Tim Burton's Dumbo Proves To Not Only Be His Strongest Effort In Years But Also His Most Underrated

      

      Looking back at a career that spans roughly four decades, Tim Burton remains one of Hollywood's most unique and talented visionary filmmakers. Directing short films throughout the 70's and early 80's, Burton's success as a director began with studio hit films such as Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, and Batman which later transcended into cult classics such as Edward Scissorshands, Mars Attacks and Sleepy Hollow. Despite a highly impressive track record that represents great versatility as a filmmaker, Burton has had hits and misses with his most recent work in particular which includes Alice In Wonderland and Dark Shadows. While those films contained the visual flair of Burton's previous works, they lack the storytelling and heart that went into his other films that made them special. Burton as a filmmaker does his best work when he picks projects that focus on characters presented as being outsiders in their stories with his traditional dark and gothic mood that makes his films come off as being eccentric in the best ways. Whereas to Disney fans, it may seem odd that such a whacky and eccentric director was chosen to helm one of the studios most precious animated classics. However if one steps back and sees the outsider perspective the main character in the film evokes, they can clearly see why Burton was chosen for this project as he specializes in telling dark and sometimes heartwarming stories centered around these characters. Tim Burton's Dumbo is not a perfect film as it feels slow in certain areas due to the filmmakers effort to extend the story with his live-action effort, but it succeeds as being an effective live-action adaptation that contains both visual flair and most important element of all, a heart.

      The storyline for Dumbo plays out much like the original film with a struggling circus owner Max Medici (Played by Danny Devito), enlisting the help of a former star (Played by Colin Ferrall) and his two children to care for a baby elephant with oversized ears named Dumbo. When the family discovers that Dumbo can fly, they make him the main attraction which leads to huge crowds and revitalizing a run-down circus. When a new venture for the circus is planned, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer. Much has been said about Disney's recent strategy to remake their animated classics in live-action as some fans see the new attempt as a pointless cash grab on peoples nostalgia while others see it as an enhancement of the stories and a brilliant way to reintroduce them to a new generation of audiences in a brand new format. If the movies themselves were poor in quality, one might assume that the first group of fans complaining about the live-action movies would be correct. That is not the case though as each attempt Disney has made thus far to turn their stories into live-action have not only become box office success but ended up being strong films in regards to quality. They don't just copy the exact same film shot for shot, they ground the films with the same story but tell their own version of it adding new characters and plot points to make the experience feel full. The main difference between both versions of Dumbo is this one has human side characters, that become supportive friends and caretakers for Dumbo whereas it was a mouse in the original helping him achieve his potential. The human characters are presented as being likable and share empathy for Dumbo with the antagonists feeling like true villains in a classic Disney story. What makes the story of Dumbo special is not just that it revolves around a cute elephant but it has themes that it celebrates honorably with genuine enthusiasm such as acknowledging differences, family bonds, the need for acceptance, staying true to ones morals, and fulfilling personal dreams. The film does such a noble job of handling those themes while maintaining that childlike sense of wonder the original film had when seeing Dumbo in action.

      In terms of performances, the main cast of Dumbo all deliver strong performances with Colin Farrell and Danny Devito making their characters appealing with Farrell's performance coming across as feeling heartfelt and Devito delivering his strongest performance in years. Michael Keaton delivers an equally satisfying performance as the films antagonist along with Eva Green and Alan Arkin. The child actors Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins are especially effective and do great with the parts they have. With all the great performances combined, the audience feels the enthusiasm that the actors have for telling this story as they clearly look like they are having a blast with it while showing devotion to the concept. Everyone was awesome here with the cast outside of the films visuals remaining one of its strongest points that makes the story of Dumbo come alive. Whereas Burton may struggle in the story department with some of his latest films, he has an eye for casting and always manages to excel in that level with this film being no different from his previous ones.

