Angelica Babiera | Arts Editor
Featured image: New thriller takes box office by storm and conveys the importance of the Golden Rule—do unto others as they would do unto you. | Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Halloween is fast approaching, which means that a plethora of horror and thriller movies are screening at movie theatres everywhere. The rush from being scared by an ominous being or a freaky clown has made this year’s Halloween one to remember—and now, a new thriller film has taken the box-office spotlight. Vaulting over Blade Runner 2049, Happy Death Day premiered on October 12 and has already earned $26.5 million from 3,149 North American theatres.
The film follows a college student named Tree Gelbman (portrayed by Jessica Rothe), who relives her birthday over and over again—because she is murdered. Happy Death Day follows Rothe as she attempts to figure out who her killer is, which she hopes will stop her from having to relive the day on a continuous loop.
All the while, the film shows the importance of treating others in the way you wish to be treated.
Chris Malit, a second-year Theatre major at York, describes how he enjoyed the film.
“There weren’t too many scares, as the movie focuses more on college life. It made me wish for a different lifestyle than York has to offer. Aside from that, the film had a few twists, keeping you guessing who the killer is.”
Happy Death Day is more than just a thriller. It focuses on the theme of poetic justice; how being cruel to others will invariably be reciprocated by the universe.
Rothe’s portrayal will make the audience rethink their actions and words, as well as the impact they can have on others. Meanwhile, the film leaves viewers on the edges of their seats, waiting to see who the killer is.
Director Christopher Landon added many instances of comic relief to Happy Death Day, as an ode to the Scary Movie franchise.
Despite the label as a horror movie, there were many scenes where the audience couldn’t help but laugh out loud, even though Tree was about to die. In all, this made for an enjoyable and amusing viewing experience.
However, while Rothe’s acting and Landon’s creativity displayed strong thematic elements, its plot did not garner as much meaning or depth as it could have.
The film’s plot is pretty simple—the character wakes up, tries to figure out who her killer is, dies, rinse and repeat, which makes Tree’s steps to uncovering her killer very predictable.
Happy Death Day has been influenced by several other films, so the plot has almost become common knowledge to the audience (think of a scary version of Groundhog Day, which the movie even references).
In today’s day and age, where racism, terrorism, and other “-isms” continue to exist, Happy Death Day teaches its audience the imperatives of kindness and treating others with respect and dignity.
Rothe and Landon’s creativity convey an impactful message upon their viewers—always be mindful of your actions, before they come back to haunt you.
