Blumhouse’s Happy Death Day 2U Coming on Valentine’s Day 2019. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty
Does the idea of having a second, third or fourth chance at life sound appealing to you? You relive the same day of your life over and over again with little to no consequences. The catch? Each day always ends with your murder. On your birthday. And all you have is a single cupcake.
This is the basic premise of “Happy Death Day.” “Happy Death Day 2U” takes this and adds a time machine.
Well, not really.
“Happy Death Day 2U” picks up right where the previous film left off. Theresa “Tree” Gelbman just woke up the day after her death day loop was broken and everything seems fine. Until Ryan finds himself caught in the same murderous loop that Tree was in. But when Ryan tries to end his loop and set things right with his time machine-inspired thesis project, he ends up sending Tree to another dimension and restarting her death day loop. Only this loop isn’t the same, and Tree and the gang have to figure out who her killer is this time.
Universal Pictures campus intern Kayla Sinkevitch appreciated how the sequel picks up right where the first film left off.
“I think that it tied well into the first movie,” Sinkevitch said. “I like that they gave a recap at the beginning of the movie for people who haven’t seen it or saw it a long time ago.”
While literally reliving her worst nightmare, Tree’s life in this alternate dimension gives her as many reasons to stay as it does to go. Through scenes that made viewers scream, laugh and even shed a tear, the movie asks you to consider what would trade and who would you sacrifice for the life that you want.
Just like its plot, “Happy Death Day 2U” doesn’t fit nicely in a single genre. It’s thrilling, heartfelt and funny at different points throughout the movie.
“I think they did a good job with mixing the comedy with the horror,” Sinkevitch said.
But she was also unsatisfied with the draw of the film. “I also feel like the trailer made it feel like there would be more comedy in it, but they could have done a better job with the horror aspect.”
Gisele Ingabire, a fourth-semester allied health sciences major, and Jackie Gosnell, a sixth-semester English and psychology double major, had similar feelings.
“It was pretty good I think for the genre of what it was. It had suspense but it was nice,” Gosnell said. “I was, like, crying at one point. I shed a tear.”
“It wasn’t too scary,” Ingabire said. “I think there were a couple moments but, like, I wasn’t screaming, I wasn’t terrified.”
The “Happy Death Day 2U” advanced viewing was put on by Universal Pictures at UConn. Students were bussed to Mansfield Movieplex where there were free Insomnia cookies and “Happy Death Day 2U” merchandise including shirts, ping pong balls and cups. The film premieres on Feb. 13.
Alex Taylor is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at alexis.taylor@uconn.edu.