      In terms of the films directing and writing, Tim Burton once again delivers his trademark visual flair to the film while giving it a pulse. He presents the character of Dumbo as being impossible to despise and sympathetic when mistreated and exploited for capitalistic purposes. In terms of directing, Burton knows what he wants to show here and does so with absolute confidence in presenting the story on the big screen. He incorporates offbeat humor to the film while presenting Dumbo as a symbol of innocence or an outsider who knows he doesn't fit in with the general crowd but wants to be taken seriously. As director, Burton goes to extreme lengths to make the live-action version of Dumbo different from the original despite moments where the film legitimately struggles. Those struggles are mostly due to the films writing making it feel slow-paced and padded in the middle portion. Screenwriter Ehren Kruger does his best job to flesh out Dumbos story by adding human characters that care for his well-being, but it sometimes feel after the first hour that the story isn't sure where to go beyond establishing the main characters and setting where the crowds watch Dumbo fly around. What Burton and Kruger do best with the script as a whole is they create an emotional experience for the audience with them witnessing Dumbos journey from his birth to his exploitation in the circus to the moment he becomes free. Whereas the original placed great emphasis on the audience learning that Dumbo can fly, the new version establishes that twist quickly and focuses on the rest of his journey along with the people that care for him along the way. Although the film carries moments of slow pacing at times where the story becomes uneventful in between the beginning and the end, Burton and Kruger deserve major props for attempting to move away from the original and be different by adding to the story.

      On a visual note, Dumbo remains just as appealing as the next live-action Disney film and Tim Burton film as a whole. It's flashy, its magical, and it draws you into the world the story takes place in with stunning art-set decoration and costume design in addition to the impressive visuals that brought Dumbo to life. In terms of music, Danny Elfman once again delivers a solid score and proves that he does some of his best work when teamed up with Tim Burton. The make-up effects and cinematography are top notch adding to the mystical feel behind the story. The CGI work on Dumbo is very good and looks great on the big screen bringing the amazing elephant to life. On a technical note, this film is a delight to watch and delivers on almost every aspect as Burton is one of the visionary masters of Hollywood. Whereas sometimes Burton leans heavier on the visuals which outweigh the storyline at times, here he successfully manages to balance out both in delivering one of his sweetest and most family-friendly films yet that serves as a worthy remake to the original classic.

      The new live-action adaptation of Dumbo is a worthy installment in the recent stream of Disney turning their animated classics into live-action. While it may not be as strong as some of their other recent live-action works such as Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book, 2017's Beauty And The Beast or Guy Ritchie's Aladdin, Tim Burton's Dumbo still proves to be a pretty good reimagining while ranking as one of Burton's best works in a long time. With Dumbo, he provides the visuals, the talented cast, Danny Elfman's heartfelt score, and the heart to make it a worthwhile experience while creating an emotional journey for the audience. It wasn't the remake that Disney fans requested in terms of being turned into a live-action story, but it proves to be just as magical and as effective as the others with a great message behind it that says that one shouldn't let others say what they can and cannot do. Dumbo is a powerful Disney tale about growing up as evident by Dumbo being separated from his mother along with the human characters that mirror his experience. The story also plays as a morality tale against greed, animal cruelty, exploitation, and the desire to set animals free in the vein of Free Willy with both endings providing hope for the audience. It may not be the best live-action Disney film to come around thus far, but its a much better movie than what critics make it out to be. Dumbo is a triumph of a film that helps reaffirm the belief that Tim Burton is still one of the best storytellers in the filmmaking business both emotionally and visually.

Final Verdict: SEE IT, One Of Burton's Best Works In Years.

Guy Ritchie's Aladdin Brings A Whole New World To The Classic Tale That Delivers

      

      Disney strikes again with their newest and perhaps boldest attempt yet at turning one of their most beloved animated films to live action with Guy Ritchie's Aladdin. Beginning first with 2014's Malificent, Disney's strategy of turning their most successful animated films into live action for the most part has worked out pretty good with 2015's Cinderella, 2016's The Jungle Book, and 2017's Beauty And The Beast turning out to be massive successes of their own. Taking a two year break almost, the live action Disney films have returned with Tim Burton's Dumbo being released along with Guy Ritchie's Aladdin. Whereas Burton's Dumbo film received heavily mixed reviews and performed modestly well at the box office, more pressure and expectation were placed upon Guy Ritchie's film to deliver a live action adaptation that somehow captures the magic and nostalgia of the original. That was always going to be a huge burden as well as a serious challenge for the cast and crew of the new film as they didn't have Robin Williams to reprise the role of The Genie this time around. The films production was plagued by heavy controversy with Will Smiths casting as the new Genie prompting massive backlash from fans along with the criticism of the films CGI work on his character. The film also was criticized for the revealing of caucasian actors faces being painted to make them look middle eastern as extras in the film. Aladdin's road to the big screen as a live action film was by no means an easy task for Guy Ritchie and his team but for the most part, they succeed in delivering a worthy remake of the original film that pays homage to the past while upgrading the story for a new generation of audiences adding new twists and turns to the story.

