Heart Eyes

Review

Date Watched: May 12, 2026
Where Watched: Paramount+ (Streaming)
Adaptation? No

Quick Hook (First Impression)

As it’s no secret I am a huge fan of horror movies. Not only because of the pulse pounding suspense or the gory action but because horror movies seem to have a subgenre for everyone. Heart Eyes is one that is quite a rare and underrated type of horror movie: the holiday horror movie.

Story / Concept

Holiday horror movies are nice little gimmick films that use a particular holiday to market themselves while adding their own violent spin with horror elements. While some of them are not worth watching, Heart Eyes is definitely one to check out, especially during Valentine’s Day season.

Some of my favorite parts of the film have to be the Heart Eyes Killer’s MO throughout the movie: only targeting couples during Valentine’s Day season. I felt that was a nice way to make the killer seem unique by giving them an innovative method for finding targets.

What I also appreciated was how the movie didn’t rely too heavily on the Valentine’s Day gimmick. The film lets you know it’s centered around Valentine’s Day without constantly shoving it in your face with themed weapons or cheesy calling cards left at crime scenes.

Performances

I really enjoyed the main characters Ally and Jay, played by Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding respectively. Mason Gooding has been building a great resume within the horror genre so far in his career, and this movie definitely proved he could carry a horror film as a leading man.

The chemistry between the leads helped make the quieter moments engaging, and the killer reveal itself was simplistic yet interesting and weird in a good way.

Atmosphere / Horror

The kills were very gory without becoming so over-the-top that they lost believability. My favorite kill came from the opening scene where a victim was crushed to death. The film also balances its comedy surprisingly well because the humor never completely dilutes the horror aspects.

Pacing / Flow

The movie moves at a pretty solid pace overall, but my biggest issue comes from the third act. Once the reveal and final battle happen, the movie suddenly feels rushed, almost like it’s trying to hurry up and finish the story before running out of time.

I also felt some of the side characters were underutilized. Characters like Ally’s best friend and especially her ex-boyfriend feel like they were introduced with bigger potential before disappearing from the movie almost entirely.

Themes / Meaning

Underneath the slasher elements, the movie plays around with romance culture and Valentine’s Day expectations while twisting those ideas into horror. It never goes overly deep thematically, but it supports the movie’s fun tone well.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Heart Eyes was a really fun horror comedy that succeeds because it understands exactly what kind of movie it wants to be. Between the entertaining kills, strong chemistry between the leads, and clever holiday horror setup, it stands out as one of the more memorable modern holiday slashers.

Who is this for? Fans of slasher movies, holiday horror films, and horror-comedies that still keep the horror intact.

Who should skip it? Viewers looking for deeper character development or a more serious psychological horror experience.

One-Sentence Verdict: A bloody, funny, and surprisingly clever Valentine’s Day slasher that proves holiday horror still has plenty of life left in it.

What Worked

• The Heart Eyes Killer’s unique targeting concept
• Strong chemistry between Ally and Jay
• Great balance between horror and comedy
• Creative and gory kills
• Doesn’t overuse the Valentine’s Day gimmick

What Didn’t

• Some side characters feel underdeveloped
• The third act feels rushed

Optional Gut Check

Rewatchable? Yes

Would I recommend this casually to a friend? Yes