Since Scream rewrote the rules in 1996, the meta-slasher has been a tricky subgenre to pull off, with each new entry toeing the line between homage and parody. Urban Legend gave us winking academia, The Final Girls blended horror with heartfelt nostalgia, and even Freaky found a fresh hook in body-swapping brutality. Now comes Heart Eyes, the latest to toss a blood-red bouquet of self-awareness into the gory mix. It aims to be both a love letter and a body-count movie in equal measure. Reminding us that Valentine’s Day isn’t just for candy hearts and awkward first dates, this slasher serves up a familiar recipe with a few fresh ingredients.

For the past several years, the mysterious “Heart Eyes Killer” has turned February 14th into a day of dread, targeting romantic couples with murderous precision. The latest potential victims? Co-workers mistaken for lovebirds while out for a work dinner to discuss fixing an ad campaign that’s been receiving backlash for its unfortunate parallels to famous couples killed in their prime. What follows is an all night game  of cat-and-mouse across the city, pausing occasionally for moderate laughs as a tentative romance begins to blossom amidst the brutal slayings.

Werewolves Within director Josh Ruben orchestrates the carnage, bringing his signature blend of horror and humor to a script penned by Phillip Murphy (Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard), Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day), and Michael Kennedy (It’s a Wonderful Knife). For a while, Heart Eyes feels like a near-perfect match for horror fans who enjoy a shot of comedy with their creep. The cold open is so stylishly executed—so gloriously nasty—that it perfectly captures what this film could have been: a delicious blend of romantic comedy tropes and inventive carnage. The masked killer’s grotesquely exaggerated heart-shaped face is both ridiculous and terrifying—a gleeful nightmare with an unsettling grin.

These early kills and scares pack a nasty punch, drenched in practical gore effects that make every splatter look sharp and deliberate. But despite the strong opening, the film gradually loses focus, struggling to balance its genre-blending ambitions. Somewhere in the mix of high-energy chase sequences and long stretches of expository dialogue, the rom-com elements start overtaking the horror, but not in the most compelling way. Plot holes pile up, and the pacing stumbles. The movie is so busy admiring its genre-savviness that it forgets to keep the momentum going.

That’s not to say the cast isn’t putting in the effort. Olivia Holt’s (Totally Killer) Ally has a love life as cursed as the holiday itself, while Scream VI‘s Mason Gooding’s Jay is the charming co-worker caught in the crosshairs. Their chemistry is… off. Holt reads too young for Gooding, or he reads too old for her, making their romantic tension feel awkward rather than electric. However, their workplace banter keeps their dynamic from sinking completely.

Gigi Zumbado (Run Sweetheart Run) steals every scene she’s in as Ally’s best friend, leaving you wishing the script gave her more to do. Meanwhile, Paint‘s Michaela Watkins (always a delight) gets some of the film’s funniest non-lethal moments as the no-nonsense boss. Then there’s Devon Sawa (Hunter Hunter) and Jordana Brewster (F9: The Fast Saga), playing the requisite detectives who, had this movie been made in 1998, might have been the leads instead of the authority figures. Their presence is a fun nod to horror’s past (watch Final Destination and The Faculty if you disagree), though they have a tendency to chew the scenery instead of sinking their teeth into the dialogue.

The mystery element won’t challenge amateur sleuths, but the third act maintains momentum even after the mask comes off. The screenplay nods to modern dating culture and workplace dynamics, but these themes take a backseat to bland character arcs and chaotic chase scenes that add more corpses to the body count. For those wondering if there’s a post-credits tease, there’s no need to wait too long—a mid-credit bumper offers a tiny extra, but nothing beyond that.

What should be celebrated is that, above all else, Heart Eyes looks surprisingly polished. Shot in New Zealand (doubling convincingly for Seattle), the film benefits from Robert Bavin’s production design, creating a world both romantically inviting and potentially lethal. Stephen Murphy’s cinematography ensures that even the most twisted torture is captured with precision, proving that a modest budget doesn’t have to mean cheap thrills. The killer’s mask design is genuinely unnerving, and the gore effects deliver memorable moments of creative carnage. Jay Wadley’s score knows exactly when to amp up the tension, though it occasionally telegraphs its jump scares too eagerly with the jolting zings of its strings.

For horror fans seeking alternative Valentine’s Day entertainment, Heart Eyes at least attempts to carve a different path. Like that slightly unhinged romantic prospect you meet online, it promises more than it delivers but remains entertaining enough to keep you engaged. It may not be love at first sight, but it’s worth mentioning to your friends later. Messy, frustrating, and sporadically brilliant with its violence, Heart Eyes is a decent fling of a horror movie. It just doesn’t quite go the distance.