‘Heart Eyes’ and the Surprising Love Found in the Slasher Genre

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Movies serve as a form of emotional expression, a way for countless individuals to invest numerous hours, resources, and personal sacrifice in creating something tailored for your enjoyment. In another perspective, echoing Roger Ebert’s insightful thoughts, movies act as an “empathy catalyst.” They provide us with the opportunity to experience, if not love, then at least a heartfelt comprehension. I believe this capacity to empathize is not confined by genre or subgenre boundaries. This isn’t to suggest that every movie evokes empathy, but rather it can be discovered in various aspects within any genre.

Absolutely, these categories encompass films like Ebert referred to as “Dead Teenager Movies,” or in today’s vernacular, slasher films. Contrary to popular belief, contemporary examples within this genre can elicit a great deal of empathy too. However, be prepared for some gore, as you might need to clean up a few spills.

Josh Ruben’s movie “Heart Eyes,” penned by Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon, and Michael Kennedy, is the latest entry in the slasher genre to grace theaters, and can now be streamed on VOD following a global earnings of $32.5 million. The plot revolves around colleagues Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding), who are wrongfully assumed to be a romantic couple by a serial killer with a Valentine’s Day theme, “Heart Eyes.” Unlike conventional slasher films, this one takes inspiration from rom-coms, setting it apart in the sparse catalog of horror movies set on Valentine’s Day that includes titles like “My Bloody Valentine” (1981), “Hospital Massacre” (1982), “Valentine” (2001), and “My Bloody Valentine 3D” (2009). Although joining this exclusive group of films may invite comparisons, for Landon, the task wasn’t intimidating. As he shares with The Hollywood Reporter, “I felt like we were all approaching this in a rather unique way that felt fresh, and I believe that was at least what initially drew me to the project. Knowing that in many ways, this is a rom-com that keeps getting disrupted by a slasher really distinguished us from some of those earlier films, while also allowing us to explore some of the tropes from those movies as well.”

In their works, directors Landon and Kennedy, known particularly for their movie Freaky (2020), have a knack for deconstructing familiar tropes. Apart from Freaky, Landon has directed other slasher films such as Happy Death Day (2017) and its sequel, Happy Death Day 2U (2019). Similarly, Kennedy penned the script for the slasher movie, It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023). Notably, these films have been innovative genre mashups, drawing inspiration from classic movies like Freaky Friday (1976), Groundhog Day (1993), and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). They blend these concepts with the traditional slasher format. What sets these slasher movies apart is their substantial impact on studio-released slasher films. Recent examples include films like Totally Killer (2023), The Blackening (2022), the Fear Street trilogy (2021), There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021), and Black Christmas (2019). Unlike earlier slasher films that focused primarily on a high body count or creating a masked killer for the audience to root for, these movies revolve around lead characters who are multidimensional, with complexities, ambitions, and lives beyond the horrors they encounter. These characters aren’t just victims or villains but individuals with depth and substance.

The criticism expressed by Ebert towards many ’80s slasher films and the moral judgment associated with it has been a contentious issue among fans of the horror genre. As horror enthusiasts, we are known for our sensitivity, and Ebert was not one to mince words. In regard to Friday the 13th Part 2, he stated, “This film is essentially a blend of the Slasher Maniac and Dead Teenager genres; around two dozen movies each year involve a deranged killer on a rampage, and they’re all as mediocre as this one.” Additionally, Ebert and Gene Siskel raised ethical concerns about Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), which generated national headlines. At one point, I found Ebert’s criticisms of slasher films to be unimportant.

However, I acknowledge now that I was mistaken. It’s not about endorsing the judgments on them or labeling their enjoyment as a moral flaw, but rather it was my oversight to overlook the slasher films he did appreciate, such as “Halloween” (1978), “Scream” (1996) and “Scream 2” (1997). These stand out from other slasher movies due to unique factors that make them captivating, even for those who aren’t horror enthusiasts. In these films, the characters we care about are more engaging than the killers, creating a pathway to empathy that not all slashers provide, regardless of their entertainment value.

Neither “Heart Eyes” nor any of the slasher films the writing team has worked on previously show disregard for past works. They genuinely appreciate not just the well-known, initial slasher films from past decades but also lesser-known ones. Murphy, who wrote the first draft of “Heart Eyes”, expresses fondness for “Friday the 13th Part VI”. He considers it his favorite and often discusses it because he thinks Jason in that movie is particularly relentless, acting like an unstoppable killing machine. There’s a lot of humor in the film too, but Murphy mentions that he was inspired by this specific portrayal of Jason when creating the ferocity that the Heart Eyes Killer displays in “Heart Eyes”. However, they also aim to offer audiences something more than just nostalgia, and it’s no wonder that all three writers credit Wes Craven’s “Scream” as a significant influence on “Heart Eyes”, not only for the film but also for their careers.

Craven’s filmmaking journey was fueled by empathy, a quality that can be traced back even in his earlier works often categorized as exploitation films such as “The Last House on the Left” (1972) and “The Hills Have Eyes” (1977). These movies not only challenged America’s policies regarding Vietnam and nuclear weapons proliferation but also served as a commentary. By the time he crafted “Scream” (1996), Craven was navigating a self-referential slasher genre while emphasizing the value of characters beyond their capacity to die, a theme that has been instrumental in keeping the franchise cohesive through its latest installment, “Scream VI” (2023). The impact of horror goes beyond mere body counts; the ability for characters to endure and survive post-horror situations presents its own set of compelling stakes as well.

Kennedy, who didn’t develop a passion for the horror genre until his teenage years, acknowledges Kevin Williamson’s writing on “Scream” and “Scream 2” as significant influences on his approach to slasher films, complemented by the practical knowledge he gained working with Landon on “Freaky”. For him, the Heart Eyes Killer may be striking, but it was the two main characters, Ally and Jay, that were of utmost importance. He expresses, “[Ally and Jay] truly stand out as individuals rather than mere objects or props” in the script. Landon echoes this sentiment, highlighting his aim to add complexity to these characters by making them imperfect, conflicted, and endearing – qualities he believes better reflect real-world people he knows.

It seems crucial to me that this viewpoint be considered. Even within a genre often characterized by fear and violence, treating characters as human beings rather than objects is refreshing, particularly given the current climate where it appears numerous individuals with power, or those seeking it, are intent on dehumanizing others. The newer generations exploring horror may have distinct preferences compared to Gen X, and I believe that amidst all the modern world’s uncertainties, there’s a sense of reassurance in the notion that people can endure their most terrifying nightmares and emerge unscathed, sometimes even stronger than before.

In an era where horror movies are becoming increasingly diverse in their visual content, it’s crucial that these terrifying explorations of darkness still make room for deep emotional resonance. This added layer of empathy not only enriches the viewing experience but also fosters a stronger connection with the audience.

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2025-03-15 01:25