PLOT SUMMARY: Every year, Rachel is tormented by the guilt of not saving her sister when they were younger. This year, Hannah's ghost comes to haunt her sister.
Sometimes when you come across a random movie and begin watching it with low expectations, you can surprise yourself by getting completely immersed in it.
You may start watching a horror movie with the lights on, thinking about giving it a few minutes before you start looking for something else to watch. The opening scene comes along, it grips you and suddenly, you're reaching for the light switch to create an eerie atmosphere. More often than not, you also make some popcorn.
Happy Birthday Hannah will make you keep your lights on.
Yes, the story is decent, the horror sequences are passable, but the execution and the acting will make you cringe.
It is told through first-person, that is, the protagonist records herself continuously and for some reason, the house she shares with her boyfriend has cameras installed in every room. Way before the hauntings take place. Why?
At least in the other found footage movies, the characters decide to monitor supernatural activities when they experience something weird going on.
But it isn't this part that is a huge turnoff. It is the protagonist who whimpers, screams, and is basically just plain needy.
Her crying scenes, sans tears, are just awkward.
The character Rachel is basically a woman who seeks pity and could pretty much be saying "Look at me! My sister drowned in front of me. Pity me! Hear me moan and then do whatever I say because poor me has to go through so much."
Yes, it must be a painful experience, but Rachel actually believes that her friends and boyfriend must continuously care for her and comply with her wishes.
As soon as we are subjected to her atrocious behaviour, the events that follow become a tedious watch because of the fact, that we can't bring ourselves to care for the protagonist.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH Movie Spoilers!
After celebrating her dead sister's birthday, we see the lights come on in the passageway at Rachel's and her boyfriend's home.
We see the two sleeping and hear thumping footsteps on the staircase.
The next day, Rachel goes to the lake where her sister died and tosses her favorite stuffed animal into it. Then she gives a monologue about how much she missed her sister and how she blames herself for doing nothing as she drowned.
Since there are no tears and the acting is just below average, the scene doesn't fill you with sympathy.
Later that night, Rachel awakens when she hears a girl's laughter.
She knows it is Hannah, her sister. She wakes up her boyfriend who is pissed off and too lazy to check out if there is an intruder in the house.
Sleep first. Who cares if it is a robber or a serial killer that her girlfriend must have heard. After telling her a huge Nope, he goes back to sleep.
Rachel doesn't nag him until the next morning and whines about her boyfriend not caring that she was going through so much.
He pretty much calls her crazy at this point and leaves in a huff.
That night, more footsteps, more child laughter.
Rachel drags her boyfriend down and sees wet footprints.
The boyfriend doesn't see footprints but puddles. He calls her crazy again, they argue and go back to sleep.
But Rachel wants to make a video of herself complaining about how her boyfriend is insensitive to her pain.
Happy Birthday Hannah Ending Explained with spoilers
That night, the cycle repeats, except this time, the boyfriend does hear laughter and Rachel finds the wet stuffed toy she had tossed in the lake, right there on her couch.
The boyfriend believes something weird is happening and suggests calling the priest.
However, the next day, Hannah shows herself while the boyfriend is away and we are made to believe she is possessed.
The boyfriend is taken aback when Rachel fights with him to not call the priest. He confides in his friend who has no qualms about checking on his girlfriend and entering her bedroom. No boundaries here.
He finds Rachel talking to herself and Hannah emerging from the closet. He freaks and runs away like a cartoon character.
The boyfriend checks on Rachel to find her sleeping.
When she is woken up, she throws more drama at him to which he decides the couch is a better bed than the one he would have to share with her.
The next night, the boyfriend doesn't survive. He is strangled and in the camera, we see both Rachel and Hannah standing over him.
The next moment, Rachel goes to the lake and drowns herself.
Hannah's revenge is complete.
Why did she what revenge? Did Rachel let her drown on purpose? Why did Hannah wait for so long? Was it because Rachel ruined her stuffed toy? Or she was sickened by Rachel using her death to be so annoying?
No answers here.
Again, the movie would have been bearable had the characters been more fleshed out and not so belligerent.
The horror scenes were quite decent.
Scare scale: 2/5
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