Heart Eyes (2025) may not reinvent the slasher wheel, but it greases it up with enough charm, carnage, and cleverness to stand out in a crowded field of holiday-themed horror.
‘Heart Eyes’ Movie Review
Heart Eyes delivers a clever and blood-soaked twist on the slasher genre, taking a cue from classics like Scream while putting a Valentine’s Day spin on the formula. Directed with a knowing wink and just enough bite, this seasonal horror-thriller finds a solid rhythm early on—thanks in large part to its lead duo—and mostly rides that momentum until the final act falters under the weight of an undercooked reveal.
The film follows Ally McCabe (Olivia Holt), a rising marketing exec who’s recently come under fire for a misfired ad campaign. Enter Jay (Mason Gooding), the charming new consultant brought in to clean up the mess. Ally’s convinced he’s here to replace her, but Jay has other plans: collaboration, flirtation, and, as it turns out, a company-sponsored dinner at a swanky restaurant on Valentine’s Day. Their date takes a sharp turn when they run into Ally’s ex, prompting an impulsive kiss between Ally and Jay—one that, unbeknownst to them, is seen by the Heart Eyes Killer, a masked psychopath targeting couples on Valentine’s Day for their perceived romantic sins.
It’s a setup tailor-made for genre fans, and Heart Eyes doesn’t skimp on the good stuff: gruesome kills, high-tension sequences, and a killer with a flair for theatrics. What elevates it slightly above your average holiday horror flick, though, is the chemistry between Holt and Gooding. Their dynamic feels genuinely fun, with Gooding channeling some of the confident charm that Glen Powell brought to Anyone But You, while Holt gives Ally a likable mix of neurotic energy and dry wit. It’s the kind of pairing that makes the quieter, dialogue-heavy moments just as engaging as the blood-splattered ones.
Director Josh Ruben (of Werewolves Within fame) also shows a knack for balancing the horror and comedy. The kills are creative without leaning too hard into parody, and the film walks the line between meta and earnest surprisingly well. Fans of Scream VI will note the meta-textual similarities, not just in tone but in casting—Gooding again finds himself dodging blades and navigating a romance amidst a body count.
Where Heart Eyes slips is in its third act. While the first hour sets up an intriguing mystery and builds a decent sense of tension, the film’s ending feels rushed and lacks the clever twist it clearly aims for. The reveal of the killer is more of a shoulder shrug than a gasp, and the resolution feels like it was tacked on more out of obligation than inspiration. It’s not enough to sink the entire experience, but it does leave the film feeling a bit hollow once the credits roll.
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Still, there’s a lot to like here. Heart Eyes may not reinvent the slasher wheel, but it greases it up with enough charm, carnage, and cleverness to stand out in a crowded field of holiday-themed horror. For fans of movies like Valentine, Happy Death Day, or Bodies Bodies Bodies, this is definitely worth a spin—even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing.
Score: 6/10
Heart Eyes (2025)
- Cast: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, Jordana Brewster, Yoson An
- Director: Josh Ruben
- Genre: Comedy, Horror, Romance
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: February 7, 2025
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