Sawed Off (2022)

Embarking on a hunting trip together, a pair of friends head out into the wilderness to spend some time together with a girlfriend they’re both interested in, but as the trip goes on they realize their issues bring about violent tendencies that enable them to kill each other although they can’t technically die.There was a lot to like about this one. One of the better elements of this one comes from the highly effective setup that provides a fantastic grounding for the wacky adventures to come. The initial starting plan offers up the friends attempting to recapture their old relationship on the trip who are clearly at odds with each other and need to work through a series of issues as to why they can come back together as friends is a worthwhile and realistic place to go off. Mixing in her apprehension of doing anything that will bring old wounds to the surface despite all the antagonism on display here between them and the story involving the curse on the land from the Indian tribe who lived there that offers up the most realistic explanation for what’s going on and everything comes off quite fun. That provides the film with a great playground to play with the premise of the two going back and forth taking each other out. The idea of them being unable to kill each other and having a physical copy of the body remain dead on the ground despite them still being able to walk around like normal just with the wound of what just happened to them affixed to the new body, the resultant series of encounters here become quite fun and brutal with the amount of carnage unleashed on both of them. As the whole effort goes into a more character-driven finale that brings their relationship issues back to the forefront here while still playing somewhat with the cursed land trope at play, there’s quite a lot to like here that holds it up for the most part. The film does have a few minor issues. The main drawback to be had here is the film’s setup which never comes across as all that clear as to what’s happened. This is partly due to the setup featuring a lot of storyline points to work out which all could end up being the cause of their affliction rather than giving a straightforward answer. Offering up the storyline explanations that are all plausible enough as to what’s happening but never clarifying how it’s all playing out makes this one feel somewhat confusing as the fact that all of them work out can’t happen since several of these playing out conceals others. Had it settled on a definitive outcome for what’s happening that would’ve brought the film’s confusion down quite significantly. The other issue here is the films’ slight drawbacks that come about due to the low-budget limitations imposed. It shouldn’t be much of a stretch to say the effects and gore are typical low-budget indie-style features that is highlighted not only with the victims’ severed limb but also comes off as incredibly obviously with the revelation of the demonic figure controlling them which means the film needs to showcase a goofy and underwhelming creature that’s wisely kept to the shadows since the looks we get at it are somewhat silly. The lack of interaction with anyone and staying at one location the entire time is pretty much the big final setup that provides the obvious touch here that all ends up bringing this down slightly.Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.