Heart Eyes (2025) - A love story (with some severed bodyparts)

'Heart Eyes' is a romantic comedy.  Fact.  It's effectively a film that follows that tried and tested formula where 'boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back again.' And it's released in mid February to capitalise on the Valentine's audience.  So, nothing new to see here, right?

Wrong.

There's a maniac serial killer on the loose who really couldn't have got enough hugs as a toddler from his mummy, as he really doesn't like seeing couples in love (through his - kind of cool - red, heart-shaped night vision eye-goggles!).  He's been moving from city to city, causing people to be too scared to go out and celebrate Valentine's Day.  Now he's in Seattle.

Which is where we meet our 'will they/won't they' couple.  And they quickly find they're due one hell of a Valentine's Date to remember when they find themselves his latest target and have to flee across the city.

So, it's really your standard 'slasher' affair?  Yes.  Well, no.  Or at least not really.  It's a rom-com which plays out for just long enough for you to lower your guard.  Because every time you do, the killer pops up.  Props to the writer as the between the two main leads is sharp and they play off each other will (an obvious positive for a couple supposed to be falling for each other).  Plus the plot has enough red herrings, so it does fit in that 'Scream' mould where you're asking yourself who's behind the mask?

I've seen so many slasher films that most blend into one.  And yet I'm sure I haven't seen one which worked a love story into a blood bath.  For that, I give it major props and it was great fun to watch.  Ending dragged just a little, but the overall experience wasn't let down by that.

7/10