Hannah Macpherson’s Time Cut is a thrilling merge of two of the greatest subgenres: time-travel and slashers. Some may see this as an eerily familiar concept as the title from last year Totally Killer, but Time Cut may have similar themes but its execution far surpasses what the other has to offer. It’s cheesy, charming and a damn good slasher but it also has its flaws. Co-written by Michael Kennedy, the man behind Freaky (2020) and It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023), Time Cut was destined to be yet another wild take on the slasher subgenre. 

 

Time-travel is a tricky element to place into any movie and here, the villainous scheme presented by the machine itself. While I absolutely love the 2003 aesthetic that made me instantly nostalgic for those middle school days, the logic simply doesn't make a lick of sense. But sometimes movie magic doesn’t need to make logical sense… but it does at the same time make you question how anything is possible. 

 

The 2003 production design is not to be disregarded as the film perfectly reflects the slightly off-kilter outfits of that time and the glow of the past. It brings back the mall mentality and the world before smartphones became all the rage. Not to mention the uncomfortable slurs of the time, catchphrases and bullying that luckily haven’t entirely passed to this timeline. It’s also assisted by a wonderful soundtrack of songs that perfectly reflect that era of music. Another treat the film has to offer is the design of the killer in question, their costume and mask in particular is really effective, bringing a mannequin physique to their presence. 

 

The film is firmly held together by its three lead performances: Madison Bailey as the time traveler Lucy, Antonia Gentry as the potential victim Summer, and Griffin Gluck as the hopeless romantic Quinn. Griffin Gluck is the stand-out amongst the three, giving genuine intrigue and wonder to the investigation as well as his potential romance with Summer. Surprisingly Madison Bailey as Lucy on her own isn’t very interesting, in fact she’s a generic time traveler wishing to do good amongst the backdrop she is thrown into but comes off as oil attempting to mix with water. When accompanied by her sister Summer, they seemingly have a fascinating connection as siblings that would've never known each other without this supernatural circumstance. Gentry and Bailey shine in their respective roles when attempting to save the victims of the 2003 serial killer together.

 

The film is a quick 90 minutes which could be considered good in some eyes as most films tend to sway toward that 2 hour mark. However, in the case of Time Cut, this slasher could have used a few extra scenes to build up to the big twist. The climax comes at a rapid pace and the closing scene makes the entire film’s logic come into question. It’s an incredibly fun time and it truly is a blast to the past for the folks the proper age to appreciate, but it’s also hindered by just how loose it plays with its science fiction elements.