      The plot for the 2019 Aladdin remains exactly the same as the original with a young street thief named Aladdin coming across a lamp that allows him to free a Genie that grants him all of his wishes while transforming him into a charming prince in order to marry a beautiful princess named Jasmine whom he met on the streets of Agrabah. While Aladdin and Jasmine meet and fall in love, an evil sorcerer named Jafar becomes hell-bent on obtaining the lamp for his own sinister purposes. With the live-action version of Aladdin, Ritchie keeps the same storyline from the original intact but chooses to expand on the development of certain characters such as Will Smiths Genie while also improving on Jasmines character from the original film, making her more of a central figure in the story. Despite the character changes, Ritchie keeps intact much of the fun spirit, action, and heart of the original while utilizing his own over the top directing style that strangely enough fits the story with some impressive slow motion sequences. The films opening sequence is a nice addition to the story with Smiths character opening up the films narrative with a clever revival of the classic Arabian Knight song. Those moments along with the introduction of Aladdin being chased through the streets of Agrabah as a thief with Abu on his shoulder provide powerful yet effective moments of nostalgia for those who grew up watching the original film. Other great moments in the film that drive home that nostalgia and are terrific to see in live-action are Aladdin coming across the lamp and his introduction in the streets of Agrabah as Prince Ali further helped by Will Smiths impressive musical number. The new key moments that weren't present in the original film but work in the remake are Princess Jasmines Speechless scene which is absolutely stunning to watch (Even if the guards fading out in the scene gives audiences PTSD from watching Avengers: Infinity War). The one biggest sequence in the movie that would either make or break the whole film depending on how Guy Ritchie directed it is the iconic A Whole New World carpet flying sequence. That moment is without question the most anticipated sequence out of the whole film for audiences going into the live-action film and happily enough, it doesn't disappoint. Its beautifully filmed and acted by the main leads with the new scene delivering chills to the audience who experienced it as kids three decades prior, and now are letting their own children experience that moment of magic for the first time. The whole scene almost feels like one big torch passing moment from one generation to another with the way its brilliantly handled.

      In terms of casting and acting performances, the cast for Aladdin for the most part is spot on and genuinely feel like they truly fit the roles. Mena Massoud is perfectly cast as Aladdin turning in a charming performance, that makes him appealing to audiences which is essential to the movies success. Naomi Scott proves to be a great choice as Jasmine with a terrific singing voice, audiences will also like what Disney does with her character. When Will Smith isn't on the screen, she steals the show easily and shares great chemistry with Massoud. As far as audiences is concerned, Will Smith beats the odds as Genie and proves to be a great casting choice and successor to Robin Williams in the iconic role. Smith succeeds not because he tries to copy Williams performance (He doesn't), but that he honors the work that came before him while doing his own thing with the part. His performance literally feels like a cross between The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and Hitch which makes the combination of the two appealing for the part of Genie. Smith knows the shoes he's stepping into and plays it smart by making the role his own rather as that was his only chance of success. Despite the strong performances of the three main leads, the films biggest disappointment lies with the depiction of the character of Jafar played by Marwan Kenzari who often feels miscast for the part. While his performance itself isn't terrible, its not the Jafar that audiences were expecting going in and isn't sinister enough. One can only imagine what someone like Ben Kingsley, Oded Fehr, or Patrick Stewart who lobbied for the role could've done with the part. Another disappointment was the lack of usage for Alan Tudyk as Jafars parrot companion Iago. Tudyk isn't bad in terms of his voice acting but feels underused for the most part and not effective enough to leave a strong impression with audiences. Nasim Pedrad and Navid Negahban deliver solid performances as new character Dalia and Sultan, breathing new life into their respective roles though both feel as if they were a bit shortchanged in regards to their screentime. Despite the miscasting of Jafar in the main villainous role, the cast as a whole is strong and deliver great performances with the material given to them.

