"Cut" centers around an actress named Vanessa Turnbill (played by '80s legend Molly Ringwald), who began to act in a slasher film some ten years ago - unfortunately, the director of the film was savagely murdered, and production was stopped. Poor Vanessa manages to survive the attack and ends up killing the murderer. Then another director attempted to take over, and was killed in a test screening of the film. Now, a group of Australian filmmakers set out to finish the film, titled 'Hot Blooded', and manage to get Vanessa Turnbill to resume her role, ten years after she originally began making the film. But the movie seems to have a curse, in which everyone who's attempted to complete it has died... and soon after production begins, a psychotic killer begins slaughtering the cast and crew members one by one.
A bit of a "guilty pleasure"-type film, "Cut" is an entertaining little slasher movie from the land down under. By no means is it anything in terms of a classic, but I found this to be a pretty fun movie. The story is semi-original. The basis that the slasher premise circles around is a fairly original idea, and something I haven't seen done before. No, it's not entirely original, and in many instances it's just as typical as any slasher movie out there, but the premise of the movie-within-movie thing was interesting and makes for some very fun viewing. It starts out as a full-blown slasher movie, continues this theme, then a little mystery is edged in, and eventually it almost becomes a spoof of the horror genre, but with subtlety. There are a few clever scenes that I really enjoyed, but suspense is lacking-- not that slasher flicks usually tend to contain much suspense anyway. As in most slasher movies, this one is pretty cliché-ridden as well, and horror fans will know what to expect quite a few times. Still, this isn't necessarily bad, because the film seems to spoof the genre anyway, making fun of itself along the way. I thought the killer in the movie was great, that mask (sleek emotionless face, mouth sewed up) was the stuff nightmares are made of. His demeanor on screen was menacing and worked well.
However creative this film is, it does have some problems though. For one, it's not long enough. It barely runs an hour and twenty minutes, and the transitioning in some scenes was a little messy. It definitely could have used a few more scenes, maybe character development, longer conversation, something. It just felt like it was over much too fast. There a few plot holes in this movie too, some are a little ridiculous, and I don't think anybody with half a brain can miss the one at the end. I think the writers could have worked around these, but they were just kind of left in there. I liked the finale of the movie, and it was very well-played, but don't expect the murderer's explanation to be anything logical. It's a little out there and it's not realistic (and his special effects-laden demise is a little on the campy side) - but, again, I have to admit that it's quite imaginative and different, so I'm not going to rag on it too much.
The acting isn't bad as far as I'm concerned. Molly Ringwald is excellent, playing a role that very obviously is making fun of herself. The no longer big-name Hollywood actress (who is still very much a diva) returns to acting in a slasher film she began when she was quite popular. The parallels between the character and Ringwald's film career are obvious, and she plays the part perfectly. She's likable, rude, and funny - strange mix. The rest of the cast consists of Australian actors, the most notable is Jessica Napier as our secondary heroine. Singer Kylie Minogue also has a small role in the beginning as the ill-fated director of 'Hot Blooded'. The performances overall weren't unbearable, but Ringwald is the one who really shines here.
Overall, "Cut" is an entertaining and creative little slasher picture that doesn't aim to be a film classic. It's schlocky and campy, and it's nowhere near perfect. But it's a self-aware horror movie that manages to balance an imaginative idea while making fun of itself all along the way, like a throwback to '80s splatter movies. It's got enough positives and is definitely worth a watch for horror fans. Anyone else will likely be displeased with it, but if you know slasher movies well, this is a pretty entertaining flick. 6/10.
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