Valentine: The Final Days of the Slasher Era

      EJ Moreno reflects on the 2001 slasher film Valentine…

      For decades, the slasher genre was the quintessential horror choice, beginning its dominance in the mid-70s with unforgettable killers, ensembles filled with attractive actors, and outrageous deaths. This trend persisted until the early 90s when the golden age of Michael, Freddy, and Jason came to a close. It was Wes Craven's Scream that revitalized the genre, leading to a wave of imitative slashers in its wake, including films with themes like Urban Legends and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Even the notorious Chucky received a makeover in the late 90s. This momentum lasted a while before tapering off until the era of remakes took over the 2000s. In the period between Scream's release in 1996 and the 2003 reboot of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, several mid-tier slashers emerged, one of which is Valentine from 2001.

      Directed by Jamie Blanks, who also helmed Urban Legends, Valentine centers on a group of female friends plagued by a killer seeking revenge for their past actions. Wearing a cherub mask, the killer finds ways to torment and eliminate them one by one. The film features a cast of popular 2001 actors like Denise Richards and David Boreanaz, and with a director experienced in the genre and an interesting slasher premise, it had all the elements to become the decade's first great slasher film, but it didn’t achieve that.

      Upon its release in 2001, Valentine received harsh criticism from both audiences and reviewers, and it has yet to experience a resurgence that often helps forgotten horror films gain recognition years later. Reflecting on the movie now, it’s evident what went wrong and why it seemed like the last gasp for slashers. It’s somewhat cliché, populated with dull stereotypes, and lacks memorable kills. However, a deeper look and a rewatch reveal there’s more to Valentine than I initially perceived.

      I’m not claiming this is an undiscovered classic we all must see, but the film presents a layer that makes it an intriguing watch. As we navigate cinema in the initial years following the “Me Too” movement, it's significant to highlight moments where women openly discuss their dating struggles with a particular type of cruel man. Most slashers feature a reasonably balanced cast in terms of gender; Valentine does not. Aside from the killer and a handful of expendable male characters, the majority of the cast is female. While it wasn’t the first slasher to showcase this—Black Christmas did so back in 1974—it was still not commonplace.

      Notable horror critic Heather Wixson spoke about the film’s female perspective during a 2019 reexamination. Wixson remarked that the film “taps into these intriguing female characters and relationships as well, especially at the turn of a new century when there were only the inklings of where our society was headed.” Although the film leans towards being “soap opera-y” at times, it still holds elements that many find progressive and admirable.

      As you delve deeper into the film, it begins to feel like a genuine slasher mystery, a quality that many subsequent entries post-Scream overlooked. I Know What You Did Last Summer barely allows viewers to engage as detectives, while franchise films like Bride of Chucky and Halloween: H20 moved far beyond the days of mystery attempts.

      Valentine does possess some mystery and intrigue. While it doesn't reach Giallo-level complexity in terms of murder and mystery, I appreciate the film's effort to include a whodunit storyline packed with red herrings and a surprising twist at the end. You encounter a wide range of characters; while many are insignificant, they still provide enough potential for suspicion before meeting their demise shortly after.

      Comparing it to Scream 3, which also premiered around the same time and featured a disappointing killer reveal, I yearn for something as engaging as what Valentine offers. While it's not groundbreaking or hard to guess, the film respects its audience by avoiding treating them like fools or resorting to convoluted twists to cover for a mediocre unmasking. Here, we experience a layered conclusion that, although somewhat predictable, doesn’t pretend to be groundbreaking, yet remains relevant to this day.

      One of my last points, and perhaps the most superficial, is my appreciation for the distinctive slasher look in Valentine. The killer’s signature appearance and weapon mark him as a memorable, iconic villain. Although the masked killer employs various means of murder, it is undoubtedly the kill with the cupid's bow and arrow that stands out. In fact, if there were more kills like that, the film would rank even higher for its unique method of disposing of victims.

      Nonetheless, what truly captivates in the aesthetic department is the cherub-faced mask. It's a striking design, and I genuinely wish we could see more of it in horror films. I’m not sure I would