      Written by John August and Guy Ritchie and directed by Guy Ritchie, Aladdin appears to fit as one of Ritchie's films as he excels with characters who turn out to be thieves within their respective storylines much like Tim Burton does great with exploring characters who appear to be outsiders in their respective stories. Ritchie brings the same over the top style to this film that he brought to his Sherlock Holmes films and previous work in general, one can feel his enthusiasm for telling this story as he appears to go to great lengths to make sure the film looks and feels authentic as a live action adaptation of the original. The film is in no short supply of energy and excitement that makes the overall experience even more compelling. In terms of adding more backstory to the film, Ritchie supplies the live action Aladdin with a more feminist-friendly message regarding the character of Jasmine, who wishes not just to be a simply free-minded princess but also a Sultan to her own people with her ready to take on the responsibilities of leadership. With these new additions, the character of Jasmine as a whole feels more fleshed out and developed into the story more fully. The romance between her and Aladdin doesn't feel as forced and rushed but comes more naturally this time around since the writers have more time to flesh out the story. Genies story arc is expanded on with the friendship between him and Aladdin remaining intact with Genies humanity and human side further explored within the story with a rewarding payoff.

      On a technical aspect, the new Aladdin looks absolutely stunning with breathtaking Cinematography, Costume and Art-Set Decoration. The score by original composer Alan Menken still remains one of the films strongest points with the new musical numbers mainly performed by Jasmine being worthy additions. The films editing is good and moves the story along at a fast pace given its two hour running time. There is enough time for the main characters to develop with the middle version of the movie feeling like a spin off of Hitch with Genie coaching Aladdin on how to hook up with Jasmine that gives immediate flashbacks to that film. This is where the film truly works as both the story and characters feel more organic and have time to be fleshed out in comparison to the original. The interplay between Aladdin and Genie is one of the films strongest highlights with the two main actors demonstrating great chemistry and making it extremely fun to watch. The addition of Genies love interest is a clever twist that wasn't in the original but works great here because like the film Hitch, it puts Will Smiths characters knowledge and advice to the test in his own scenario. As far as special effects go, much has been said about the physical appearance of Genie but in all honesty, he doesn't look so bad especially when it could've came out much worse. On a technical note, Aladdin is near perfection and brings the Disney world of Agrabah to life in breathtaking fashion. As far as a Guy Ritchie film goes, this is one of his boldest and bravest attempts and here he pulls it off with the barrels blazing.

      Aladdin 2019 may not please every fan of the original as fans will have issues with some of the films elements such as Jafar's casting and may disagree with Guy Ritchie's choice as director with his over the top style but truthfully its not a bad movie and is full of charm and heart to make it a worthy live action adaptation of a childhood classic. Its entertaining, its flashy, its funny, its heartfelt, and most importantly, its honorable. Smith not only managed to live up to the expectations placed upon his performance as Genie but exceed them on his own terms. The main actors Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott not only deliver terrific performances but demonstrate real talent making the audience hope that this will help push them towards more stronger roles. The costume and set decorations are terrific bringing a genuine feeling of realism to the film. For audiences that grew up with the original film, seeing the original story brought to film in live action mode is a treat and powerful nostalgic experience. Guy Ritchie's Aladdin never loses focus of what its trying to accomplish with bringing its story to life and does so with enthusiasm, passion, and a sense of hope that audiences can recapture some of the magic they felt when they first saw the animated film 27 years prior. For fans of the original film, Guy Ritchie's live action adaptation is worth seeing even if the end result isn't perfect. Bring on Jon Favreau's The Lion King

Final Verdict: SEE IT

Pet Semetary Is A Surprisngly Decent Remake Thats Let Down By It's Terrible Ending

      Making a remake to a horror film is no easy task as no one asks for it, adapting a Stephen King novel into a film while remaking a previous interpretation of it is twice as hard. Riding off the massive success of Stephen King's 2017 film adaptation IT which also was a successful remake of the popular 1990 miniseries, it seems that all the major horror film studios are rushing to re-imagine some of King's most successful work and bring it to the big screen in hopes of achieving a similar result of success. The latest effort is a redoing of his best-seller Pet Semetary while also serving as a remake of the original 1989 film. While the original film despite becoming a classic wasn't a perfect horror flick, it was entertaining and effective enough to be remade while leaving room for improvement for the new filmmakers to modernize the classic tale while providing their own twists and turns to make it scarier. What the audiences got is a surprisingly decent remake that ranks with the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the 2006 Wes Craven produced remake of The Hills Have Eyes, the 2005 Amityville Horror remake, and the 2017 version of IT to deliver a solid job at retelling these classic horror tales while adding their own dark and cynical touch to them. However unlike those films, the main problem with the remake of Pet Semetary lies in the fact that the film as a whole is let down by its hugely disappointing end that feels like a classic case of lazy writing.

