LOVE HURTS (2025)

Genre: Comedy/Action
Director: Jonathan Eusebio
Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Cam Gigandet, Marshawn “beastmode” Lynch, André Eriksen, Rhys Darby, Sean Astin, Drew Scott
Runtime: 1 hr 23 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 February 2025

Synopsis: From 87North—producers of the groundbreaking action films Nobody, Violent Night, Bullet Train, Atomic Blonde and The Fall Guy—comes a visceral, high-octane story of wrath and revenge. Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a realtor working the Milwaukee suburbs, where ‘For Sale’ signs bloom. Gable receives a crimson envelope from Rose (Oscar® winner ARIANA DeBOSE; West Side Story, Argylle), a former partner-in-crime that he had left for dead. She’s not happy. Now, Marvin is thrust back into a world of ruthless hitmen, filled with double-crosses and open houses turned into deadly warzones. With his brother Knuckles (DANIEL WU; Tomb Raider, Warcraft), a volatile crime lord, hunting him, Marvin must confront the choices that haunt him and the history he never truly buried. 
Movie Review:

Former child star Ke Huy Quan makes a grand comeback to the big screen after the success of Oscar winner, Everything Everywhere All At Once. Undeniably, his career is on the rise with small roles in Loki, Kung Fu Panda 4 and more. With Love Hurts, Ke finally lands his first leading role three years after starring as Waymond Wong.

Made by the people who gave you stylised actioners liked John Wick, Nobody and Violent Night, Love Hurts know its targeted audiences so the filmmakers don’t really bother delivering an out-of-the-box watching experience.

Ke stars as Marvin Gable, a rather successful, optimistic realtor working in the suburban. He is focused on delivering the best service to his potential clients until one day, he received a mysterious red envelope. From that moment, he knows his terrifying past is catching up with him. His former love interest, Rose (Ariana DeBose) is planning to reveal the truth to Marvin’s brother, Knuckles (not Sonic’s friend but Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu) who wants her to return the money she stolen from him.

You see, Marvin is an ex-assassin who has previously spare Rose’s life because he is smitten with her. And thus, Love Hurts reeks like any other action movies out there. An ex-agent, cop, killer, soldier whatever is back in action and he is out to serve some cold revenge to those waiting to harm him or his love ones.

Running at a lean 83 minutes, almost 10 minutes shorter than Bob Odenkirk’s Nobody, Love Hurts falls short in almost every aspect. We have already mentioned the all too familiar plotting but the narrative goes far longer in elaborating the meaning of love and Valentine’s day. The messages are exhausting liked Marvin failing to express his true feelings for Rose to a killer dubbed The Raven (Mustafa Shakir) who falls in love with Marvin’s assistant, Ashley (Lio Tipton) to another henchman lamenting about his wife.

Yes we know, we get it. Love hurts right?

Nobody is paying tickets to catch a 87North production for the love story, we are here for the fight choreography and bone-snapping. And to its credit, the movie did deliver three sequences mainly hand to hand combat between Marvin and two of Knuckles’ henchmen King (Marshawn Lynch) and Otis (André Eriksen). Ke at 55 is still impressive with his moves and his work as a former stunt performer actually benefits him a lot here. The biggest problem however lies in the choreographed fight scenes which seriously lacks in variety and creativity as compared to 87North previous works.

After Kraven the Hunter, Ariana DeBose is again wasted in a negligible role. Daniel Wu gets to be a boba-loving villain who has limited screen appearances to make an impact though he has a brief tussle with his onscreen “younger” brother (Wu is actually six years younger than Ke). Oh there is also Sean Astin (Ke’s Goonies mate) cameoing as Marvin’s boss.

We wanted very much to love Ke’s action outing and it really hurts us to say this, Love Hurts simply isn’t that good. The story is a yawnfest, the bloodshed and action sequences aren’t that impressive and the movie looks like it’s shot entirely in the studio lot. Maybe the movie will do well enough for a part two since the budget is paltry. Who knows. Maybe it will redeem itself then.

Movie Rating:

(We don’t hate or love it. It hurts when you are indecisive)

Review by Linus Tee