultimately aborted countdowns occur. The overreliance on such a weary dramatic device renders aspects of the eventual denouement anticlimactic.
In the original, some of the best moments transpire after resolution of the time loop dilemma by Tree. Although the continuation doesn’t follow a similarly satisfying formula, viewers are nonetheless admonished not to leave the theater too soon as the final credits roll, or else you will miss a hilarious scene, hinting of things to come.
Standout supporting cast members include Ruby Modine as Lori Spengler, Tree’s housemate. Israel Broussard returns as Tree’s love interest, Carter. Laura Clifton provides a nice turn as Tree’s mother in a crucial role. Certainly, not least is Rachel Matthews, as the duplicitous sorority sister Danielle Bouseman, who generally gets what’s coming to her.
On the whole, “Happy Death Day 2U” is decidedly better than the average sequel, despite stalling periodically during its brief one-hour, forty-minute runtime. Writer-director Landon has opted to freshen up this new production quite a bit with several alternative future storylines that almost always keep things interesting.
In theaters Wednesday, February 13th
