When people think of a “slasher” film, they think of blood, guts and pointless gore. They might not think of a romance sprouting between characters.
In “Heart Eyes,” the romance isn’t behind the scenes anymore; it’s the focal point, besides the blood, guts and gore.
The movie opens with an introduction to the antagonist, the Heart Eyes Killer, as well as his victims. The victims include a man proposing to his girlfriend on a beautiful vineyard. She’s obviously the one who planted the idea; she mouths along the words to his proposal while he says it.
Unfortunately, their happiness is short-lived because the photographer doesn’t catch the right moment to take a photo. While restarting the proposal for the right picture, the photographer is brutally stabbed through the camera lens by the Heart Eyes Killer, who is targeting the couple. The man who just proposed is shot with an arrow straight into his forehead, killing him instantly and terrifying his girlfriend. After a struggle and chase to get away, the woman runs into a winery where she is slowly crushed to death inside a machine.
This beginning gives insight into who the Killer targets and how brutal of an execution is carried out against couples in love. A clue is left behind at the crime scene though, a wedding ring with the initials “J.S.,” which seems unlike the Killer. After all, Heart Eyes is targeting couples; how could the Killer be married?
The movie cools down substantially from the initial bloodlust. Main characters Ally McCabe and Jay Simmons meet at a coffee shop, the ideal meet-cute. However, like any good romcom, everything that could go wrong does. Ally ends any chance of being with Jay by accidentally smashing his nose with the back of her head, causing it to gush blood.
When Jay invites Ally to dinner, nothing is amiss. Even though she might have broken his nose, he doesn’t wish her ill will, and in fact, wants to get to know her better. Throughout the dinner, Ally is hopelessly falling for his charm and good looks while still remaining wary because she doesn’t believe in love.
The look into the subconscious of Ally is tasteful and exactly what the audience needed to witness to know why she believes that every love in her life is the wrong one and that nothing will ever work out for her. Jay, at the dinner, tries to convince her that love does in fact exist and that he might be the one out there for her.
After an abrupt ending to the dinner, Ally and Jay run into Ally’s ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend outside the restaurant. To save face, Ally kisses Jay in front of her ex and they pretend to be a couple so that she can feel better about herself.
Unbeknownst to the two of them, the Heart Eyes Killer watches the whole exchange and believes that they are indeed a couple, even though they are not.
When Ally is dropped off at her house, she realizes that she doesn’t have the key to her apartment, and Jay helps her break in by busting open a window, slicing open his hand. When Ally helps him into her apartment to clean him up, the Killer attacks.
Unfortunately, the two investigators on the case mistake Jay for the Heart Eyes Killer because of the ring found behind at a murder scene, initialed “J.S.” (theorized to be for Jay Simmons).
Throughout the movie, there’s an undeniable connection between Jay and Ally; it’s super cute and inspiring to witness the two characters grow closer and closer with every near-death experience they have with the Killer.
What else is to be expected besides the two characters falling in love with each other in the end, despite a killer attempting to brutally murder them?
The blood, guts and gore are no match for the love and attraction Ally and Jay feel for each other. Overall, the movie was a great, thrilling experience, especially in a movie theater. Seeing Ally and Jay fall in love with each other on the big screen was cute and endearing, making viewers think of their own personal love, or lack thereof.
