Given the increasingly busy and crowded nature of Hollywood, it is not surprising that many film genres have already been done to death, but every once in a while a new twist or angle can breathe new life into an otherwise tired genre. This is certainly true of Sawed Off, a film about time loops. While the premise may sound familiar, what sets this film apart are the characters, who are fully aware of the repetitive nature of their lives. This knowledge allows them to react in new, unexpected ways to each time loop, which makes for an intriguing and refreshingly original narrative.

Friends Jon and Frank head out to Marjorie’s cabin for some hunting. As they both have been romantically involved with her, they find it odd but still go. Things are awkward to begin with and only escalate when one accidentally kills the other. But he doesn’t stay dead, and soon a cycle of the men killing each other over and over begins…

The acting is one of the stronger points of the film. With Jon (Jody Barton) and Frank (Trae Ireland) as the pair of hunters caught in the loop. While Marjorie (Eva Hamilton) as the woman caught in the middle of it all. The same strength isn’t carried over to the script. You’ll be scratching your head at why they act a certain way or say the things they do. But then again, I’ve never been stuck in a time loop so I’m not one to judge. It just causes you to not care about what happens to anyone since the characters themselves are just so unlikable.

The worst offender of this production is undoubtedly the sound. I have never heard worse mixing in a film before – it was truly abysmal. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, there would be a sudden burst of static or some loud ringing that totally threw me out of the moment. And to make matters even worse, the whole movie was littered with tiny sound effects that were completely unnecessary and only served to clutter an already-messy soundtrack. It was truly painful to listen to. The video doesn’t fall as hard as the sound, it just tends to be more muted than anything.

Sawed Off is a film that works well, despite its many flaws. The characters are generally unlikable and their interactions tend to be obnoxious and over-the-top. Additionally, the sound quality of the film is truly atrocious. However, even with these less-than-desirable aspects of the film, I found myself laughing at both intentional moments of humor and at those that were not so intentional. The acting is actually surprisingly strong, which really helps to hold the film together. And while the plot might not be especially original or unique, it certainly has enough going for it to keep viewers engaged and interested throughout.

Ultimately, despite its shortcomings, Sawed Off is an enjoyable movie that is definitely worth watching if you’re looking for something fun and lighthearted.

5 out of 10