February has at all times been a month we affiliate with romantic comedies, however relating to 2025 films, there’s truthfully much more upcoming horror films on the calendar for followers to get enthusiastic about. For somebody like myself, who really has loads of love for each genres, I positively advocate this weekend’s new launch Coronary heart Eyes. I had the possibility to observe it early so as to converse to the forged and filmmakers for CinemaBlend, and I used to be so impressed with the way it impressed me on each fronts.
Sandwiched between the releases of Sophie Thatcher’s Companion and the brand new Stephen King film The Monkey, there’s a really enjoyable (and humorous) slasher known as Coronary heart Eyes. It’s positively giving Scream – so in case you are a fan of good-time horror films which might be additionally nice for date nights, it could be your factor, too. Now, for the needs of this text, I gained’t be spoiling Coronary heart Eyes. So be at liberty to learn on as I share my tackle the romantic slasher movie. I would like to speak about it.
Coronary heart Eyes is a couple of fictionalized serial killer known as the Coronary heart Eyes Killer who has been haunting {couples} on Valentine’s Day for the previous few years by killing them off. The film particularly follows a lately single younger advertising and marketing affiliate named Ally (performed by Olivia Holt) whose marketing campaign has gone completely incorrect forward of the industrial vacation. Mason Gooding’s Jay swoops in to help her, however which means their pink alert enterprise assembly happens through the dinner rush on Valentine’s Day, and makes them Coronary heart Eyes’ subsequent goal.
So Ally and Jay find yourself spending their V-Day operating away from a harmful assassin who’s going after the incorrect demo for his or her M.O. In the meantime, Jordana Brewster and Devon Sawa play a pair of detectives who’re on the Coronary heart Eyes Killer’s path. I wasn’t positive what to anticipate going into Coronary heart Eyes, however was impressed me was how effectively it nails being a romantic comedy and horror comedy in a single go.
Like, it’s genuinely such a hilarious film that had me each swooning and wincing on the intelligent bloody moments. I discovered myself getting very bought on Coronary heart Eyes as a brand new horror villain, though I by no means anticipated him to scare me. I additionally discovered myself going “aww” on the extra romantic moments. It’s truthfully very spectacular how the film was in a position to nail each genres directly.
What actually works about Coronary heart Eyes is the way it handles its tone. It’s solidly twisted, however by no means desires you to cease having a enjoyable, lighthearted time. The film begins strongly with a gnarly kill involving a pair getting engaged (and does not ease up from there). Because the film goes alongside, it had me desirous about how creepy and extreme {couples} can get about their relationships, making them prime targets for a horror idea.
For instance, in the event you’re in your 20s like I’m, your social media timeline is most definitely crammed with wedding ceremony photographs upon engagement photographs and such. The film made me take into consideration the lengths {couples} can go to get consideration and publicize their relationships.
That particularly goes for Valentine’s Day. Generally it will probably really feel like a contest is secretly taking place on social media the place {couples} will do something to have the cutest attainable report of their like to the world. It could possibly get so nauseating that it’s not utterly out of the realm of risk that some crazed villain may begin concentrating on them to show the entire trade a lesson. And I’ll say this: whereas I positively thought Coronary heart Eyes was getting in a selected course inside its commentary, there’s much more to it than I believed, and that impressed me, too.
The Coronary heart Eyes Filmmakers Instructed Me They Had Each Genres In Thoughts Whereas Making It
Once I spoke to the filmmakers behind Coronary heart Eyes, I requested them about how their backgrounds with rom-coms and horror films might have been examined whereas mixing genres. As co-writer and producer Chris Landon stated about engaged on the film:
It was loads of enjoyable. It is humorous, I admittedly had been uncovered to many, many rom coms simply by advantage of my buddies and sisters and to be trustworthy, I’ve at all times form of hated them, However, I additionally understood them rather well as a result of I believe each rom coms and horror films have loads of tropes. And so for me, it was the enjoyment of each approaching each of these genres and attending to form of unpack all these tropes, however on the similar time nonetheless writing characters that you just’re genuinely invested in, which I do assume is the key sauce of the film. As a result of though we’re form of winking and poking enjoyable at some stuff, the characters within the romance are nonetheless taken for actual.
Landon, who famously made the Completely satisfied Demise Day films and Freaky, was introduced on along with his Freaky co-writer Michael Kennedy after Philip Murphy got here up with the thought. Murphy had a “actually unhealthy first date” in October 2021, and after it didn’t go effectively and he was watching loads of horror films for Halloween season, he began to think about if they might have bonded if a scary film killer like Jason Voorhees was after them. The resident rom-com fan was actually director Josh Ruben, who advised me this about his reference to the genres:
I grew up with an older sister and a mother who had been always loving up on Julia Roberts. I believe Fairly Lady was performed in that home rising up virtually as a lot as like all of the Friday the thirteenth films. My sister Rachel, who has a music monitor within the movie, really on the restaurant scene from her new album, she was each my rom-com gateway and my horror gateway. We had been equal lovers of horror and rom-coms in my home… I used to be the baby [and my parents would] take me to all the things from My Finest Buddy’s Wedding ceremony to The Bodyguard. I used to be simply dragged alongside, they usually had been all like large films with large budgets, they shot on anamorphic lenses with stunning gentle. They felt value going to the film theaters for. And, that is what I wished to do on this occasion was make it really feel as form of large and grand however as candy as like Sleepless In Seattle or My Finest Buddy’s Wedding ceremony or any of them ever did.
I discover it fascinating how the filmmakers join with rom-coms versus horror, as a result of when you watch it, you possibly can actually really feel like there’s loads of care and a focus being positioned in each avenues. Like, in case you have one rom-com fan and one horror fan that go see this on a date, I believe each will probably be pleased, and that’s fairly wonderful.
And, I Assume Coronary heart Eyes May Change into A Valentine’s Day Custom For Horror Followers
Now, I’m not saying Coronary heart Eyes is one of the best horror film I’ve ever seen. However it completely gained my coronary heart, and I do assume in the event you test it out, you should have a enjoyable time with it and possibly even advocate it. I additionally like that it may fill this void on what to observe in the event you love horror and don’t wish to go for a rom-com, or vice versa. There’s a campy high quality about Coronary heart Eyes that feels rewatchable, and I do know I can positively see myself throwing it on one Valentine’s Day sooner or later to relish within the season in a non-traditional method.
Coronary heart Eyes hits theaters this Friday, February 7. When you’re right here, it’s also possible to take a look at CinemaBlend’s interview with Mason Gooding about his horror monitor report to date.