Review: Heart Eyes

Directed by: Josh Ruben

Written by: Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon, Michael Kennedy

Starring: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa

Rating: [3/5]

Couples have long been a prime target for famous slasher killers because we know characters who engage in sexual activity within these films end up in early graves. It comes with the territory for thematic reasons, but these killers have never specifically targeted couples in their quest for blood, which we get in Heart Eyes. A film that has standard fare for this genre but adds in plenty of self-aware comedy that boosts the enjoyment. 

After a recent break-up, pitch designer for a jewelry company, Ally (Olivia Holt) needs to rework her campaign with the help of consultant Jay (Mason Gooding), who she stumbled into in a meet cute moment not too long ago. As they meet during Valentine’s Day to discuss the strategy, they become the target of the Heart Eyes Killer, who sees them as a couple. 

Staples of what makes these slasher villains memorable comes from a combination of their look, killing style, and why they kill who they kill. With the Heart Eyes Killer, we have someone with quite the look with the mask containing lit up hearts for eyes, a penchant for using anything around them to kill others, and a specific demographic of couples as their preferred victim of choice. At the very least on a visual level this killer will stand out but this film goes beyond the basic killing by taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to this narrative at nearly every turn. This allows there to still be fun even when the films begin to falter. 

At the center, we have the dynamic between Ally and Jay, who share a moment in a cafe that’s simply ridiculously coincidental as they both order the exact same overly complicated coffee order. If that does not scream soulmates, then nothing else really does for this generation. Them spending time together as two single people on Valentine’s Day and becoming the target for the unrelenting Heart Eyes Killer only makes it all the more evident that they do belong together but first they need to survive this whole ordeal, which certainly will not come with ease. This dynamic between the pair really is what makes this film succeed as for all of the faults of this film, Ally and Jay’s dynamic has both those nice moments of a budding romance but also a lack of self-seriousness to match the rest of the plot. 

We see this lack of self-seriousness with other characters in the film, namely the police officers. Nothing quite displays this film’s irreverent approach than the fact that the detectives trying to get to the bottom of this have the last names of Hobbs and Shaw. For those who may not know, it’s in reference to the film Hobbs and Shaw, who are in the same Fast & Furious universe Jordana Brewster, the detective in this film, famously has starred in for decades. Just the silliest detail they threw in there, but it all comes as part of the experience this feature wants to provide within this genre.

Everything else that transpires from the reveal of the Heart Eyes Killer and the actual kills done within this film don’t really stand out. If anything, they mostly cause major eye rolls in their lack of narrative satisfaction. None of the kills really stand out and in the attempts to make them fall flat most of the time. Normally it would be more of an issue if not for the aforementioned elements that make this film work overall as it operates as a much better horror comedy than an actual slasher meant to induce actual fear from audiences. In that particular way, this film finds a way to stand out and bring a different level of enjoyment. 

While not bringing the best of the genre with kills and a wholly intriguing villain, Heart Eyes works in ways slashers typically do not, specifically in regard to characters we can actually care for. Ally and Hay portrayed quite well by Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding bring forth two very sweet characters who find themselves in both a romantic comedy and horror film all at once and it just works. This film brings plenty of laughs and references that make it wholly enjoyable, while making its slasher elements at least satisfactory to all come together as one enjoyable flick.