As part of Netflix’s efforts to celebrate this year’s Halloween with a bang, the streamer has released Hannah MacPherson’s latest sci-fi slasher, Time Cut, starring Madison Bailey (Outer Banks) and Antonia Gentry (Ginny & Georgia). The movie follows high school student Lucy Field (Bailey), who loves to invent things and stumbles upon a time machine. She uses it to travel back to 2003, the year her sister, Summer Field (Gentry), was killed by a mysterious killer.
In addition to the leading duo, Time Cut features talents such as Michael Shanks, Griffin Gluck, Rachael Crawford, Jordan Pettle, Megan Best, Samuel Braun, and more. MacPherson also co-wrote the film’s screenplay with Michael Kennedy, while Matt Kaplan and Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Happy Death Day) co-produced the project.
Check out some of the first reactions to the latest Madison Bailey starrer!
Inverse, in its highly positive review, called the film “a slasher with a paradoxical twist.” The platform praised Bailey and the rest of the cast, along with commending MacPherson’s ability to blend slasher and time travel seamlessly and innovatively.
'Time Cut' has a standard horror movie structure, until it doesn't. It may just be the most surprising movie of the year. https://t.co/9t4CJuE0Uq
— Inverse (@inversedotcom) October 30, 2024
On the contrary, The Hollywood Handle, has criticised the film’s lack of originality and its mediocre attempt to blend the elements of slasher, sci-fi, and time travel, calling it “a failed jump to Y2K.”
“‘TIME CUT’ is a mediocre attempt at combining the horrors of a slasher film with the fun and adventure of a time travel movie.”
— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) October 30, 2024
Read our review: https://t.co/LJrSpBhrSD
AV Club also echoed The Hollywood Handle’s sentiments, calling Time Cut “junk food” for viewers unfamiliar with horror archetypes. The platform went on to describe the movie as “a snoozy slasher far more interested in being a 2000s rewind comedy, meeting somewhere in the unenthusiastic middle.”
In its full-scale review, Collider praises the chemistry between Bailey and Gentry as sisters and the film’s ability to capture the early 2000s ambience. However, the platform points out the movie’s predictable storyline, along with a lack of originality, thrills, scares, and gore.
Based on the initial reactions, Time Cut appears to be another binge-able slasher flick on Netflix that does not break any new ground but benefits from strong performances and plenty of entertaining moments. You can stream the film on Netflix. Stay tuned for more updates.