      The plot for Pet Semetary remains virtually the same as the original with Dr. Louis Creed and his wife Rachel, relocating themselves from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. What first feels like a peaceful getaway soon takes a dark turn when the couple uncover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new residence with the power to bring dead things back to life with unintended consequences. One of the main points of the story that connects both the original and the remake is that they both heavily center around the concept of grief. The films within their dark atmosphere tackle issues such as death, life after death, grieving, love, heaven and second chances. Looking at those themes, one would think this is a powerful drama about loss and healing, except it has Stephen King as the writer, whose proven to be a master at providing creepy atmosphere that builds steady suspense. With the issue of grief and the longing for a second chance with the lost loved ones, King provides the consequence for both the characters and the audience desperation to have that second opportunity to cheat death. It is not an easy task to depict grief on film and doing so, the audience needs to have characters that come across as being sympathetic. What the remake does that keeps it consistent with the original is it maintains that level of sympathy with the main characters while emphasizing the grief more in this version. It helps that the Creed family is both likable and relatable making the audience understand their situation and feeling their pain when tragedy strikes while also wanting them to live when terror emerges. When doing a remake to an original film, its always best to honor what came before it while also adding bringing something new to the table. With the new Pet Semetary, roles are switched with the actors delivering fresh takes on the main characters making them compelling and engaging to watch on their own merits.

      In terms of acting, the main cast of Pet Semetary do a damn fine job of bringing King's story to life while delivering their own portrayals of the characters. For the role of the parents, Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz are perfectly cast here and are no strangers to the horror genre. They do a great job playing a loving couple that both love their children while also wanting whats best for them. Simetz's character Rachel has an established backstory that helps add a creepy atmosphere to the plot with the flashbacks showing her taking care of her sister who was cursed with spinal meningitis, leading to a horrific and early death. The character of Louis played by Clarke experiences his own warning about the environment after witnessing a disturbing image of a man who died in the hospital before he could save him. The two main characters are not only wonderfully cast but the main actors play off each others love, fear, and concerns so well that the audience totally feels their emotional depth while growing concerned about them as things take a horrific turn for the worse. John Lithgow delivers a strong performance as the couples next door neighbor Jud Crandell, a questionable figure that first discovers the families cat ran over by a car and suggests they bury it at a local graveyard where family pets are laid to rest. As the audience already knows from the synopsis of the film as well as the original film and Kings book, the dead don't stay dead for long. Lithgow's performance is not as strong as Fred Gwynnes in the original but he still manages to hit the right notes being both likable, mysterious, and creepy at the same time. The performances from the young actors, particularly Elle played by Jete Laurence is excellent as she helps make the question of death around the family come across as being awkward and chilling. For an actress as young as she is, she does a great job as her character and motives become more drastic throughout the film.

      As far as the films directing and writing are concerned, the directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer bring a very dark, uneasy, and moody atmosphere that remains steady and chilling throughout. That atmosphere is emphasized in the beginning sequence with the opening shot to the introduction of the Creed family as the audience gets the feeling that something terrifying is creeping up on them. The action and suspense is handled in a way which allows it to steadily build until its shocking yet disappointing conclusion. The directors of this film give the impression that they know what they want to show the audience and do so with confidence and enthusiasm while cleverly providing new twists and turns that make it different from the original in certain ways. The two do a great job at showing how the heartbreak and desperation of losing loved ones can push people to do unthinkable things while making the Creed families tragedy feel fresh and gut wrenching. They make the case that bringing a story like this back was worth the time and investment despite the audience disapproval of the pairs decision on how to end the film. The big change that the directors made with the storyline was surprising and works, however it led to a conclusion that leaves the viewer scratching their head while feeling majorly let down despite being effective on a certain level.

