'Happy Death Day 2U' Boosts My Love for This Fun Property (and Potential Franchise)

Despite its flaws, Happy Death Day was a film I really enjoyed the first time I saw it.  And on the second viewing, I got to love it.  Yes, it was cheesy and dumb, but it was also dominantly fun, stimulating, and endearing.  When the trailer dropped for Happy Death Day 2U, I was mightily elated, because: a.) I never got wind of any news of a sequel being developed (or if I did, I completely forgot), so it was a pleasing surprise; and b.) I was happy to revisit the characters, world, style, and story that I became deeply fond of.

It’s hard to provide a compelling synopsis for Happy Death Day 2U without giving away some juicy plot details that are best enjoyed when they’re not known.  So let me settle with this: Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) finds herself getting stuck once again in a time loop of September 18 for some reason (and an intriguing one at that).  However, this time around, she learns that not everything is necessarily the same as before.

My attempt of describing the movie might have painted it as somewhat of a derivative of its predecessor, but it’s really not.  It builds upon the happenings of the first film.  It even changes how you look at it.  But whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing totally depends on your taste.  As for me, it’s the former.

Happy Death Day 2U is every bit as dumb and cheesy as the original – probably even more so – but it’s also, at the very least, as lovable.  And just like with the first one, it’s most preferable if you don’t think too much about the details, because it has stuff – most especially character decisions – that just don’t make sense.  Just enjoy what’s happening on screen, including the ludicrous parts.  It radiates with so much appeal anyway that any imperfections can be easily shrugged off.

Besides, in the first place, it’s either you went all in on it at the very start or you didn’t.  Your enjoyment of it will depend on how much you were prepared to buy into it from the get go.  And for those like me who recognize and accept it for what it is, it’ll be quite a treat.

Happy Death Day 2U is a delightful film.  Moreover, it leaves with the impression that it’s a franchise in the making, and that it wants to be something like the Fast and Furious of timey-wimey movies.  Well, if it turns out being anything like Fast and Furious, in which it evolves into something different and more over-the-top with each new installment while staying true to its heart, it’s gonna be awesome.