anti-valentine – Movies of the Soul

Vampire Owl: So are the hearts in the eyes, or eyes in the heart?

Vampire Bat: If there is a serial killer around, does that really matter?

Vampire Owl: Yes, we need to understand the killer first.

Vampire Bat: You know that human serial killers cannot kill vampires, right?

Vampire Owl: Well, they can always cut our heads off.

Vampire Bat: Most human serial killers just keep stabbing.

Vampire Owl: We should just let them come. They have good necks.

Vampire Bat: I heard that you were allergic to blood.

Vampire Owl: It is never too late to have some blood shake in life.

Vampire Bat: Well, this one happens on Valentine’s Day and the colour surely matches.

[Gets a paneer samosa and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: For the last few years on every Valentine’s Day, a serial killer known as the Heart Eyes Killer who is short named HEK by the media, has targeted different couples in different American cities. This year, the killer is known to have murdered two couples in Seattle and a wedding ring which has the initials “J S” is also found at one of the crime scenes where the couple was murdered in some of the most brutal ways possible. The case is taken over by the detectives Zeke Hobbs (Devon Sawa) and Jeanine Shaw (Jordana Brewster), who are nicknamed Hobbs and Shaw after the famous Fast and Furious spin-off movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham in which there was so much of action with the two. At the same time, in the same city, Ally McCabe (Olivia Holt), a marketer for a jewelry company who just had a break-up, accidently meets a stranger Jay Simmonds (Mason Gooding) in a restaurant, and is ridiculed and almost fired by her boss Crystal Cane (Michaela Watkins).

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Ally’s strange ad campaign with doomed couples is detested by almost everyone due to the recent murders of lovers by the serial killer who had just started murdering in the city. Crystal calls upon a freelancer accomplished in the same field, and it turns out to be Jay much to her surprise – she is supposed to work with him and create a whole new ad campaign. On the same day, Jay invites her to dinner that night, asserting that it is not really a Valentine’s Day date despite the date being February 14th. He further suggests that it may give them further inspiration for the campaign which they have to work with together and succeed. Ally agrees despite the killer already at work for the season of the Valentines, as she desperately needed the job after the break-up. But after reaching the restaurant and post a few minutes of talk, they are not happy with each other and gets out, but as Ally sees her ex-boyfriend, she kisses Jay and introduces him as her boyfriend because her old love already came with a new girlfriend.

And what more is to happen with a brutal murderer on the hunt for lovers on Valentine’s Day? :: Ally and Jay reconcile over that act and he takes a taxi to her home, where he helps her break in to her home after she realizes that she had forgotten her key, and he cuts his hand in doing the same. Ally helps with his wound upstairs, as she was someone who had dropped out of medical school. All of a sudden, the Heart Eyes Killer jumps out of the cupboard and attacks them. After a chase, he knocks Jay out as Ally keeps running. Detectives Zeke Hobbs and Jeanine Shaw who found no other killer, but found the killer’s mask and weapon with Jay, and they arrest him, shocking Ally who had returned to the area after hearing the police siren. The police take Jay for questioning at a police station, and there both Hobbs and Shaw show that his initials match those on the previously found ring and also shows proof that he was in the same cities at the same time during HEK’s previous attacks. But soon, the power goes out and a masked figure with a weapon comes out, revealing the heart symbol on the eyes and begins his killing spree. Can the new partners and police escape without being killed?

The defence of Heart Eyes :: The chemistry of Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding is what drives the movie so well, with humour, taking part in action, and adding the unexpected romance at times as everything comes when a serial killer is on the hunt, making the whole thing very interesting. At the same time, the movie gets into the gore easily and killings begin, while romance keep ending, and even for the protagonists, the focus is less on love and more on a classic escape act which is followed by more running and fighting with a murderer ready to get into act. With the nice humour working so well, we see the rom-com and slasher modes switching each other one, and at times existing at the same time, keeping the whole thing enjoyable. All these happen within a short run-time and the final scene throws a fine punch, and there are some nice twists that lead to the same. Among the police characters, it is Jordana Brewster who steals the show, and that seems to be evident from the early scenes and the police station moments.

Positives and negatives :: The final twist may have given some clues early itself, and we see them coming quite early, with one at the police station itself, and another at the crime scene – there are not enough red herrings to keep the twists away. Most of the supporting characters also get not much to do, and the bloody side with all the violence will not make everyone happy, especially when coming in between romance all of a sudden without warning. The movie still manages to keep its level, even when it is short of romance or short of killings, and that comes a surprise with this not being among the best-known slasher movies. The killings do work as one would expect from this kind of a movie. The visuals serve the purpose right from the beginning too. Michaela Watkins adds some nice humour right from her first moments. Gigi Zumbado should have been there for more, as it was really fun when she was around – the disappearance only to appear in the end does not serve the character that well. Yoson An’s work surely came as a fine surprise too.

How it finishes :: I had left this one behind without watching for some time as the idea did not feel that interesting, but coming back to it on Amazon Prime Video was surely worth it. Even though it feels like old-style slasher at times, there is also that fresh feeling around. There is a certain cuteness with romance and humour on one side and we also see that unlimited terror on the other side. Fans of the slasher genre would surely appreciate the inventive, bloody kills which keeps happening from the beginning to the end, often in innovative manner. The movie is indeed self-aware and has such a fine cast. There is also that scope for sequel that we see by the end of the movie. If you are looking for a fun movie in the weekend with friends, you will love the cute little romance against a backdrop of creative carnage, then you also get surprised with the rising quality around here. You can see a chaotic, self-aware energy in this wildly entertaining ride, as long as you do not dig too deep around here. Heart Eyes could get into your list of favourite killers, and can go the Scream, Halloween and I Know What You Did Last Summer mode accompanied by the newer Psycho Killer and others.

Release date: 7 February 2025
Running time: 97 minutes
Directed by: Josh Ruben
Starring: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, Jordana Brewster