      The writing by Matt Greenberg and Jeff Buhler is strong while placing heavy emphasis on the themes of grief and death in a mostly satisfying way. They make no effort in showing the imperfection of the parents despite how loving they are and the poor decisions they make come with strong consequences that are rightfully demonstrated throughout the film. On a technical note, the film is visually appealing with composer Christopher Young delivering a genuinely creepy yet effective score that's complimented by Laurie Roses Cinematography. The films pacing moves steadily and is brisk, never feeling like the story is moving too slow but doesn't move too fast either as it builds up its suspense and thrills masterfully.

      Overall the remake of Pet Semetary lives up to its hype as being a faithful re-imagining of the classic source material while turning out to be a better than expected remake of the original. The film is certainly not perfect as its ending almost ruins the strong craftsmanship the filmmakers put into telling this clever story about one families endurance of loss and grief putting them on a pathway towards the ultimate decent of darkness. The film is gory in all the right parts, disturbing in images when it needs to be, holds back on the terror and allows it to be a gripping human drama in between, and nonetheless a creepy yet darkly chilling ride courtesy of one of the great horror masters in literature. Pet Semetary is one of the years strongest horror movies that despite its disappointing conclusion, is worth a watch by fans of the original as well as horror movie fans in general. If they can handle such a cynical and twisted conclusion that almost feels like a betrayal to the rest of the film then this movie is worth their time and enjoyment. The remake of Pet Semetary is not a bad movie, it's just not a great one which is a shame because it had the potential to be.

Final Verdict: Worth a watch though prepare for disappointment with how it ends.

Happy Death Day 2U Is One Of The Rare Horror Sequels That Lives Up To The Original

      One of the biggest shockers for audiences was the surprise smash hit of the first Happy Death Day. Not only was it surprisingly fun to watch but it was also original and creative while adding a science fiction touch to it. The film was essentially a mesh up of Groundhog Day combined with Edge Of Tomorrow that created one of the most unique horror movies of the 21st century, one that takes the slasher genre and literally reinvents it with a darkly humorous sci-fi spin as well as a strong performance from Jessica Rothe in the main role that mirrors Bill Murray's character in Harold Ramis comedy classic Groundhog Day. With the success of the first Happy Death Day, a sequel was inevitable despite being risky given how well the concept of the first film worked. In most cases, horror film sequels struggle to match the bar set by their predecessors with there being few exceptions in the genre. While Happy Death Day 2U doesn't match the quality of the first film, its not far off and does a terrific job of keeping much of what made that film so appealing to audiences intact while continuing the story in a way that's both logical and engaging.

      The plot for Happy Death Day 2U continues the Groundhog Day premise set forth by the first film with the sequel immediately continuing that films storyline with the focus remaining on surviving college student Tree Gelbman (Played by Jessica Rothe) from the first film finding herself trapped within another time loop, beginning another murderous cycle in which she must not only defend herself but also her friends as well as a sorority from a band of murderers wearing baby face masks. What made the story work in the first film was the filmmakers did something that many horror films today either attempt to do but fail or don't bother trying to anymore, they gave the audience characters that they grew to care about and root for. The audience cared about Jessica Rothe's character Tree, both laughing at the absurdity of her time loop scenarios while also appreciating the change and progression the character endures throughout both films. The audience laughed with this character, cried with this character, and became concerned about her safety the further she went into the time loop. It also helped that Jessica Rothe's performance was so sincere and charming as she brought a breath of fresh air to an already fun concept. In all the fun and madness of that film, the thing that made it truly special was the message it carried within the slasher elements that stayed true to the Groundhog Day theme that the repeated time loop can make a person better with the ultimate statement being that everyday is an opportunity to change.

      The themes for Happy Death Day 2U remain the same as the original with the message of both movies combined saying that having the chance to relive your life and change yourself for the better is a special gift. It wasn't the blood and gore of the film that made it special nor its sci-fi tone that made it a hit with audiences, it was its heart that made it a fun experience for horror fans while carrying with it a warm-hearted message. Happy Death Day 2U fully understands as a sequel why the first film worked so well with audiences and tries to imitate the same kind of impact by sticking to the same formula while adding new twists and turns to the plot. The film feels as if its a true sequel to the first as it not only picks up directly after the events of that film but takes all the side characters of the first and pushes them to the center, giving them more development while playing integral parts to the story, bringing both movies together while strengthening the bond. The biggest shocker about the sequel is not how much of it repeats the first film but how little of it tries to with the time loop. The sequel immediately takes off from where that film ends and continues the same wild ride audiences discovered with the first Happy Death Day. Like it's predecessor, it doesn't take itself seriously and is full of energy and laughs that makes it an extremely satisfying experience especially when one goes into it expecting it to automatically be a disappointment because of it being a horror sequel.

