Heart Eyes - movie review

Heart Eyes slashes its way into the Valentine’s Day horror lineup with bloody kills and viral terror.

Some horror films become synonymous with a holiday, feeding into the tradition of seasonal scares. Valentine’s Day slashers may not be as crowded a field as Halloween or Christmas horror, but Josh Ruben’s Heart Eyes earns its place among the few that exist, delivering a sharp, bloody, and self-aware thrill ride.

Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt star in this fast-paced slasher, playing two strangers who find themselves hunted by a masked killer with a vendetta against Valentine’s Day. The film taps into modern fears of online fame and viral culture, centering on a masked murderer whose notoriety spreads as fast as the bodies drop. The concept feels eerily chatroom-centric, but rather than dragging down the story, it adds a fresh layer of digital-age horror.

Holt plays Ally, a woman whose career and life take a nosedive after botching a major assignment. Her chance interactions with Gooding’s character seem harmless—until they both end up in the killer’s path. While the murderer’s motives remain largely unclear beyond an intense hatred for couples, Heart Eyes capitalizes on the mass hysteria that comes with a killer going viral, much like how panic spreads in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers when multiple pranksters don the infamous mask.

The kills are stylish, gory, and fast, making the film a breezy slasher that never overstays its welcome. One of its biggest highlights is the killer’s mask, which feels like a brand in itself, adding to the film’s meta, self-referential energy. At times, Heart Eyes leans a little too hard into fourth-wall-breaking humor, occasionally making it feel more like a parody than a straight-up slasher. However, the fast pace, brutal deaths, and commitment to chaos keep it entertaining.

Like last year’s Abigail, Heart Eyes is an unexpected early-year horror entry that could become a sleeper hit. Its narrative may be a little flimsy, but it never shies away from carnage, revels in its anti-Valentine’s Day attitude, and delivers a satisfying body count. That’s enough to make it worth the price of admission.

Rating: 3/5

Directed by Josh Ruben

Written by Phillip Murphy Christopher Landon Michael Kennedy

Produced by Christopher Landon Greg Gilreath Adam Hendricks

Starring Olivia Holt Mason Gooding Gigi Zumbado Michaela Watkins Devon Sawa Jordana Brewster