Since Netflix’s Time Cut seems to borrow many sci-fi and horror tropes and themes from other renowned films, viewers who enjoyed watching it should have many other movies on their watch lists. Unfolding through several different timelines, Time Cut is among the many flicks that use time travel as a narrative device to walk viewers through the complexities of fate, grief, and the consequences of changing the past. However, despite being driven by a complex sci-fi concept, Time Cut does not take itself too seriously and focuses less on getting time travel “right.”
Apart from featuring characters who travel through time, Netflix’s Time Cut also presents a slasher element, allowing it to blend its sci-fi with horror. Although Time Cut is not as violent as one would expect a slasher horror flick to be, it features a fair share of brutal killing scenes that add some intense thrills to its otherwise familiar narrative. Since Time Cut‘s approach towards both slasher horror and sci-fi feels derivative in more ways than one, audiences who liked watching it can check out many other similar films.
10 The Butterfly Effect
Directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber
Starring Ashton Kutcher, The Butterfly Effect premiered in 2004 and received poor reviews from most critics. However, despite having an underwhelming critical reception, the movie became a box office hit, earning $96 million on a budget of $13 million. Owing to its commercial success, the movie even spawned two sequels, which have little to no connection with the original film, both in terms of character beats and story progression.
Related
The 10 Best Time Travel Movies, Ranked
The greatest time travel movies have complex plots and interweaving storylines, making them fun to watch and rewarding to unravel the many threads.
Over two decades after its release, The Butterfly Effect has a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 34%. However, when it comes to its audience score, the movie has an impressive 81%, with many praising its dark and twisted take on time travel. As the movie’s title suggests, it refers to the butterfly effect in chaos theory, which suggests that even the smallest changes in a deterministic nonlinear system can cause massive differences in a futuristic state. With this idea at its core, the movie walks through several extreme scenarios that show how altering the past can significantly change the future.
9 Project Almanac
Directed by Dean Israelite
Project Almanac is a 2015 science fiction mystery about a group of friends who build a time machine after finding secret plans for one. Project Almanac marked the directorial debut for Dean Israelite and was shot as a found footage movie. Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D’Elia, and Sam Lerner lead the film.
- Director
- Dean Israelite
- Release Date
- January 30, 2015
- Studio(s)
- Paramount Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures , Columbia Pictures
- Writers
- Andrew Deutschman , Jason Harry Pagan
- Cast
- Michael DeFraites , Amy Landecker , Sam Lerner , Sofia Black D’Elia , Ginny Gardner , Jonny Weston
- Runtime
- 106minutes
- Budget
- $12 million
Similar to Time Cut, Project Almanac introduces many time travel rules in its early moments but later sets out to present a more chaotic narrative. Instead of being scientifically accurate, Project Almanac focuses more on having a relatable coming-of-age drama that unfolds through a “found footage” filming style. If the movie’s plot inconsistencies and paradoxes are ignored, it can be a fun one-time watch like Netflix’s Time Cut and can even be seen multiple times by viewers who can overlook its lack of adherence to time travel logic.
Marking Dean Israelite’s directorial debut, Project Almanac earned $33 million at the global box office against a budget of $12 million. Although the film’s box office performance was not impressive, it managed to break even, suggesting that its mixed critical reception did not hurt its commercial numbers. One of the biggest reasons why the film was able to have a decent performance at the box office was its ability to portray time travel in a more accessible and grounded way, allowing a wider range of audiences to relate to its storyline.
8 About Time
Directed by Richard Curtis
When Tim Lake learns that he, like all the men in his family, has the ability to travel back in time, he decides to use this ability to help him find love and improve his and his loved ones’ lives.
- Director
- Richard Curtis
- Release Date
- September 4, 2013
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Writers
- Richard Curtis
- Runtime
- 123 minutes
- Budget
- $12 million
Unlike Time Cut, About Time does not have any slasher horror elements and focuses more on adult characters traveling through time. However, similar to the Netflix film, it presents a wildly fantastical take on time travel. Although About Time received mixed reviews from critics when it first premiered, the film has garnered more positive attention over the years, with many appreciating the performances of its cast and emotionally stirring take on the romance genre. The film’s story is driven by a man who learns he possesses the ability to time travel and uses it to build a better future for himself.
The characters in Netflix’s Time Cut effectively use their time travel adventures to fix their timeline and improve their futures. However, the main character in About Time struggles to change his fate. His story feels more personal and tragic because, no matter what he does to alter certain events of his timeline, the sands of time slip away into disastrous consequences.
7 Another Earth
Directed by Mike Cahill
Starring Brit Marling of The OA fame, Another Earth is among the sci-fi films that demand multiple viewings to truly understand the scope of its themes and emotional depths. The film is driven by a bizarre concept where a second Earth suddenly appears in the Solar system. The closer it gets to the original Earth, the more the lives of two individuals, Rhonda and John, are impacted. Unlike Time Cut, Another Earth does not directly feature time travel.
