Love Hurts Review: Syndicate Seeks Out Suburbs

Love Hurts may not bring anything new to the action genre, but Quan as the leading man is enough to get you interested.

Years later, Marvin is now a changed man with the most perfect suburban life. However, when Knuckles discovers Marvin spared Rose (Ariana DeBose), a woman he ordered his brother to kill, he embarks on a mission to track down Marvin and learn the reasons behind his actions.

Though Love Hurts brings nothing new to the genre in terms of action, I did appreciate the high-octane action sequences and the fact that Quan did much of his own stunt work. There’s a mixture of hand-to-hand and prop choreography, which is guaranteed to keep viewers on edge. Some of the violence on display within these scenes is freakishly realistic and graphic, which makes the bloodshed feel all the more impactful. In fact, I even spotted a few audience members in my screening wincing and hiding their faces.

From the outset, it’s evident that Love Hurts doesn’t shy away from the absurdity of its premise while interjecting the narrative with some unexpected but much-welcomed humor. Though the film is marketed as an action comedy, I underestimated how effectively the comedy would land. Laughs are incorporated into the fight scenes and complement them perfectly. And who knew bakeware could make such a good weapon?

The best part about Love Hurts is finally getting to see Quan cast as a leading man in a Hollywood film, as he totally deserves to be front and center. He brings so much charm and sincerity to Marvin, and even if the movie doesn’t completely work, it’s always such a pleasure seeing him on screen. One thing I admire about him as an actor is that he always gives the projects he’s involved in his all. Additionally, DeBose delivers a memorable performance. Seeing her portray Rose is quite different from anyone the actress has played previously. She reflects the character’s self-assurance and boldness with such ease. You can tell DeBose is having the time of her life. Every moment she’s on screen, you can’t look away.

With its brisk 83-minute runtime, one of Love Hurts’ major drawbacks is its pacing, particularly during the third act. At the beginning of the film, the story doesn’t waste much time before thrusting viewers into the action and creating momentum early on. However, by the midway point, the stakes dwindle, and once the conclusion arrives, the movie completely runs out of steam. As the backstory of certain conflicts and relationships is detrimental to the narrative and outcome, I really wish they were explored in greater detail throughout the film. Instead, major subplots are rushed through and left with unsatisfying resolutions.

Take, for example, Marvin and his brother Knuckles’ rift, which is one of the most important parts of the story. We learn that Marvin has a dark past, and in his previous life, he would do most of his brother’s dirty work. Still, viewers never know what led the siblings to this type of lifestyle and when or how Marvin decided to leave. While not every detail of a character’s backstory needs to be revealed, in Love Hurts, it seems essential to strengthen characters’ motivations and foster a stronger emotional connection and investment with the audience.

For a movie that spends almost all its runtime leading up to Marvin and Knuckles coming face to face once again and the chaos that could result from it, I couldn’t help but feel completely underwhelmed during their not-so-climactic confrontation. It was one of the least action-packed sequences of the whole film, and I anticipated a much more rewarding showdown.

Another issue is that I wasn’t convinced by the romance between Marvin and Rose. Though both Quan and DeBose do a great job in their respective roles, the romance between their two characters lacks any believability or spark. Because their love story is such a driving force throughout the narrative, leading the pair to make pivotal decisions, the absent chemistry between the actors is a major weakness of the film. It’s also hard to find the antagonist of the movie intimidating when he’s on the prowl with bubble tea in hand. I know that’s part of the joke, and a pretty funny one at that, but by Love Hurts’ end, you can’t help but get the feeling that he’s underutilized and a bit of an afterthought.

Though Love Hurts doesn’t push many boundaries or introduce anything new to the genre, it’s an action-packed movie filled with thrilling fight scenes and sharp humor. If that isn’t enough to convince you to see the film, at the very least, show up at the theater to support Quan and see him kicking ass and taking charge.

Love Hurts will be released in US theatres and in UK & Irish cinemas on February 7, 2025.