At first, Happy Death Day seemed to be another Blumhouse cheap-and-cheerful enterprise that does what it says on the tin - the horror version of Groundhog Day, of which is it is blissfully self-aware - but it turns out to have considerable charm and is very enjoyable. From the looped opening of the Universal ident, this film knows exactly what it is doing, carried along by two delightfully engaging and well-placed lead performances by Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard and a format that effectively creates mini-movies which introduce the new generation of filmgoers to horror movie conventions and locations (the sorority house, the hospital, the bell tower, etc) and also allows horror fans the fun of spotting references, as classic movie themes are echoed and clichés are neatly skewered. There is a good balance of humour and scares, with a thunderous soundtrack and some well-written dialogue, and whilst it is hardly groundbreaking, Happy Death Day is delivered with a deft light touch and is winningly engaging.
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