‘Love Hurts’ Review: A Painful Action Movie

To a fan of action movies, the label 87North signifies a mark of quality similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. They specialize in and have a passion for action sequences such as fights, chases, and shootouts, and they excel in creating these elements in films like John Wick, Atomic Blonde, and Nobody more effectively than most contemporary Hollywood productions. If their name is attached to a film, you can expect it to deliver on a technical level, at least regarding action scenes.

Unfortunately, movies encompass much more than just their technical aspects or thrilling actions. The fight scenes in “Love Hurts” are skillfully done, as one would anticipate from the 87North team. However, other areas fall short. The storyline is confusing and seems rushed, and despite the talented cast, they struggle to maintain a consistent mood. To be frank, while the action sequences are well-executed, without any additional engaging elements and due to repetition, they eventually become tiresome.

In this film, the spotlight is intended for Ke Huy Quan, the renowned actor who played in classics like The Goonies and Indiana Jones: Temple of Doom. After a successful comeback (and winning an Oscar) with 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once, he takes on the role of Marvin Gable, a seemingly ordinary real estate agent. However, there’s more to him than meets the eye; he once worked as a ruthless enforcer for his criminal brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu), but after agreeing to execute a woman named Rose (Ariana DeBose), he was granted retirement from “The Life.

Apart from Marvin not killing Rose, he actually preserved her existence and concealed the proof. Everything was going smoothly until Rose started sending teasing Valentine’s Day greetings to Knuckles and his crew. The only reason she gave for this strange decision was to repeatedly tell Marvin that “being hidden isn’t truly living.” Rose’s comeback ignited a series of violent events, as Knuckles’ henchmen attempted to locate her through Marvin, while Marvin, who secretly cherishes Rose, frantically tried to safeguard her and his new lifestyle as a peaceful realtor.

The idea of an ex-assassin being compelled to revert to his violent lifestyle is a common trope in action films, especially those produced by 87North, such as the John Wick series and Nobody. In the case of Love Hurts, this concept is utilized humorously, with the petite Quan outmatching much larger opponents like Mustafa Shakir and ex-NFL player Marshawn Lynch.

However, it’s no surprise that Quan’s martial arts abilities are impressive, especially if you recall the stunt he did in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Yet, when it comes to fight scenes, Quan is undeniably convincing, while his portrayal of Lothario lacks the spark. His acting with DeBose feels a bit off, as her flamboyant style clashes sharply with Quan’s understated, bashful performance.

The brief runtime of “Love Hurts” (approximately 80 minutes) leaves little room for explanation as to why these two characters, who have starkly different personalities, aspirations, and age gaps (DeBose is nearly 20 years younger than Quan), would develop feelings for each other. Director Jonathan Eusebio attempts to weave romance into the sparse narrative by including subplots about hitmen expressing remorse through texts to unseen partners and another character developing affection for a witness to their violent acts. However, these romantic elements feel loosely tied to the main story, and the Valentine’s Day setting primarily serves as a marketing strategy to release the film in cinemas during mid-February, offering no substantial contributions to the overall plot.

In a film industry where some high-budget directors often leave action sequences to visual effects teams, it’s refreshing to find a movie brimming with traditional stunts and complex fight sequences choreographed by hand. Notably, Quan, who is both an appealing actor and an accomplished martial artist, returns to the screen in this film. However, despite his charisma, the script doesn’t fully capitalize on his talents. When he’s not delivering action, ‘Love Hurts’ can be quite a hard watch. (Before ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, Quan had already contributed as a fight choreographer in several Hollywood productions.)

Additional Thoughts

Marshawn Lynch’s acting in both this movie and his previous roles in “Bottoms” indicate he has a knack for comedy on screen. Additionally, the nickname “Beast Mode” Lynch given to him in this film is a testament to the creative team’s understanding of his persona, which I admire greatly.

RATING: 4/10

The 10 Most Ridiculous Tropes In Action Movies

1. Coming Out Of Retirement… Or Vacation

A popular action movie character is on the brink of a well-deserved rest or leisurely break, only to find himself thrust back into action by an unexpected mission. It’s almost as if this happens every time, isn’t it? Despite being hardened by past experiences or wiser with age, these characters often yearn for a quiet life away from danger. However, when duty calls, they can’t resist answering. But let’s be clear, they won’t hesitate to grumble the entire way through. As Danny Glover’s character from the Lethal Weapon series put it, “I’m getting too old for this nonsense.”

In a simpler and more conversational style: An action hero is about to relax when suddenly he’s dragged into another mission. It always seems like this happens, doesn’t it? These characters often dream of a peaceful life, but duty calls, and they can’t resist answering. They might complain the whole time, just like Danny Glover’s character from Lethal Weapon who said, “I’m getting too old for all this chaos.

2. Running In Heels

Distinctive Films: Jurassic World, Catwoman, Inferno

Ginger Rogers once famously said, “A woman can do anything a man can do, only she does it in high heels and in reverse.” However, it’s unlikely that she meant this quite so literally, especially when compared to the way many action movies portray things. Action films often require characters to move swiftly, which is already challenging enough without 6-inch heels. Yet, remarkably, numerous heroines seem capable of racing at full speed while still wearing their high heels. It’s puzzling because, in reality, footwear like that would significantly slow them down or affect their movement. However, in these films, the characters’ speed or agility remains unaffected by their shoes.

