A brand new slasher, rom-com flick comes just in time for Valentine’s Day, putting all types of movie lovers in the mood for a striking love-filled film.
“Heart Eyes” was released on Feb. 7, and is directed by Josh Ruben and produced by Spyglass Entertainment, the company behind the fan-favorite “Scream” franchise. Although many fanatics of both the romance and horror world were roused by the release of this film, “Heart Eyes” might just be the swipe left for Valentine’s disappointment of the year.
Like any good romance movie, Ally, played by Olivia Holt, and Jay, played by Mason Goodling, share an undoubting chemistry the moment they appear on-screen in a clichéd same coffee-order scenario. Jay plays up the “hopeless romantic” archetype as he continuously tries to woo Ally, who absolutely does not want anything to do with him at first. Ally, plays up the “love is hopeless” trope as she is going through a breakup and is on the verge of getting fired from her job, and she thinks Jay is part of the blame.
Meanwhile, the nationally recognized Valentine serial killer of the film’s namesake, “Heart Eyes” is on the rise again. This year he has set his sights on Seattle, always lurking and striking any pair of lovers he comes across — leaving a trace of fear in the back of the entire country’s minds. After an awkward misunderstanding shared by Jay and Ally, Heart Eyes is locked onto the two of them and will not rest until death do they part.
“Heart Eyes” delivers an immersive balance of sappy rom-com moments and fun inventive kills that leave the audience guiltily begging for more gorey heartbreak. In the opening scene, the Heart Eyes killer crashes a beautiful wedding proposal set in the bright Seattle countryside that is left dark and bloodied by the time his job is done. The powerful presence of this slasher is felt at the very beginning and drags through the movie as the audience realizes he will stop at nothing for his next kill. “Heart Eyes” does a great job of epitomizing lovey-dovey aesthetics and cheesy Valentine’s traditions with its warm-toned cinematography. Whenever Heart Eyes debuts, tar is dumped on these visuals, causing a thrilling, suspenseful atmosphere.
With all of the brilliant work put into this film, its messy plotline is the only vanquish that disregards all of the creative allusions and hunts. This film capitalizes on the raw tropes of both horror and romance. It does not create new types of tropes many may be expecting with this mix of genres. It seems like the film was trying to mix oil and water in this department.
After so much build-up, the “grand reveal” anticipated in every slasher falls flat, and it throws away many great moments that could have been enhanced.
Some scenes where characters try to reach and relate to different age groups’ experiences in the dating world make the film hard to watch and take away from the credibility of the two genres.
Despite its flaws, “Heart Eyes” is still an entertaining movie and a fun date idea for this Valentine’s Day. With so many different features and tropes built up in its one-hour and 37-minute screen time, there are many things one would find charming about this film. For those interested in a casual Valentine ’s-themed outing, “Heart Eyes” is now playing in theaters.
English
Spanish