PLOT: The infamous Heart Eyes killer has been targeting couples on Valentine’s Day for many years. Soon, two co-workers (Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt) mistaken for a couple find themselves spending what’s supposed to be the most romantic night of the year running for their lives.
REVIEW: Watching Heart Eyes, I wondered why there haven’t been more romantic comedy/ horror mash-ups. After all, the horror genre is a perennial date night staple, as nothing breaks the ice on a date like being frightened and clutching your date’s arm when a jump scare happens. Director Josh Ruben, who previously helmed the well-received Scare Me and Werewolves Within, dives head-first into both genres with a gory slasher film that leans more heavily into the rom-com aspects than you might expect, given the film a unique flavour.
To be sure, Ruben and his team of writers (including Happy Death Day’s Christopher Landon) purposefully lean into all the rom-com tropes with their two leads. Olivia Holt’s Ally is a driven career woman with a broken heart and no time in her life for romance. Mason Gooding’s Jay is her new, high-flying co-worker who, despite his ladykiller vibe, wants to settle down and find “the one.” They work for a fashion brand trying to build a campaign around romance, so to do some “research,” they book a table at the most romantic restaurant in town. Alas, the Heart Eyes killer, who we learn has been terrorizing couples for years, has recently arrived in their city, mistakes them for a particularly happy couple, and becomes focused on doing away with them.
Now, Heart Eyes may not be for the more hard-core horror fan. While some nifty gore moments earn it a hard-R rating, the vibe is kept light throughout. Even when running for their lives, Gooding and Holt, a likeable pair, trade quips and never seem especially afraid, even if a maniac is chasing them. Gooding is a rising star in the genre thanks to his role in the Scream movies and he settles nicely into a leading man part. While newer to the genre, Holt makes for a solid final girl, and their chemistry is strong enough that you hope they’ll end up together in true rom-com fashion by the time the credits roll.
However, it should be said that the Heart Eyes killer’s reign is definitely secondary to the romance. I’d definitely classify Heart Eyes as a rom-com that just happens to have horror elements, and despite the high body count, the killer’s reign never seems to be taken too seriously. Given that it’s a comedy, all the side characters are played for laughs, with Devon Sawa and Jordan Brewster’s Heart Eyes-hunting cops knowingly named Hobbs & Shaw in a cheeky nod to Brewster’s most popular franchise. Sawa chews the scenery as the ultra-macho Hobbs, while Brewster’s Shaw complains about never being able to find a man (a bit of a stretch given how jaw-droopingly gorgeous she is). Neither is played straight, but they have bigger roles than you’d think, with mistaken identity and a violent trip to the police station ranking among the film’s goriest highlights.
Heart Eyes should prove to be a solid sleeper when it comes out, as it is perfect for the audience it’s targeting – couples. Hard-core horror aficionados might be more challenging to please, but if you don’t mind the heavy emphasis on comedy and romance, you’ll still find plenty to like about the slasher flick, including practical gore effects and a superb design for the killer’s mask. I had a good time with it and wouldn’t be adverse to seeing this turn into a perennial Valentine’s Day tradition, where the killer stalks a new couple in each sequel.
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