‘Heart Eyes’ Wears its Heart on Blood-Soaked Sleeves

“Heart Eyes” is half Hallmark romance and half “Scream” slasher. 

Directed by Josh Ruben, “Heart Eyes” follows a budding romance between two co-workers as their Valentine’s Day meet-cute is interrupted by a masked couple-killer known as Heart Eyes.

Falling in the trend of holiday-slashers like 2023’s “Thanksgiving” or “It’s a Wonderful Knife,” “Heart Eyes” differentiates itself by unapologetically leaning into cheesy romances pulsing in the vein of “Hot Frosty.”

Olivia Holt leads as Ally, a marketing campaigner recovering from a recent breakup who’s on the brink of losing her job. Mason Gooding stars alongside as Jay, a charismatic freelancer hired to correct Ally’s work while privately wooing her for a date.

In the background of their love-hate dynamic is a serial killer stalking the streets of Seattle on Valentine’s Day. Mistaking the flirtatious colleagues as a solidified couple, the Heart Eyes Killer sets his sights on the duo while they consider what they mean to each other.

Holt (“Cruel Summer,” “Totally Killer”) captures the pining romantic lead with an added self-awareness. Holt’s sarcasm colors Ally’s introversion as a defense from pain. Though she’s pessimistic toward romance, Holt lends Ally confidence to reflect on her true desires.

Gooding (“Scream VI,” “Y2K”) is a charismatic scene stealer. Witty and suave, Gooding effortlessly bounces from casual jests to proclamations of affection. His character subverts the stereotype too-good-to-be true date as someone earnestly pursuing love.

Ruben (“Werewolves Within,” “Scare Me”) directs with an evident passion for both Netflix dramedies and B-movie horror. Between the intentionally cliché dialogue and lovesick yearning is a mix of graphic kills and skin-crawling effects.

Aside from the typical slasher stabbings, Ruben incorporates elements of Valentine’s Day to the executions. An opening victim is pressed to a pulp in a winery machine, another is speared through the heart and a final slaying involves a decapitation reminiscent of the historic St. Valentine.

Shifting tones aid the film’s horror by highlighting the genre contrast. Audiences may feel at ease watching Jay and Ally awkwardly chat about love, only for harsh violence to disrupt their apparent safety. Every stab and kick hits harder when the plot around it is sugary sweet.

“The balance is all about committing equally to both genres, the horror and romcom, not short changing one in favor of the other,” Ruben wrote to The Phoenix during a Reddit AMA. “The rest comes together with music, my composer Jay Wadley is a wizard.”

Sporting a fluorescent mask and cupid crossbow, Heart Eyes similarly balances tones as an antagonist. The killer eerily stalks in the shadows and cuts victims with precision, yet comedically stumbles when chasing them.

Toeing the line between heartwarming and thrilling, “Heart Eyes” is consistently a comedy. The film’s parallel elements elevate its humor, with the squeaky-clean leads spewing one-liners at the killer while narrowly avoiding death.

Likewise, elements of dramatic irony and situational comedy permeate the film. Ally and Jay’s attempts to escape slaughter inadvertently bring the killer to other victims, and the two find themselves awkwardly trapped between intimate couples while seeking shelter.

With a breezy 90-minute runtime, “Heart Eyes” thrives in its speedy pace and quick-witted cast. The palpable passion on screen translates to a lighthearted thrillride that will make audiences smile and laugh as often as they might wince and gasp.

“The real success of this franchise — that is, if we get to do it again and again — is to homage the great rom coms, give people legit feels,” Ruben wrote. “While promptly evacuating the butterflies in their stomachs via nasty ass jump scares.”

For those seeking something sweet or savory to watch this Valentine’s, “Heart Eyes” offers audiences plenty of proverbial chocolate to chew on.

“Heart Eyes,” rated R, comes to theaters Feb. 7.