10 Great Horror Movie Characters Who Die At The Beginning
6. Tree Gelbman - Happy Death Day
Described as "Groundhog Day meets Scream", 2017's Happy Death Day does not quite reach the heights of those two films, but still serves as an enjoyable thriller with a strong lead performance and the requisite gore and time loop antics expected in a story of this ilk.
The slasher flick begins with the seemingly inexplicable murder of Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) following her attendance of a campus party. Despite this, she wakes up on the same day of her murder and, after dying a second time, quickly realises that she is in a time loop.
Despite the movie's struggles in balancing its tonal inspirations, Happy Death Day expertly handles Tree's first demise and uses it to spin a new perspective on the 'first death' and 'final girl' tropes seen in horror. This element of subversion enables Tree to grow as a character, changing from a bitter and selfish young woman to someone more considerate of her actions and vigilant of her environment.