Writer/director Luiza Shelling Tubaldini’s Love Kills is based on Danilo Beyruth’s graphic novel of the same name. The horror film follows Marcos (Gabriel Stauffer), a wannabe chef, though he is constantly late to work. This causes his boss to belittle and talk down to him, which makes tensions worse between the two. One night, Marcos has had enough and quits on the spot. On his way home, he spies a regular at the restaurant, Helena (Thais Lago), across the street, and she appears to be in harm’s way. Marcos rushes in to save Helena from what appears to be three muggers. However, it is he who is in danger, as Helena is a powerful and centuries-old vampire who can take care of herself.
Marcos’s attempted intervention makes him a marked man, as the vampires who wish Helena dead will now go after him. With little choice left, Helena brings Marcos into a world hidden right before his very eyes. This glamorous lifestyle comes at a cost, a cost that must be paid in more than mere blood. While attempting to stay alive and learning more about vampire ways, Marcos and Helena grow closer and closer. But is their love enough to save both of them from the war raging across the vampire clans?
The first thing any audience member will notice about Love Kills is that it is beautifully shot. Director of photography Jacob Solitrenick makes every shot stylish and cool. The neon-lit streets seemingly came straight from a Walter Hill actioner. The camera moves through the scenes with graceful ease. The action beats are captured wonderfully, giving each powered punch and puncture of flesh an air of excitement. The whole production is sleek and stunning to behold.
The second thing to be noticed is that Marcos is an idiot. He’s always late to work, but gets mad when his boss points that out to him? He just assumes a lady he knows nothing about needs his help because…? And Marcos is meant to be the male protagonist? Seriously? The man is just annoying and dumb the entire time. He never evolves to be very capable, nor does his intelligence increase during the 95-minute runtime. Marcos is a bore and a strange choice of hero.
Marcos and Helena stand face to face in a red-lit room in Love Kills.
“Marcos’s attempted intervention makes him a marked man, as the vampires who wish Helena dead will now go after him.”
The third item of note is that Helena is Marcos’s exact opposite. She’s whipsmart, keeps her cool under pressure, and can beat up just about anyone who crosses her path. Helena is tremendous fun and is the better audience surrogate than the human character who is meant to be that very thing.
The fourth element of Love Kills that is worth discussing is the music. Composer Ilari Heinilä’s score adds to the moody atmosphere and tension of the plot. The music makes the fights more exciting and underscores the emotions of any given sequence. In short, it matches the truly gorgeous visuals perfectly.
The fifth and final notable thing is the acting. For all the poor ways Marcos is written, Stauffer is good in the part. When his character storms out of work, the actor portrays that anger believably. His awe at the vampire clan and their world is also sold well. Lago is fantastic, creating a compelling badass of a character with pizzazz to boot. The supporting cast is also good, but the stars of the show are, well, the stars, for a reason.
Love Kills is beautifully shot and sports a wonderful score. The cast is strong, especially the two leads. But the writing for the male lead isn’t very good, making him seem dumb throughout. But even with that being the case, this is still a slick ride that bites when it matters.
For more information about Love Kills, visit its Film Movement page.
"…a slick ride that bites when it matters."
