Review of Happy Death Day (2017) by Pipec — 03 Dec 2017

"Scary Movie", "Scream" and Groundhog Day adopt a wicked baby mask.

On this base idea is set up Blumhouse Productions' latest big hit, Jason Blum's production company has been crowned as the only studio to make a huge profit at the box office with low-budget medium-high quality films. Being its 13th flick with a respectable worldwide grossing, "Happy Death Day" must be considered, besides an extra proof of Blumhouse vigor and vitality, as a breath of fresh air for commercial slasher cinema, one to which, little to little, they bury it the stake further inside.

The main disadvantage with the script doesn't lie in the combination of genres, otherwise, that's one of the most remarkable features of the film, the drawback is the way to tie up some loose ends, because, in fact, they are closed to so much pressure that coherence threads are abruptly detached. As a thriller, mystery whodunit, the interest of audience will be placed in the resolution of the homicide, consequently, if you want to carry the genre proudly, should manipulate the perceptions of each spectator in order to cast doubt before the more insignificant detail, here, although interesting bets are proposed in the course of the third act, the truth about who's behind the creepy mask is not a great thing at all. Fortunately, the film keeps enough vigor, dynamic and strength in montage sets, performances and narrative circumstances that make it more than energetic, fascinating and entertaining the rebirth of our protagonist anti-heroine.

As writer sets on the one side of the triumphant Blumhouse balance equation, on the other side, the director acts as a counterbalance. Although Christopher Landon's name seems Lilliputian compared with film-savvies as James Wan or M. Night Shyamalan, his most recent pic would be the first great milestone in his ascending career, even though he has a long, long way to enroll in the major leagues. Landon provides newness and daring for a film that could easily have fallen into muddy plots of aimless comedy, dysfunctional horror or soporific thriller; here, the filmmaker reveals his contemporary thinking by transmitting young-focused company MTV's "Teen Mom" on Tree's TV instead of any Hitchcock's or Coppola's classics; here, Landon places a female Bill Murray imprisoned in a college campus; drastic swaps that benefit the feel-good that radiates the ending of the film. Evaluating the work of the director through the final result, one could say that the man behind "Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse" has just gained a great improvement in terms of filmmaking and control is concerned, Every filmmaker who demonstrates a professional advancement deserves a heated ovation, however, taking into consideration Landon's labor, half of the continent must stand up and applaud him, congratulations, a future colleague.

Uni and Blumhouse manage to deliver an entertaining contemporary story with honors, they can produce a five-star action thriller, abduction suspense one or murder-solving one, simply, shows off the aces up its sleeve and leap them, without clemency, on the face of the spectator. The particular montage, the nice pictures and the excellent score team up in a moderately phenomenal way, although, visually, they are restricted by the number of scenarios shown in the first twenty minutes, however, the lack of possibilities encourages productivity and originality that end up in magnificent films, in this case, it's testified through interesting camera movements, amazing angles, and very old-school approaches; the saying: creativity is the only weapon emerging from low-budget and narrative constraints is very true. The soundtrack deserves special mention, it seems to mock 80's horror flick, its stridency and apparent jocularity are mixed with the same functionality as the images, its melodies recall "Scream", and even, there are explicit scenes which lead to our memory, without any remedy, to Wes Craven's film; great job Bear McCreary, no doubt, the best aspect of the film.

Christopher Landon's "Happy Death Day" positions itself on the throne of the horror and youthful-humored satire of the year, not merely because of its picturesque premise, but because of the appropriate levels of execution and narrative approach it presents. Although never taking itself too seriously, it serves as a fortifying incentive for the association between studios, verifying that they are on the right way, a path brimming with originality and magnetism that would not be defaced by low-budgets. Sadly, the film is left behind compared to its contenders, experimenting a sense of emptiness at the end of the showtime, shows that, at least narratively, has been a partially lost opportunity. Undoubtedly, Landon's film had the perfect tools to become huge, but with the result, it only got to be big. Let us blow out our candle of desires and we pray together for longevity and vitality of this alliance.