Another Earth
may not be for everyone because it demands viewers to stretch their suspension of disbelief a little too far.
However, like the Netflix film, it shows how even the smallest decisions in one’s past can send ripples down the past. It highlights how every event forks an individual’s future into an alternate reality, leading to bizarre outcomes and unforeseen consequences that challenge the idea of free will. Another Earth may not be for everyone because it demands viewers to stretch their suspension of disbelief a little too far. However, audiences looking for something deeper and more thought-provoking after Time Cut must check it out.
6 The Babysitter
Directed by McG
The Babysitter is a comedy horror Netflix original. Judah Lewis stars as Cole, a young boy that is in love with his babysitter and finds out she is part of a satanic cult. The film also stars Samara Weaving as Bee, Robbie Amell, Hana Mae Lee, Bella Thorne, Emily Alyn Lind, and Andrew Bachelor.
- Director
- McG
- Release Date
- October 13, 2017
- Studio(s)
- Netflix
- Distributor(s)
- Netflix
- Writers
- Brian Duffield
- Cast
- Robbie Amell , Hana Mae Lee , Bella Thorne , Judah Lewis , Samara Weaving , Andrew Bachelor
- Runtime
- 85minutes
2017’s The Babysitter is a fun horror comedy that is not original in any way. However, in its runtime of a little below an hour and a half, the film packs enough kills and one-liners to keep viewers invested and white-knuckled. Netflix’s Time Cut tries to harken back to the 80s’ slasher movies with its horror elements but fails to explore the depths of the genre. Therefore, viewers who wish to see more gore and darkly comical moments in Time Cut must watch The Babysitter as it does not shy away from embracing the rules of the slasher genre and presenting some hilarious pop-culture gags.
5 A Wonderful Knife
Directed by Tyler MacIntyre
It’s a Wonderful Knife is a Christmas-centric comedy/horror film by director Tyler MacIntyre, released in theaters and on Shudder in 2023. A spin on the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life, the film follows Winnie Carruthers, a woman who saved her hometown from a serial killer one year prior. However, her life spirals downward, leading her to wonder how the world would be without her – and that wish coming true. Now trapped in a world where she didn’t exist, the killer runs rampant, and she must find her way back while saving the town once again.
- Director
- Tyler MacIntyre
- Release Date
- November 10, 2023
- Studio(s)
- Divide/Conquer
- Distributor(s)
- RLJE Films , Shudder
- Writers
- Michael Kennedy
- Cast
- Jane Widdop , Jess McLeod , Joel McHale , Katharine Isabelle , William B. Davis , Justin Long
- Runtime
- 87 Minutes
A Wonderful Knife can almost be seen as a spiritual successor to Time Cut. Like Time Cut‘s Lucy, its main character, Winnie, ends up saving her town from a serial killer. However, unlike Lucy, this is not where her story ends. Winnie suddenly finds herself in a parallel universe where she must not only overpower the killer again but also find a way to return to her original reality. Like Time Cut, It’s A Wonderful Life also received mixed reviews when it first hit the big screens. However, the film still packs enough holiday-themed horror and comedy to keep most viewers entertained.
4 Freaky
Directed by Christopher Landon
Freaky is a film directed by Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day 2U) and centers around a young girl in high school that swaps bodies with a deranged serial killer. When four teenagers are found dead, the Blissfield Butcher’s re-emergence has made the town somewhat on alert. While waiting for her ride home at the end of a football game, Millie Kessler is attacked by the butcher with a mysterious dagger called La Dola, which then swaps the two into one another’s bodies in a Freaky Friday-like fashion. Millie discovers that to get back to her original body, she needs to get her friends and family to believe that their bodies have swapped – and she needs to reverse the ritual in twenty-four hours, or the switch will remain permanent.
- Director
- Christopher Landon
- Release Date
- November 13, 2020
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Writers
- Michael Kennedy , Christopher Landon
- Cast
- Misha Osherovich , Vince Vaughn , Celeste O’Connor , Kathryn Newton , Uriah Shelton , Dana Drori , Alan Ruck , Katie Finneran
- Runtime
- 102 Minutes
- Budget
- $6 million
Directed by Christopher Landon, Freaky offers a unique take on the slasher thriller genre, where a high-school student swaps bodies with a middle-aged killer. To ensure she does not stay trapped in the killer’s body forever, she must race against time to find a way to swap back to her original body. With Vince Vaughn as its central serial killer, the movie adopts a campy tone that perfectly aligns with its bizarre storyline. Although it is hard to take Freaky too seriously because of its dark body-swapping humor, it also effectively introduces serious themes surrounding gender stereotyping among teenagers.
