You're scrolling through upcoming horror releases and you see a mask that looks like a literal emoji. It's goofy. It's creepy. It’s the central gimmick of Heart Eyes, the latest romantic-slasher hybrid that has been buzzing in horror circles. But if you're planning a movie night, the most important question isn't who the killer is—it's whether the heart eyes movie rating is going to keep you from bringing certain friends or family members along.
Honestly, the "Heart Eyes Killer" sounds like something out of a mid-2000s parody, but Screen Gems isn't playing around with this one. Produced by the same folks behind Barbarian, this movie is leaning hard into the "Valentine’s Day Massacre" trope but with a modern, digital-age twist.
If you were hoping for a PG-13 "safe" horror movie, you might want to look elsewhere.
The Official Heart Eyes Movie Rating and Why It Matters
It’s official. The MPA (Motion Picture Association) has handed down a firm R rating for Heart Eyes.
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Why? For "bloody horror violence and language."
This isn't exactly a shocker if you’ve seen the teaser or followed the track record of director Josh Ruben. Ruben previously gave us Scare Me and Werewolves Within, movies that know exactly how to balance a wink to the audience with actual, stomach-churning gore. When a movie gets an R for "bloody horror violence," it usually means we aren't just seeing a few splashes of red on a wall. We’re talking about on-screen kills that linger.
Ratings matter because they dictate the vibe. A PG-13 slasher like M3GAN relies on tension and "off-screen" implications. An R-rated slasher like Heart Eyes is allowed to show the blade. It’s allowed to show the aftermath. For a movie centered around a holiday as "sweet" as Valentine's Day, that contrast between the "heart eyes" emoji and the R-rated brutality is exactly what the marketing team is banking on.
What exactly constitutes "Bloody Horror Violence"?
In the world of the MPA, this specific phrasing is a bit of a red flag for the squeamish.
Sometimes you get "violence" or "brief violence." But "bloody horror violence" suggests the kills are central to the entertainment value. Think along the lines of Scream or Freaky. In Heart Eyes, the story follows two coworkers stuck in the office on Valentine's Day who are mistaken for a couple by the "Heart Eyes Killer."
Because the killer targets couples specifically, the kills are likely to be themed. We’ve seen this before in classics like My Bloody Valentine, but 2025’s Heart Eyes is bringing that R-rated energy into the world of social media and emojis. If the rating had come back as PG-13, the horror community probably would have checked out immediately. The R rating gives it the "street cred" it needs to compete with the Terrifier era of horror.
Comparison: How Heart Eyes Fits Into the 2025 Horror Landscape
We are in a weird era of horror. We just had Smile 2 and Terrifier 3 absolutely dominate the box office with extreme gore. Does Heart Eyes go that far? Probably not.
While the heart eyes movie rating is R, there’s a spectrum. On one side, you have "elevated horror" like Hereditary which is R for psychological trauma and occasional gore. On the other, you have "splatter" movies. Heart Eyes seems to sit comfortably in the "popcorn slasher" category.
It’s meant to be fun.
The movie stars Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding. Gooding is a veteran of the Scream franchise (specifically Scream 5 and VI), so he’s no stranger to R-rated sets. His presence alone tells you the tone they're aiming for: meta, fast-paced, and physically intense.
Why the R Rating is Actually a Marketing Tool
Let's talk business for a second. In the 90s, an R rating could be a death sentence for a movie's box office because it cut out the lucrative teen demographic. Today? It’s a badge of honor.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences often seek out R-rated horror because it feels more "authentic" on TikTok and social media. A PG-13 rating for a movie titled Heart Eyes would have made it look like a Disney Channel Halloween special. By securing that R, Screen Gems is telling the audience, "Yes, it looks like an emoji, but it's going to be a bloodbath."
The contrast is the point.
Understanding the "Language" Component of the Rating
The MPA also cited "language" as a reason for the R rating.
