Review: Heart Eyes

Image courtesy of Screen Gems.

Obviously inspired by the "Scream" films and blending the genre that Wes Craven's film revitalized with the rom com, "Heart Eyes" is a gory thriller that also doubles as a love story between two advertising copywriters. The film takes its love story seriously, while also not skimping on the gore, which it has in abundance.

Although its central story is somewhat half baked - and its ultimate explanation during the final scene is even more so - the premise is that a serial killer known as Heart Eyes targets young couples in love on Valentine's Day and hacks them to pieces. 

The picture opens at a winery where an obnoxious man is attempting to propose to an equally obnoxious woman, although both of them are prioritizing whether the moment is adequately caught by a photographer snapping photos from the woods. Needless to say, their moment is literally cut short.

In Seattle, a young ad copywriter named Ally (Olivia Holt) is struggling at her job after her difficult boss doesn't like her ad concept about doomed love - she references "Titanic," "Bonnie and Clyde," and "Romeo and Juliet" - to sell fancy rings. 

Earlier in the day, Ally has a Meet Cute with a smooth and charming fellow named Jay (Mason Gooding) at a coffee shop. However, she is none too pleased when she realizes that he's a star copywriter who has been brought in to fix her campaign. They don't exactly hit it off.

But that doesn't prevent the Heart Eyes Killer - who is in town for Valentine's Day to wreak havoc - from picking the duo to be among his victims after he sees them kiss. Unbeknownst to the killer, the kiss only occurred to make Ally's ex-boyfriend jealous after they bump into him while exiting a restaurant on Feb. 14.

Most of the film involves Ally and Jay - who are seemingly more resourceful than the other couples who are easy prey for the killer - attempting to escape Heart Eyes' clutches, while numerous others do not. This leads to beheadings, eye gouging, an inventive murder of a couple coupling in the back of a van, and multiple stabbings.

For the most part, "Heart Eyes" is fun and breezy on the rom com side and somewhat icky on the horror side. It's clever enough and Holt and Gooding have good chemistry. There's somewhat of a twist involving Heart Eyes' identity and while I could see that coming, I was underwhelmed when the killer gives the speech about the modus operandi. Truth be told, it's a little lame.

That being said, "Heart Eyes" is a mostly amusing blending of two genres that don't typically mesh. If it's a success, it'll likely face the endless parade of sequels that this type of film tends to generate. For now, at a moment when there's a glut of gory horror movies, this one is slightly better than average.