Happy Death Day 2U (2019) [Blu-ray]
Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline: Same Day, New Killer.

Tree Gelbman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.

Storyline: Having survived the farcical but utterly life-threatening events in Happy Death Day (2017), the feisty sorority sister, Tree Gelbman, finds herself in the same college dorm, thankful to be alive. However, this time, it's Carter's roommate, Ryan, who claims that he is reliving the same paradoxical day over and over again, as a mysterious paranoid killer in a single-toothed baby-faced mask with a big kitchen knife has made a habit of murdering him. Under those circumstances, a valiant but vain attempt to face the challenge, once more, will send Tree back to square one, trapped in an all too familiar and blood-drenched time loop. How many deaths separate Tree from a truly happy birthday? Written by Nick Riganas

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, May 17, 2019 It was a quick turnaround for Happy Death Day 2U, the sequel to the moderately well received and undeniably unique Happy Death Day, that picture (and this one) a Slasher film combined with Groundhog Day that pitted a teen named Tree (as in the Apple doesn't fall far from) against not only a bad guy with a knife but also time itself, caught up in a loop that forced her to repeat her "death day" -- with variations, of course -- with each and every demise. The sequel, which arrives less than 16 months after the original, follows the same basic story with the same core characters, this time shaking things up by forcing Tree to not just repeat her day but to do so in an alternate dimensions where more than her life is at stake.

At Bayfield University, in its Connors Science Center, in Quantum Mechanics Lab 1 to be precise, a radical science experiment has gone awry, causing power outages around the school. Bayfield's dean shuts the project down, deeming it a failure and giving the students precious little time to wrap things up. One of the students, Ryan (Phi Vu), begins receiving text messages showing him at distance and only a moment ago in time. Moments later, a masked killer stabs him to death. But all is not lost. He wakes up in the same place and at the same time as on the morning of his demise. Fortunately, his roommate is none other than Happy Death Day's Carter (Israel Broussard) who is busy making out with Happy Death Day's Tree (Jessica Rothe) who immediately recognizes what's going on with poor Ryan and catches him up on everything that's happened, and will happen.

But it is not long until it is Tree who finds herself back in the time loop which, just for fun and thanks to Ryan's science experiment, adds a new dimension -- literally -- to her dilemma. Ryan quickly informs Tree of the theoretical possibilities of the "Multiverse Theory" which prove true when Tree encounters her deceased mother at lunch with her father. As she deals with the new fears and challenges of a second round against the babyface masked killer, Tree is left with an impossible choice as the only option for closure in her new dilemma against an old foe and in a familiar battle.

The film does not lack the original's spark since it's essentially a more convoluted regurgitation thereof, but that spark doesn't shine nearly as brightly. While enthusiasm is certainly high in all areas of the production, there's an overwhelming feel of familiarity that the filmmakers cannot overcome in the same way someone like Wes Craven achieved in making his Scream sequels. Happy Death Day 2U is too reliant on the periphery to carry it -- lame secondary stereotype nerd characters who have been seen in a hundred different movies in the last half-decade, a convoluted plot involving science run amok -- rather than building characters with any reasonable depth or even banking on the kills to prop the picture up. The former does at least work to some degree as Tree deals with her mother's return and uses the time she has with her, however much time that will be, to earn the motherly advice she never received after her mother's passing. The film offers a few good scenes featuring them sharing in intimate conversations which are, of course, abruptly upended by plot necessities and conveniences. The film's violence is incredibly tame by any Horror standard, which only further moves the focus towards the parts of the film that the filmmakers get right and the parts that they get wrong.

If there is another sequel to follow Happy Death Day 2U, it should totally be called Happy Death Day Dear Tr33-33 and the fourth should be titled And Many More From Channel 4. Here's hoping that the series doesn't stand pat and does something a bit more unique the third time around, because even if there are some narrative curves and heavier reliance on (tired and boring) humor in this one, there's an unmistakable feeling of déjà vu, and not just because of the repeating story angle. There's not much separating this film from the last, at least at the core. It's a little too reliant on formula, tinkering around the edges rather than trying to accomplish something more worthwhile. Still, it's a passable film and sequel both that fans of the original will want to visit. Whether there's a thirst for more afterwards remains to be seen. Producer Jason Blum has said that a sequel is not likely but not out of the realm of possibility, despite this picture making about 7x its budget at the box office. Regardless, Universal's Blu-ray is very good, offering the expectedly high quality video and audio presentations while offering a handful of extremely brief extras. Worth a look for those who enjoyed the original.

[CSW] -3.1- There's very little "slasher flick" in it, but it's good and fun. There's humor and suspense and great pacing. And to the people who say this is a carbon copy of the first one - no, it's not. But first of all, what would you expect of a sequel? Secondly, this plot is more complex and it's more of a thriller with a lot of emotional/ethical quandries. They wrote a good role for the lead actress and she really carries the movie very well. If you don't, as a rule, hate most movies, then you'll probably find this entertaining.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box
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