WFG RATING: B+

Hewes Pictures presents an Anerke production. Directed and cinematography by Alejandro G. Alegre. Produced by Arturo Renteria, Liz Sanchez, and David Vaughn. Written by David Vaughn. Edited by Zach Lapidus. 

Stars Maya Luna, Sergio Rogalto, Daniela Porras, Micho Camacho, and David Vaughn.

The legend of Willie returns in this new public domain horror film that proves to be better than The Mouse Trap and is as good as Mouse of Horrors.

Daniel and Nico are famous YouTubers who have heard a legend involving a mouse-human hybrid who after being born with the deformity is left to die and it is believed he tends to harvest the skin of his victims. The duo bring best friends Jess and Nora, the latter who believes she once met the deformed boy as a child, knowing that his name is Willie. 

As the group begins to stay through the night, they find themselves being captured by the deadly Willie. Willie doesn’t like to quickly kill his victims. Instead, he slowly tortures them to the point where he begins to do the unthinkable. To some, the legend is true and to one in particular, it may change the entire outlook on life as they know it. Will the group be able to escape the clutches of the deadly Willie?

In 2024, Steamboat Willie had made public domain and it was inevitable that the character, the original version of Mickey Mouse would get a horror version. The Mouse Trap, the first of the Willie horror films, was an abysmal mess. While we wait for Screamboat with David Howard Thornton as Willie, we had the British horror film Mouse of Horrors, which had a charismatic Lewis Santer as “The Mouse”, who brought a meshing of Willie, The Joker, and his breakout Tigger role from Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey II.

As for this film, enter David Vaughn, an actor who’s done small film and TV work but this could be the breakout role he needed. Aside from playing Willie as a psychotic torturer who harvests the skin of his victims, Vaughn also wrote a pretty interesting screenplay that pits YouTubers and their friends against the deadly menace.  From the first five minutes alone, you know what Willie is capable of as he slowly tortures his first victim in such a gruesome manner that will make fans of Saw and Hostel proud. 

Utilizing a cast and crew from Mexico, the film does really well in terms of its performances while depicting Sergio Rogalto’s Daniel and Micho Camacho’s Nico (sporting a laughable faux-hawk/mullet hybrid) as the YouTubers who can be said to possibly be inspired by the likes of YouTubers Sam and Colby while providing great support are Daniela Porras as the tough as nails goth girl Jess and Maya Luna as the innocent Nora. There is a massive unexpected twist that comes midway through the film amidst the chaos and graphic violence and it actually elevates the film on the level of Mouse of Horrors as it’s way better than The Mouse Trap. 

I Heart Willie is a great Steamboat Willie horror film with David Vaughn’s script adding a massive twist and pulling in a wonderful performance as the titular WIllie, whose handiwork reminds genre fans of Saw and Hostel. Definitely one to check out! 

The film will be released for one night in theaters, February 26. For information on showtimes, go to iheartwillie.com.