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WithHeart Eyesrecently opening, it’s great to see the return of the combination of the slasher sub-genre with the holiday that is intended for lovers. Valentine’s Day is usually associated with romantic comedies and light dramas, but it’s fitting that horror gets into the mix because it’s perfect for a little date night excursion. It has been a while since Cupid’s arrow hit the genre, but back in 2001, director Jamie Blanks gave horror fans a treat with a little movie calledValentine, a film that mixed ’80s slasher sensibilities with a bit of the late ’90s horror tropes that 1996’sScreammade so popular.IfHeart Eyeswas something you found satisfied your lover’s holiday bloodlust, thenValentinerepresents the perfect nightcap.
Directed by Blanks from a screenplay by Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts, Donna Powers, and Wayne Powers,Valentineis based on the novel of the same name by Tom Savage and follows a group of women in San Francisco who all went to junior high together. At the St.Valentine’s Day dancein 1988, some of the women were particularly cruel to an outcast student named Jeremy Melton, resulting in a horrible prank that had Jeremy accused of unwanted sexual advances by some of the girls. He’s expelled and sent to reform school because of it, resulting in Jeremy holding a long grudge against the girls.
Now, 13 years later, the women are being stalked by a killer wearing a Cupid mask as Valentine’s Day fast approaches. Is it Jeremy? Someone associated with him? Both? More than Valentine’s Day will run red by the end of the night. The movie stars Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, Marley Shelton, Jessica Capshaw, Katherine Heigl, Daniel Cosgrove, and Jessica Cauffiel.
‘Valentine’ Captures the Visual Flair of the Holiday Laced With Horror
First and foremost, since Valentine’s Day is more of a superficial holiday, even if many don’t want to admit it,Valentine’scast is littered with good-looking individuals who are matched by equally stunning cinematography from Rick Bota. Reports of the film’s budget are a little insane given the kind of movie this is, but it can be found online that it ranged from $10 million to $29 million. Either way, it was all money well spent because, through Bota’s work and Blanks' direction,Valentinelooks like the holiday come to life.
There are a lot of deep reds in several scenes, none more wonderfully captured than watching Richards' seductive Paige Prescott slink around in a red dress at a Valentine’s Day party. The film knows that some of its strengths lie inits visual beauty, from the cast that looks the best of the best of the early 2000s to the polished aesthetic of its visuals that match the sex appeal of the holiday with the horror that is infiltrating it.
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Whether you love love or hate it, one of these horror films will make the perfect date night (or all-by-yourself night) on Valentine’s Day.
Valentinealso has its share of dark humor and inventive kills. At one point, Cauffiel’s Lily Voight is sent Valentine’s Day chocolates that are laced with maggots (inventive), and the killer fancies himself to be a clever writer by sending a card that reads,“roses are red, violets are blue, they’ll need dental records to identify you.“In another instance, a hot tub becomes a unique death trap for one of the characters where it appears that drowning will be here demise, but a combination of a drill, a flesh wound, and a bit a shock ends the moment with the hot tub running red with blood.
Also, since the killer wears a Cupid mask, arrows are a weapon of choice, putting a fresh spin on being struck by Cupid’s arrow. The movie doesn’t redefine the genre with its kills and gore, and it might all feel a bit tame to some, but the film is having fun with its kills by tying some of them in with the holiday.
There is a throwback quality toValentinethat makes it work. Its mystery is reminiscent of 1980sProm Nightand ismore of a whodunitthan a traditional slasher film. Now, will it be hard to determine who is committing all the murders? The killer leaves behind threatening Valentine’s cards that are signed"JM,“which indicates that it just has to be Jeremy Melton from that St. Valentine’s Day dance from long ago, but the mystery isn’t so much is it Jeremy, but who of the new or not so new men in these women’s lives could be Jeremy. There are a few red herrings, but it won’t take audiences long to figure out who it might be since there is only one high-profile male name in the main cast, and he is a real “Angel.”
‘Valentine’ Has a Pretty Inventive Killer
The killer himself is also pretty unique, and it’s a shame that the film didn’t reachHalloweenstatus because his aesthetic is very cool. The Cupid mask is a creepy, nice touch, and he’s even given a little tick that is a hint of the past. At the St. Valentine’s Day dance, Jeremy suffered a nosebleed when he came under attack due to the prank committed against him. 13 years later, when the killer successfully commits a murder, he suffers from a nosebleed that leaks through his Cupid mask. Perhaps he wasn’t destined to be Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, but in the pantheon ofValentine’s Day slashers, he gets the job done.
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Ally (Olivia Holt) and her co-worker Jay (Mason Gooding) are targeted by an infamous serial killer in Seattle.
Then there are the characters themselves. It’s great that this is a film led by women, and each one offers a different personality that audiences can relate to. Whether you’re Shelton’s more innocent final girl, Kate Davies, or Capshaw’s ugly duckling turned swan, Dorothy Wheeler, there is a character that translates well for any viewer seeking someone who may be like them in the film. All the women have solid chemistry with each other, and you buy that they have been lifelong friends. Hell, you even get apre-Grey’s AnatomyKatherine Heiglin the opening scene, although rumor has it this is a film she doesn’t like discussing all that much. It’s a shame she would rather acknowledgeThe Ugly Truthover this fun little gem.
Valentinewas met with dismal reviews upon release, registering an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that reads,“Valentineis basically a formulaic throwback to conventional pre-Screamslasher flicks.“What critics didn’t get is that this is why the film is so fun. It was released as the late ’90s slasher phase was dying off, but the fact that it’s a throwback to the slasher films of the ’80s gives it most of its campy charm. It didn’t need to be a meta-horrorfilm likeScream. It needed to be exactly what it is. In the years since its release, it has gained a considerable cult following with horror fans, which is much deserved. If you’re looking for a horror film to cuddle up with alongside that special someone,Valentineis a satisfying treat.Valentineis available to rent onApple TV,Prime Video, andGoogle Play.