3. Saving The Villain

In some films, the antagonist is immediately evident, while others keep viewers guessing by introducing the villain later for a surprising plot twist. However, once these villains emerge, it’s obvious that the main characters aim to thwart them or prevent them from causing chaos among innocent people. It’s astonishing how, when presented with the chance, many heroes opt to spare their foe instead. Although this decision shows courage on the hero’s part, it seems unrealistic.

In certain movies, the villain is quickly identified, while others gradually reveal the Big Bad as a plot twist. Once the villain appears, it’s clear that the protagonists aim to stop them from harming civilians. It’s surprising when heroes have the chance but choose to spare their enemy, demonstrating bravery but appearing unrealistic.

4. Attackers Patiently Wait Their Turn

A common movie trope, often used more for practical filmmaking reasons than dramatic effect, is the ‘one-at-a-time attack.’ In this scenario, when a group of villains decide to take on the hero, they do so one by one. This might seem illogical since it would be more logical for them to all attack at once. However, if they did, the ensuing fight scene would become chaotic and difficult to follow. Filming a single combatant facing off against the hero is simpler and allows for a cleaner presentation of the action. It can also extend the duration of the fight scene. The only downside is that it can appear quite amusing when the antagonists are waiting their turn to battle, patiently standing in line.

5. Invincible Main Characters

Instead of focusing on fictional characters that are genetically enhanced or invincible superheroes, let’s discuss the action heroes portrayed by humans in films. These characters seem to shrug off every bullet, injury, and blow as if they were mere inconveniences, while in reality, even a single wound could be life-threatening. Despite this unrealistic resilience, their ability to keep going is undeniably impressive.

We’re not discussing comic book characters who can’t be hurt. Instead, we’re referring to human action stars in movies who seem invulnerable because they never get injured or harmed, even when they should be bleeding out. In the real world, a single wound is serious business and could put you out of commission. However, these movie characters continue without a scratch, which is quite cool but also not how things usually go down.

6. Ticking Time Bomb

7. Ending In Romance

Notable Instances: Speed, Jurassic World, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Matrix

As Keanu Reeves’ character in Speed articulately states, “Relationships that begin under high-pressure situations rarely endure.” However, it seems that in Reeves’ Speed and numerous other action films, the leading man and woman almost always form a romantic bond following their most harrowing life experiences. Movies tend to infuse romance into every aspect of life, so it’s not surprising to see this pattern carried over to the action genre. Despite our affinity for fistfights and shootouts, a well-deserved kiss can ignite applause among viewers. In reality, however, your chances of sharing a careening bus with a stunning individual, let alone striking up a meaningful relationship, are slim — and even slimmer if you consider the possibility of it actually working out.

8. Never Reloading A Gun

In numerous action films, such as Battle Royale, Die Hard, and The Fast and the Furious, there’s a common trope where the rules of firearms are often disregarded. Typically, these weapons can only hold a certain number of bullets, yet in these movies, characters seem to ignore this fact. They shoot from motorcycles, cars, or even buildings without bothering to reload, and remarkably, their guns never appear to run out of ammunition. Even when a character does pause to reload, it’s often after an excessive number of missed shots.

Action movies like Battle Royale, Die Hard, and The Fast and the Furious frequently bend the rules of firearm usage. In these films, characters tend to ignore the fact that guns can only hold a limited number of bullets. Whether they’re firing from a motorcycle, out of a car window, or on top of a building, these characters never seem to need to reload their weapons. It’s worth noting that their guns never seem to exhaust their ammunition, even when a character does eventually take the time to reload, it’s usually after a series of missed shots.

9. Leaving Your Hair Down

Distinctive Instances:

* Wonder Woman, Iron Man 2, Thor

This particular plot device is commonly seen in superhero action films due to the characters’ origins from comic books. In comics, heroes can maintain long hair while fighting crime since they are simply illustrations. However, this concept doesn’t quite apply to live-action movies. Fortunately, Marvel has addressed this issue with the character of Black Widow. Initially, she battled villains in Iron Man 2 with a cascade of loose curls that miraculously remained tangle-free. In contrast, her solo film, Black Widow, features Natasha Romanoff in a more functional braided hairstyle.

* Notable Examples: Wonder Woman, Iron Man 2, Thor
* This plot device is common in superhero action movies because the characters come from comic books, where heroes can have long hair while fighting crime without getting tangled since they are just drawings. However, this doesn’t work as well in live-action films. Marvel has solved this problem with Black Widow. In Iron Man 2, she fought bad guys with loose curls that didn’t get messy, but in her standalone movie, Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff wore a practical braided hairstyle instead.

10. So Many Explosions

In many action films, it seems like there’s always an abundance of destructive scenes involving explosions. When the plot gets unclear, setting things ablaze or making them shatter becomes the go-to solution, whether it’s a building or a vehicle. If they can accommodate a bomb, they are fair targets. However, overuse of explosions can sometimes make the action feel repetitive and even comical. Instead of relying on blowing things up to create tension and excitement, there are subtler methods to enrich the narrative with suspense and intrigue.

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2025-02-06 20:24