10 Worst Motives In Slasher Horror Movies

8. Having An Affair With The Same Man - Happy Death Day

Scream 2022 Richie Poster
Blumhouse

Romance-fuelled motives are almost always incredibly underwhelming in slasher flicks, as evidenced by Happy Death Day. 

It's eventually revealed that the cherub mask-wearing killer is Tree's (Jessica Rothe) roommate Lori (Ruby Modine), who has been repeatedly killing Tree out of jealously for them both having an affair with Dr. Butler (Charles Aitken), but Butler preferring Tree of the two.

The script is at least patently aware that this is a massively anti-climactic reveal, given that Tree straight-up says to Lori, "Wait, you've been killing me over some stupid guy?"

All the same, it remains a resoundingly uninteresting explanation for the killings, and given that so much of the film is overflowing with ferocious feminist energy, it's hugely unsatisfying that the crux of the conflict comes down to two women battling over the same guy.

Much as love can make people crazy, this didn't seem very forward-thinking for a slasher flick releasing in the modern era.

 
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