VALENTINE

Sometimes it’s bad timing. Sometimes it’s bad marketing. Sometimes it’s bad press. Whatever the reason, this criminally underrated horror gem from 2001 is nearly perfect in all aspects of its execution. Valentine is a wonderful throwback to the glory days of “slasher films” – the early 1980s. This movie tells the story of Jeremy Melton, a nerdy reject in school who, after years of being mercilessly bullied and mocked, grows up to take revenge on his childhood peers – or does he?

This simple plot sets the stage for an unexpectedly enjoyable series of ‘stalk and slash’ scenarios, along with a great cast (especially for a horror film), some wonderful set designs, a great killer, and a well-written script with a great ending. Enough said.

While the familiar story may seem “typical”, the competency and maturity shown by director Jamie Blanks (Urban Legend – another of his solid efforts) is anything but. He handles this movie like a seasoned professional and his talented cast – including David Boreanaz (TV’s Bones), Katherine Heigl (TV’s Grey’s Anatomy) and Denise Richards (Wild Things) – do a solid, believable job with the high-quality material.

Horror films have long made the holiday season a perfect target for their stories. While Christmas seems to have the largest selection of quality classic horror movies (Black Christmas, Christmas Evil and Silent Night, Deadly Night – just to name a few), Valentine’s Day is running a very close second (My Bloody Valentine, My Bloody Valentine 3D, and Valentine are probably the best). Valentine is a rare overlooked find – the deaths are inventive, the soundtrack is great, humor is found in ample doses, and a decent “whodunit” story is wrapped neatly within this should-be perennial horror classic.

For those looking for an old-school horror movie made for today’s modern times, you can’t do much better than Valentine. A must see for fans of the horror and/or thriller genre.

My Score: 9 out of 10