The Butterfly Effect (2004)

A completely Nasty film experience
As I watch this film I just keep saying, "Oh, man, what horribly disturbing thing is going to happen next??"
If this thought thrills you, then give this flick five stars, by all means.

I really don't know what to make of The Butterfly Effect except that its few interesting concepts (and they are very few) are completely drowned out by a deeply disturbing and manipulative series of events which are supposed to be a story.

This is a nasty film. I don't say things like that often, and I don't use words lightly.

This movie just smacks you in the face time after time with insulting nonsense. Throughout the entire film I feel extremely uncomfortable. And not in the good way that you enjoy from a film. Maybe that's what they were looking to do when they made this thing, make people uncomfortable. No, thanks. If someone finds this stuff fun or enjoyable, then there is a problem with the person emotionally or psychologically.

Child pornography, drug abuse, cruelty to animals, and unspeakable graphic violence from kids are all things that lurk in our deepest nightmares (or on the six o'clock news broadcasts). But here they are, presented for your approval as entertainment. Not my idea of a good night at the movies.


I would feel differently if this film really raised some worthwhile issues, or had a truly riveting story to tell, or contained fascinating and richly drawn characters, or painted an emotionally satisfying picture. It does none of these things.

Each fantastic and twisted scenario presented gets worse and worse. This is really just an exercise in sensational shock value. 'How can we freak the audience out for a couple of hours', this film seems to ask. And even when the film seems to be going in a positive direction it is all too brief and too late for all the negative crap it has already spewed at its audience.

People who love this film should reexamine why they do. It may be just for cheap and easy thrills. This movie flirts with science fiction and aims to be high psychological drama. It fails, big time. People say "Wow, this film really blew my mind". Fine. Yes, it's all very freaky and disturbing stuff. But does that equal a good film? No. There are other psychological films that succeed way beyond this junk, movies that are thought provoking, entertaining, and fascinating, that don't pander to the lowest or go for cheap jolts. I would advise people to avoid this movie unless they enjoy staring at awful car wrecks for long periods of time.

The worst part for me is that this could have been a really fascinating and interesting film (rather than a stupid shock ride), because it plays with such intriguing concepts and ideas: time travel and altering the past to change the future. Handled differently, The Butterfly Effect could've been a good film instead of a huge, ugly disappointment.

Almost perfect.
One of the best films I have seen in recent years, about time-travel and its consequences. Ashton Kutcher is a revelation and, although the film is slightly let down by a not very good ending this is not enough to derail what is a very good movie. If not for the ending, I would have given this movie 5 stars out of 5. Nonetheless, watch this movie!

The ending saved this movie
I really question those who think this movie was well acted. There were too many scenes when Ashton looked like he was seconds from bursting out laughing. And what about that one scene when he performed that weird clown run down the hall? It also felt a bit long. Honestly there were too many painfully acted scenes, but I do give the screenwriter props for an interesting concept and I think the director's cut ending was bold and won another star from me.