VALENTINE: DVD

For all its good looks, it's another lazy slasher movie where scantily clad virgins do silly things and almost every character is made to look guilty before being butchered in increasingly inventive ways. There's a spectacular bow and arrow/garbage dumpster double act and a nasty variation on the old "hot tub and electrical appliance" favourite. As for filmic references, there's a Carrie-like Prom scene where red punch is poured over young Jeremy's head and a Psycho-like shower scene without much irony.

But even though much of the film looks like it could be an assemblage of Australian director Jamie Blanks's (Urban Legend) favourite horror movie scenes, his audio commentary reveals a regret for including some all-too gratuitous horror references. Blanks' commentary gives a rather technical wrap about making the film as he explains the vices of working under pressure, to deadlines, other people's schedules and within budget constraints. You get the feeling he's apologizing for a lousy film, but you've gotta hand it to the young Aussie horror buff who's living his dream in Hollywood by making B-horror movies like the ones he grew up on. The Club Reel is merely a music video. The studio extras is an eight-minute behind-the-scenes advertorial featuring on-set cast and crew interviews about how horrifying Valentine's Days can be. What better than base a horror movie on it, right? Or to re-live the 80s watching it?

Published February 7, 2002