Warning: SPOILERS for Heart Eyes.Valentine’s Day slasher Heart Eyes is largely making waves for its comedic twist on the genre, but the writing team deserves some appreciation for a rare ability they’ve given their killer as well. As Heart Eyes’ characters flee the eponymous masked murderer, the film finds ample time to poke fun at both horror movies and rom-coms. Even Heart Eyes’ end-credits scene finds time to lampoon horror conventions. But jokes like these only tend to work when the horror aspects of the film are equally well-executed.

That’s not a problem for Heart Eyes. Two of the film’s three screenwriters previously wrote Freaky, with one of them also having worked on films like Happy Death Day. Both films are known by horror fans as extremely effective comedies, but they also very lovingly embrace the conventions of splatter films. The Heart Eyes Killer boasts numerous similarities to famous slashers like Jason Voorhees, but HEK’s primary difference is what sets the film apart. And by the time of Heart Eyes’ twist ending reveal, it’s clear that one particular aspect of the Heart Eyes Killer could have received more attention.

Heart Eyes Confirms The Killer’s Goggles Have Night Vision

The Scene In The Police Station Shows HEK’s Perspective

After protagonists Ally and Jay first encounter the тιтular Heart Eyes Killer, the police wind up arresting and interrogating Jay. When Ally heads to the precinct in an effort to clear Jay’s name, the breaker switches off as HEK begins to hunt Ally and Jay through the darkened police station. Notably, this is when HEK’s eyes light up to reflect the killer’s appearance in marketing materials. But while the Heart Eyes Killer’s mask is definitely among the most marketable features of the film, these red lights actually serve a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly purpose.

Soon after the lights go out, the movie briefly switches to the killer’s point of view, revealing that Heart Eyes‘ mask design allows the wearer to see in the dark. This isn’t the first time the film shows the killer’s perspective, and the lack of red filter over the POV sH๏τ from earlier in the film makes it apparent that HEK’s night vision is something that can be turned on and off. The scene at the police station demonstrates why this is useful, but that also raises the question of why horror fans don’t get to see it more often.

Horror Movies Rarely Give Killers Night Vision Abilities (Despite How Practical It Is)

Several Killers Would Benefit From Seeing In The Dark

It’s been noted by several viewers that Heart Eyes and Scream share multiple similarities, but Ghostface certainly isn’t running around in night vision goggles. It took Ghostface long enough to even figure out how guns work. And in reality, so many horror movies take place at night that almost any killer could make thorough use of night vision capabilities. Yet it rarely seems to pop up. The Friday the 13th franchise frequently places victims in the middle of pitch-black woods with no flashlights, yet there’s little explanation for how Jason and his mother are able to perfectly spot their prey.

That’s not to say no horror movies utilize night vision in some form, although often with some caveats. Buffalo Bill uses night vision goggles against Clarice, although movies like Silence of the Lambs are often considered more on the side of the thriller genre than straight horror. Predator is more of an action franchise, although some later installments do lean slightly more into horror. Leprechaun: Origins features similar heat vision to Predator, but it’s so poorly executed that it’s hard to tell how much the leprechaun can actually discern. But these nitpicks aside, Heart Eyes comes with its own caveat.

Heart Eyes Underutilizes The Killer’s Night Vision Goggles

There Were So Many More Opportunities To Feature Them

Between the marketability of the lit-up mask’s aesthetic and its usefulness as a hunting tool, it’s kind of strange that the scene in the police station is the only scene to demonstrate Heart Eyes’ night vision ability. While Heart Eyes still has enough going for it to become the third critically praised film among director Josh Ruben’s horror movies, this feels like a major weakness in the script. The botanical garden chase suggests moonlight as the only prominent light source, and the scene in the winery would have enhanced the film’s opening by featuring HEK’s perspective even once.

It’s still a strong movie and arguably worlds better than actor Olivia Holt’s last horror comedy, but Heart Eyes simply doesn’t seem aware of how much potential HEK’s goggles could have provided. The finale’s big reveal allows for there to be at least up to three “real” versions of the mask, excluding the store-bought replicas worn by background extras, so it’s possible that only one mask actually included the night vision feature. But while this provides a story-based excuse, it’s still unfortunate that the movie’s most iconic image ultimately goes to waste in the finished film.