I will preface this review by saying that I generally hate romance movies. I was interested in Heart Eyes for fun kills and comedic dialogue I knew the writing team would deliver! When Michael Kennedy and Christopher Landon link up, I know I will laugh, and several people will die. They don’t try to reinvent the wheel. They instead take a familiar idea and give it a bloody reimagining. That’s what I am signing up for!
What I didn’t expect was to be swept up by this romantic story. Heart Eyes is a delightful yet vicious ride that entertains from start to finish. It has kills, kisses, jokes, outfits, twists, and cameos. It is equally successful as a rom-com and a ruthless slasher, which is a tough balancing act. Hearts Eyes is worth the time and the coin.
Love Is In The Air!
The romance in Heart Eyes works for me because it starts by making fun of performative romantic gestures (often seen in romance movies and on social media). There’s a tucked-away cameraman, rehearsed lines, delicately arranged props and backdrops, and a couple concerned about appearances. The vibe is manufactured, which makes it feel like it’s not love. It’s theatre. It was the perfect time for the kills to amp up. This lets the audience know that the central love story wouldn’t resemble the scene at the beginning.
The love story we follow is a chance meeting of people (very hot people) with great chemistry. Instead of a bunch of dates, Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) fall in love while evading a killer. That is the true test of love. Would you hold me down if a murderer was chasing me? Can I trust you to be on my team in a life-or-death situation? The stakes make the rom-com aspects feel less cheesy and cliche, although some of the story beats are very familiar. I was rooting for the romance when I am usually indifferent. However, the romantic gestures during the showdown moved me.
Thrills and Kills
While the romance was a pleasant surprise, the slasher aspects sealed the deal! We did not have to wait long for The Heart Eyes killer to show his mask, or the business tip of his arrow (get out of the way cupid)! We see one of the movie’s more creative kills right up top. I love that Heart Eyes sets up a brutal antagonist who adapts to their situation, is not above running down on their victims in public, isn’t afraid of the police, and is skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
I also love that the Heart Eyes killer has no problem killing others on their way to killing the intended victims. Literally, anyone can get it! The pacing helps to keep the audience’s heart pumping between kills. The pauses between the violence left space for the rom-com moments. Before the romance has a chance to become boring, the danger amps up. I predicted part of the mystery, but there were also elements of the reveal that surprised me!
Heart Eyes is a fun slasher that feels like an amusement park ride. It follows a mostly predestined path, but that doesn’t strip away the thrill. The audience (me) sees where the journey is going, and that’s exactly why they are buckled in. I’m willing to bet people (me) will be repeat riders. I highly recommend checking this out in theaters.
The Josh Ruben directed romantic slasher Heart Eyes was one of Horror Movie Blog’s most anticipated movies of 2025. The film is currently in theaters now.
