Heart Eyes (2025)

Director: Josh Ruben

Starring: Mason Gooding, Olivia Holt, Jordana Brewster, Gigi Zumbado

For the past several years, the “Heart Eyes Killer” has wreaked havoc on Valentine’s Day by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This Valentine’s Day, no couple is safe.

‘Heart Eyes’ is different to other recent slashers. It is gorgeously shot, has a great soundtrack, and manages to be just as funny as it is suspenseful. If Hallmark and Blumhouse were to team up, ‘Heart Eyes’ would be their baby. Yes, the romance is just as cheesy and predictable as a Hallmark movie.

Ally works for a jewelry company and is in trouble with her boss after creating a marketing campaign which resulted in criticism. In order to save the campaign, her boss brings in experienced campaigner Jay Simmonds, whom Ally met earlier that day in a coffee shop.

Ally is still hung up on her ex boyfriend Colin, and not interested in romance. When Jay invites her to dinner on Valentines Day to discuss the campaign, Ally vows to keep it strictly professional, but how could she possibly resist the ever so charming and handsome Jay?

The Heart Eyes killer is known for killing couples on Valentines Day, and when Ally and Jay share a kiss (although not romantically) they become a target. They manage to survive an attack by the killer, but their quest for survival has only just begun.

There’s loads of humour here – plenty satirical – but despite all the humour there are nail-biting moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. The kill scenes are brutal and gory, just like the ‘Final Destination’ movies, but due to the film’s lighthearted tone they are not as gross as the ‘Terrifier’ killings.

There are maybe too many close calls for our heroes to be believable, but it nevertheless was a lot of fun, and I suppose it ties in perfectly with the humourous tone. The Heart Eyes Killer certainly is a memorable one in terms of appearance, but wait there’s more…which I won’t spoil.

If you’re in the mood for a slasher without too much blood and gore – but still enough to keep slasher junkies satisfied – then ‘Heart Eyes’ is a good choice. The practical effects are reminiscent of early 90’s horror movies, and very well done. I really enjoyed this.

‘Heart Eyes’ earned nearly $33 million on an $18 million budget. And guess what, there’s a sequel in the works…

Would I watch it again? Yes.