My Bloody Valentine 3D

• Directed and Co-Edited by Patrick Lussier
• January 16, 2009
• Based on the 1981 Canadian film My Bloody Valentine by John Beaird (screenplay) and Stephen Miller (story)

The residents of a small town are plagued by a killer in mining gear on Valentine’s Day who is believed to be the same killer they thought died a decade before.

My Bloody Valentine 3D starts on a significantly bloodier note than the original did. In fact it starts completely differently than the original did yet with many of the same elements used. That is often the case with remakes. They either use parts of the original differently at best or at worst it’s vaguely similar with the name being the most obvious part. Tom Hanniger goes from being the local mayor to being the owner (Jensen Ackles) of the mine.

What jumps out at me the most about this is that it is much more American than the original film this remake was. That film was distinctly Canadian. From being set in Nova Scotia to the accents of every actor involved you knew from the first few seconds events were set in Canada. I cannot recall watching a more Canadian movie than the original My Bloody Valentine.

I recall a selling point of this movie was its 3D nature. It certainly goes all in on using that. It gets a little annoying. It gets to the point where it’s almost making fun of itself with the 3D effect. However it does help the movie rise a bit above a generic slasher by giving it something unique beyond a theme.

That and the presence of the legendary Tom Atkins as retired Sheriff Jim Burke. During the 80s he had a better ‘stache than Tom Selleck. I always enjoy seeing him still working. He could and still does bring gravitas to his part if not the entire project that many other performers cannot and thus elevates the whole endeavor. 

The time between the mine disaster in the current set of events is shrunk to only 10 years having passed rather than 20 though they keep the bloody heart being sent to people bit. Missing is the town (here called Harmony) being overly excited for the Valentine’s Day dance. Nor has Valentine’s Day vomited on every building on in town. These people have much more of a life than the characters in the original movie did.

In general the gore is heavier than in the ’81 film. We see more entrails and red liquid than before. They go heavy on the squishy sound. My Bloody Valentine 3D goes hard in trying to not only emulate but go a little further in what was done when themed slashers were a regular feature of horror.

Director Patrick Lussier and friends try to create the same feel of mystery as the first film with who is really doing the killing. Part of the hook then was that very mystery. Same here. In 3D there are only two real suspects. Both are quite plausible, but there are issues with either one. You could see where it wouldn’t work in either case.

The first is Tom Hanniger who disappeared 10 years ago from town. He returns with absolutely no explanation right in time for the killings. The other is the current sheriff of the town Axel Palmer (Kerr Smith). There has been a long-term rivalry between the two centering on Sarah (Jaime King) who is currently Axel’s wife. Axel is a bit of a scumbag cheating on his wife possibly because he thinks the woman settle for him since Tom was no longer available.

While Harry Warden is the initial suspect believed returned from the dead, he is quickly plucked out of that pool with the reveal of his grave though it looks like the grave is empty. A hint of the supernatural that’s just a red herring. In that My Bloody Valentine 3D follows the original. Harry wasn’t the killer there either.

I can’t say necessarily that it improves upon the original. It’s very much its own unique entity and does an okay job standing on by itself. It’s well acted and well directed and while not scary the climax is intense.

I think My Bloody Valentine 3D will satisfy your general horror fan and go over well with those who have a place in their heart for the original. It calls back to its inspiration without feeling like a complete bastardization. Not scary but very gory.