In a slasher movie, this usually means more than just a few stray F-bombs. It typically indicates a "persistent" use of profanity. If you're trapped in an office building being hunted by a guy in a plastic mask, you probably aren't saying "gosh darn it."
For parents, this is usually the secondary concern behind the violence, but it’s worth noting. The script, written by Christopher Landon (who did Happy Death Day and Freaky), is known for being sharp, snarky, and very adult. Landon excels at writing characters who talk like real people, and real people in 2025 swear when they’re under pressure.
Is It Appropriate for Teens?
This is where the nuance of the heart eyes movie rating comes in.
Technically, anyone under 17 needs a parent or guardian. However, most seasoned horror fans know that a "slasher R" is very different from a "disturbing realism R." If your teen handled the recent Scream movies or Thanksgiving (2023), they’ll likely be fine here.
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The violence in Landon-style movies tends to be "stylized." It’s gross, sure, but it’s often accompanied by a joke or a fast-paced music cue. It’s not meant to leave you with existential dread. It’s meant to make you jump and then laugh.
Production Pedigree: Who is Behind the Rating?
You can often guess a movie's intensity by looking at the producers.
- Spyglass Media Group: These are the people who resurrected Scream. They know the R-rated slasher formula better than anyone right now.
- Christopher Landon: As a writer/producer, his "brand" is the horror-comedy. He rarely misses the mark when it comes to balancing blood and humor.
- Josh Ruben: His previous films were rated R but leaned more into "indie" sensibilities. Heart Eyes is his big studio swing.
When you mix these three influences, you get a movie that is polished but still has teeth. The R rating wasn't an accident or something they tried to fight; it was the goal from day one.
The "Emoji" Killer: A Gimmick That Needs the R Rating
The biggest risk for Heart Eyes is the mask.
A yellow heart-eyes emoji mask could very easily look stupid. If the movie were PG-13, the mask would remain just a mask. By going R-rated, the filmmakers can use the mask as a terrifying juxtaposition. There is something inherently more disturbing about a smiling, "loving" face being the last thing a victim sees before an R-rated kill sequence.
It’s the same energy as the Babyface mask in Happy Death Day. It takes something innocent and perverts it. But to make that perversion stick, you need the consequences to be graphic. You need that R rating to validate the threat.
What to Expect on Release Day
Heart Eyes is positioned as a counter-programming hit. While other studios might be releasing romantic comedies for February, this is for the "horror Valentines."
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The R rating ensures that the theater experience will be loud. Slashers are communal. They’re meant to be seen with a crowd that screams at the screen. The heart eyes movie rating guarantees that the "payoff" for the tension—the kills—won't be censored or cut away from.
A Quick Recap of the Specs:
- Rating: R
- Primary Reasons: Bloody violence, pervasive language.
- Tone: Horror-Comedy / Slasher.
- Similar Movies: Scream, Freaky, Totally Killer.
Actionable Steps for Your Movie Night
If you're planning on seeing Heart Eyes, don't go in expecting a psychological thriller. This is a slasher through and through.
1. Check the theater's ID policy. Since it's a hard R, many chains (like AMC or Regal) are stricter during opening weekends, especially for late-night Friday showings.
2. Watch the director's previous work. If you want to know if the "vibe" is for you, go watch Werewolves Within on VOD. It’ll give you a perfect sense of how Josh Ruben handles comedy and violence simultaneously.
3. Monitor the "Parental Guides." Once the movie hits theaters, sites like Common Sense Media or the IMDb Parental Guide will break down every single instance of violence. If you're on the fence about a younger viewer, wait 24 hours after the premiere for those detailed lists to go live.
4. Don't let the emoji mask fool you. The marketing is bright and colorful, but the "bloody horror violence" tag is there for a reason. This isn't a family film.
The R rating is a promise to the audience that the movie won't pull its punches. In a genre that often feels watered down for mass appeal, Heart Eyes seems to be leaning into the messy, loud, and foul-mouthed reality of a modern slasher. Enjoy the chaos, but maybe don't bring a date who faints at the sight of a little (or a lot) of fake blood.