3 Happy Death Day
Directed by Christopher Landon
Happy Death Day is a horror-comedy film directed by Christopher Landon. Released in 2017, it follows college student Tree Gelbman, played by Jessica Rothe, who is forced to relive the day of her murder repeatedly until she can identify her killer and stop her death. The film blends elements of slasher horror with dark humor, creating a unique entry in the genre.
- Director
- Christopher Landon
- Release Date
- October 13, 2017
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Writers
- Christopher Landon , Scott Lobdell
- Cast
- Jessica Rothe , Israel Broussard , Ruby Modine , Rachel Matthews , Billy Slaughter , Charles Aitken , Jimmy Gonzales , Jason Bayle , Rob Mello , Phi Vu , Caleb Spillyards , Laura Clifton , Cariella Smith , Tran Tran , Blaine Kern III , Dane Rhodes , Tenea Intriago , Missy Yager , Rachel Black , Donna DuPlantier , GiGi Erneta , Ramsey Anderson , Brady Lewis
- Character(s)
- Theresa ‘Tree’ Gelbman , Carter Davis , Lori Spengler , Danielle Bouseman , Dr. Winter , Gregory Butler , Police Officer , David Gelbman , John Tombs , Ryan Phan , Tim Bauer , Stephanie Butler , Becky Shepard , Emily , Nick Sims , Officer Santora , Student Protester , Mrs. Gelbman , Danielle , Nurse Danna , News Reporter , Keith Lumbly , Frat Brother
- Runtime
- 96 minutes
- Budget
- $4.8 million
Happy Death Day is another creative Christopher Landon slasher that reflects the director’s penchant for mixing familiar sci-fi tropes with horror and comedy. Driven by the Groundhog Day time loop trope, Happy Death Day follows Theresa Gelbman, who continues living the same day after getting murdered by a serial killer. Even though the time loop trope has been used way too many times in movies of all genres, the film’s tongue-in-cheek approach and B-grade aesthetic allow it to stand out from the crowd. The film also adopts creative ways to ensure viewers cannot guess what could happen in the next time loop.
2 Totally Killer
Directed by Nahnatchka Khan
Totally Killer is a 2023 comedy horror film by director Nahnatchka Khan (Always Be My Maybe) created for Prime Video. Jamie, a seventeen-year-old, plans to head out for Halloween night thirty-five years after the murder of her mother’s three friends by a serial killer. When Jamie ignores her mother’s pleas and heads out for the night, she becomes targeted by the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer.” However, the chase ends with her being sent back in time to the year it all began- and now Jamie will have to team up with her teenage mother to stop the killer and return home before it’s too late.
- Director
- Nahnatchka Khan
- Release Date
- October 6, 2023
- Studio(s)
- Blumhouse Television , Divide/Conquer
- Distributor(s)
- Prime Video
- Writers
- David Matalon , Sasha Perl-Raver , Jen D’Angelo
- Runtime
- 106 Minutes
Many viewers have noticed how Time Cut seems a little too similar to Totally Killer. Since both movies feature teenage characters who accidentally travel back in time and get the opportunity to save their loved ones from a serial killer, it is understandable why many are drawing parallels between the two. However, beyond the initial story setup, the two movies are quite different from one another.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Totally Killer |
87% |
77% |
|
Time Cut |
29% |
32% |
While Time Cut remains relatively linear throughout its runtime and only introduces one major twist in its final moments, Totally Killer is packed with many twists and turns in its second half. Unlike Time Cut, Totally Killer also refuses to take itself too seriously, which makes it easier for viewers to overlook its time travel paradoxes and plot holes. Totally Killer also boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 87%, making it far more acclaimed than Time Cut.
1 Back to the Future
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown. In 1955, he meets his parents when they were his age, and must step in to make sure they wind up together before he gets back to 1985.
- Director
- Robert Zemeckis
- Release Date
- July 3, 1985
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Writers
- Robert Zemeckis , Bob Gale
- Cast
- Claudia Wells , Christopher Lloyd , James Tolkan , Thomas F. Wilson , Michael J. Fox , Wendie Jo Sperber , Crispin Glover , Marc McClure , Lea Thompson
- Runtime
- 116 minutes
- Budget
- $19 million
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
Almost midway through its runtime, Time Cut takes a jab at Back to the Future. One of its main characters says that altering the past will lead to a lot more than one’s disappearance from a few photos, referencing the iconic scene from Back to the Future where Marty’s actions in the past start erasing his existence from the future. However, despite being critical of Back to the Future‘s portrayal of time travel, Time Cut adopts many of its story devices and comes nowhere close to being as iconic as the 1985 movie.
Therefore, audiences who liked Time Cut will certainly enjoy revisiting Back to the Future as it remains one of the most influential films in the time travel genre. While the fate of Time Cut‘s sequels remains unknown, Back to the Future also has two sequels that walk through how the consequences of altering the past spiral out of control and force Marty and Doc to travel to the future.
