Film Overview"Valentine" is a horror thriller film directed by Jamie Blanks, released in 2001. The movie script is based upon the novel by Thomas Savage, which was adapted by Donna Powers and Wayne Powers. The movie stars Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, Marley Shelton, Jessica Capshaw, and Katherine Heigl. The narrative is mostly focused on a group of 5 women who are being stalked by an unidentified enemy, who apparently has a grievance rooted in an earlier incident from their shared past.
PlotThe movie opens during a sixth-grade Valentine's dance where Jeremy Melton, a castaway, is cruelly turned down by three girls - Paige, Lily, and Shelley - while the fourth, Kate, politely turns him down. He is further embarrassed when implicated of sexually assaulting another woman, Dorothy, resulting in his expulsion.
Fast forward to years later on, we discover the ladies, now grown up and leading private lives. The plot kicks into scary territory when Shelley, now a medical student, is brutally murdered in her home. Following Shelley's funeral, each of the females gets a scary Valentine's message, suggesting they could be next victims.
Throughout the film, the killer, camouflaging himself in a cupid mask, continues his rampage against these women, with each murder becoming significantly harsh. As cops are investigating, the thriller intensifies when it's revealed that Jeremy Melton had plastic surgery following a reform school period, making his recognition almost impossible and throwing suspicion onto every male in the ladies's lives.
Final ActThe climax of the movie occurs at a Valentine's Day party hosted by Dorothy. Here, each character's suspicions increase as everybody ends up being a possible suspect. After revealing her rich partner, Campbell, had been using her for cash, Dorothy is left ravaged, adding more stress to her already vulnerable state.
Nevertheless, it's throughout the celebration that the killer's identity is revealed when Kate finds Dorothy worn the cupid killer's outfit dead. Initially, she thinks that Dorothy was the killer the entire time, having actually been the one to incorrect Jeremy one of the most. However, it's soon revealed that her partner, Adam, is in fact Jeremy. He fabricates a death scene by drinking alcohol that he allegedly can not metabolize due to antidepressants he's taking, yet manages to get up from a seeming 'collapse' as Kate leaves the space.
Final Thoughts"Valentine" uses a perfect blend of secret, scary, and suspense. Its unanticipated weaves keep the viewers engaged, and it becomes both a guessing video game of 'who's next' along with 'who is the killer'. The overriding theme of high school rejection leading to a vicious circle of violence is used successfully to construct unrelenting thriller throughout the motion picture.
Despite this, numerous critics have slammed its predictability, lack of character development, and generic slasher tropes, arguing that it fails to stick out among other scary movie offerings. Nevertheless, with its elegant kills and 'whodunit' theme, "Valentine" has actually captivated certain audiences enough to make it a cult classic in its own right. It functions as a dark reminder of the repercussions of childhood bullying and the lasting scars it leaves behind.
Top Cast
