cut the mustard come up to expectations; meet the required standard. informal

☞ The origin of rhe phrase remains conjectural: in early 20th-century US slang, (all) to the mustard meant 'excellent', so perhaps there is some underlying idea of 'gathering excellence'.

2013DVD Verdict Some of the kills are suitably icky and fun, even if the VFX [visual effects] are often sub par (a spear flying through the air on fishing wire just doesn't cut the mustard).