10 Horror Movies You Expected To Suck (But Were Totally Awesome)

On the surface, Happy Death Day's premise of "reliving the day of your own murder over and over" made the film sound like a lazy spoof of Groundhog Day. The concept seems more derivative, since timeloop movies like Edge of Tomorrow, ARQ, The Final Girls, and Source Code were released several years prior.

But the end result is highly creative. Rather than being a straightforward horror, Happy Death Day is laced with tropes from rom-coms, sci-fi, and satire, with a sprinkling of hacking and slashing. Although the movie could shoot itself in the foot by juggling too many genres, this variety gives Happy Death Day a unique identity.

However, it's Jessica Rothe's star-making performance as Tree that keeps the picture together. Despite being a hard-partying, self-absorbed cynic, Tree is surprisingly relatable and sympathetic, which makes viewers root for her every step of the way. Her "will they, won't they" dynamic with Carter is so entertaining, viewers can get more wrapped up in this subplot than learning the killer's identity.

Happy Death Day isn't conventionally scary, but it's hard not to be enthralled due to the sharp script, hilarious dialogue, and wowing performances.