By Melissa Garza
Valentine was released in March of 2001. Horror was in a very strange place at that time. The excitement that the original Scream (1996) stirred had died down in the five years after its release. Whatever enthusiasm remained was destroyed by lackluster and uninspired sequels to not only the Scream franchise but to lesser quality productions like I Know What you Did Last Summer (1997) and Urban Legend (1998). Even the return of Michael Myers in H20: Halloween 20 Years Later(1998) was second-rate. Despite it being a box office hit, the movie just didn’t deliver. When first announced, these movies had horror fans hyped up and anticipating opening night. It was the disappointment felt after viewing the less-than- stellar productions that made fans doubt the quality of any new horror film released.
It’s fair to say that after Scream 3 (2000) and Urban Legends Final Cut (2000) horror was certainly losing the contemporary edge it found only a few years prior. Still, there was minor hope that Valentine would beat the odds and deliver something worthwhile. After all, Final Destination (2000) had come out 11 months prior and was quite a success because of its willingness to break new ground with its intensity and originality. The fact that it was well thought out, intelligent and well casted made it stand out among other horror movies that came out the same time.
It was because of how enjoyable Final Destination was that I convinced my friends to give Valentine a chance. We went to the cinema to see it and I recall being quite impressed and happy with what I saw. Though, Valentine wasn’t as powerful or unique as Final Destination, it was definitely superior to most of the horror movies around that time. Compared to movies like Jason X (2001), Thir13en Ghosts (2001) and The Haunting (1999), it was Citizen Kane (1941).
The best aspect of Valentine is that it’s a whodunit that bares much similarity to great films made years before. A cross between Slaughter High (1986) and Class Reunion Massacre (1978) it pays homage to the classics while delivering a clever and fun modern take on an old formula.
The movie opens at a junior high dance in 1988. Jeremy (Joel Palmer), a young geeky boy continuously asks his schoolmates to dance, only to be rejected again and again. He sees Dorothy (Kate Logie), a plump girl sitting alone watching the party from afar. He takes one more chance and asks her. He is excited when she agrees. They end up under the bleachers sharing a kiss when a few bullies spot them. In a panic, Dorothy lies and says that Jeremy attacked her. The boys taunt him, throw red punch over his head, and strip him to his underwear. He becomes so upset that his nose bleeds.
Fifteen years later, all the classmates are grown. The four girls who rejected Jeremy begin to get Valentines Day cards with disturbing messages written upon them. Soon, one by one they are stalked by a masked killer. They believe that Jeremy, still angry over the dance, is pretending to be someone else and is among them. They figure that it could even be one of the men they are dating as their backgrounds are a mystery.
The conclusion is somewhat predictable but nonetheless entertaining.
The actors are great. Katherine Heigl has a small role in the production and does very well. Denise Richards is also fantastic in the film. Marley Shelton stars as the lead character Kate. Kate is portrayed as a soft, sweet, docile and meek girl. It was the perfect choice as it helped make her believable as the potential victim of the mad killer.
The characters are admittedly interchangeable but the actors are now well-known enough that confusing them for one another is near impossible. I will say that the actors are just too pretty. The great thing about the 70s and 80s is that the actors were beautiful but conventionally so. They often had a look to them where they could easily be the girl next door. Even if one of the main characters was gorgeous, the supporting cast would be average. Nowadays, everyone looks like a supermodel. The problem with that is that it takes one out of the movie. It’s much more horrifying when one is watching a production and feels that what is happening on screen could happen to them. Forming a connection to the character is so important that without it one cannot become invested in the film nor frightened by the happenings; therefore, the more realism that exists the better. Having all performers with an amazing body, perfect hair, make-up, wardrobe and the most beautiful face in the world just doesn’t work with horror.
In regards to the overall production, the plot was interesting. The pace was good as there was little filler and nothing dragged. The murder sequences were fascinating. The costume of the killer was neat.
On the downside, the story was a bit empty. Though the murders were clever and the story an updated version of various classic horror movies, there was something that seemed to be missing from the overall movie. The characters were shallow and superficial. There was zero atmosphere. In all honesty, it sort of felt like a made-for- Lifetime horror movie.
Valentine may not be the best horror movie of all time. It’s not even the best whodunit in the last 15 years. Still, it’s a fun movie and one I recommend to watch when bored or simply looking for something to do.
Scared Stiff Rating: 5.5/10
