VALENTINE

2001 / Director. Jamie Blanks.

Today was Valentines Day and so naturally I made the missus watch VALENTINE with me. LOL. It's a movie that's copped a lot of flack over the years and Aussie director Jamie Blanks is even on the record apologising for it... to that I say "no need". It's a perfectly suitable adage to a formulaic genre. There's been countless films like it and there will be countless more to come. Sure it's riddled with cliches, implausibilities and contrived set-ups but that's part of the fun. Some of the early foreshadowing of deaths is cheeky and much of the irony is lost until repeat viewings. I think Blanks knows the genre well enough to pull the right strings while keeping his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. Coming off the instant success of his debut film URBAN LEGEND, this follow up is a much strong movie in my opinion. The cast are gorgeous, dumb and annoying which bodes well considering that they all get diced up. The Cherub faced killer is a cool creation and his kills, while not exactly inspired, are fun enough. I also think that VALENTINE has appreciated with age. We can now look back on it with hindsight and a more forgiving eye and it sits well as a slice of early naughties genre. It's by no means a groundbreaking, nor memorable fair, but it's a solid little mantel-piece amongst better company... it's essentially what TERROR TRAIN was to HALLOWEEN. Harmless fun. 

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