      Whereas the first Happy Death Day relied on horror and comedy to flesh out it's clever concept, Happy Death Day 2U keeps those elements but heads towards the science fiction and romance elements of the first film, expanding on both while filling the gaps of that film. The most admirable trait of the sequel is that it has the guts to head in a different direction while keeping all the previous films most successful elements intact to make it truly feel like part ll of the first film. While the switch in genres might catch some of the audience that viewed the first film by surprise, most will appreciate that it tries something different and succeeds at doing so. James Cameron once wrote that the key to making a successful sequel is not only meeting the expectations of the audience but also surprising them. Happy Death Day 2U does its absolute best to meet those standards with Jessica Rothe delivering another strong performance as Tree, showcasing her versatility as an actress with a solid role. In her second attempt at playing the character, Rothe once again nails her part showcasing both physical comedy to moments of pure drama pulling both off beautifully. One hopes that more lies in her future than just playing in horror movies as she shows she has the range and energy to go far beyond.

        As far as the acting goes from the supporting cast, just about everyone from the first film returns and remains equally strong here. Israel Broussard does a nice job playing Tree's love interest Carter, showing that both him and Rothe still have the strong chemistry they had in the first film with sweet moments between them shown throughout the second movie. Rachel Matthews and Ruby Modine are both fun as Danielle and Lori, proving to be just as effective as they were in the first movie. Phi Vu delivers an equally strong performance as Ryan with it being a total surprise that his character goes from being minimal in the first movie to being more prominent in the sequel. In terms of everyone returning to their roles and bringing the same kind of energy and enthusiasm to the parts they played previously, it feels as if no time passed in between movies and everyone was excited to continue the story they began with the first film. Unlike most horror movies, the audience legitimately gets the feeling that they are seeing these characters grow from their last experience despite the stories taking place at virtually the same time frame.

       Much like the original film, writer and director Christopher Landon returns and brings with him the same level of energy and excitement to the project with the sequel feeling like a mesh up of Back To The Future ll meets Scream 2. When both Happy Death Day movies are combined, they manage to come across as being a surprisingly heartfelt and touching story about love, grief, moving on, and redemption masked with the elements of science fiction and horror. One of the improvements made with the sequel is the addressing of the first films main plot hole regarding the reason behind the time loop. In the sequel, its addressed that a group of science majors at school have built a time machine with the intention of slowing down time, instead it ends up looping it. While attempting to wipe out an ill-created dopelganger, the machine resets sending Tree and her friends into another dimension that still loops, changing the sequence of events that appeared in the original while bringing back some of the deceased characters from the first film.

      Whereas most horror sequels fail to reach the standard set by the original film, Happy Death Day 2U does its absolute best job to match it and by doing so does a terrific job while also providing the audience with a few new tricks up its sleeve. The film proudly joins the ranks of Scream 2 and Halloween ll 1981 as being one of the more consistent horror movie sequels that doesn't feel watered down but builds upon the previous films story and expands on it. It can be said however that its less of a horror film than the first and more science fiction this time around, that's not a bad thing as the first Alien and Terminator films worked as horror and sci-fi flicks with their sequels taking the more action-packed routes while staying true to the storylines set up by their predecessors. For some fans of the first film, that may come off as being disappointing as the movie doesn't feel more like a horror movie but to others, it keeps the concept fresh and endearing as audiences will not only be satisfied with this sequel but hope that a third film comes along to wrap up what's arguably one of the most clever and well-blended horror and sci-fi franchises in today's generation. Happy Death Day 2U is a surprisingly awesome sequel that separates itself from most of the generic attempts at being continuations of the first in the genre and truly feels like an extension of the previous story. If one really enjoyed the first Happy Death Day and wonder if the second film is worth watching, its absolutely worth the time and enjoyment to give it a chance. It will surprise you while taking you on a hilarious and heartfelt ride.

Final Verdict: WATCH IT