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The Butterfly Effect
2004
Playing God has its consequences, which is the theme of the tricky time-travel shockfest THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress, who share writing and directing credits, make a splash with a gripping script that never fails to throw twists and loops into the plot. Both thematically and visually, the film is .. Read more
| Starring | Ashton Kutcher, Melora Walters, Amy Smart, Elden Henson |
|---|---|
| Director | Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber, John R. Leonetti |
| Genres | Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
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The Butterfly Effect
Playing God has its consequences, which is the theme of the tricky time-travel shockfest THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress, who share writing and directing credits, make a splash with a gripping script that never fails to throw twists and loops into the plot. Both thematically and visually, the film is similar to the perfect commercial filmmaking in the team's script for FINAL DESTINATION II.
Here, Evan Trehorn (Ashton Kutcher) is a college student who has suffered from blackouts and memory loss since he was a child. Tormented by deeply repressed childhood memories, he has visions of his best friend and first love Kayleigh (Amy Smart) as a child (Irene Gorovaia) whose Dad (Eric Stoltz) is a child molester, and whose brother Tommy has a serious sadistic streak. In search of greater clarity, Evan pores over his journals and is physically transported back in time where he is still a young boy (John P. Amedori) and has the ability to change what happened. But soon he realises that changing history has caused calamitous results elsewhere. A mesmerising thriller with a dark underlying mystery, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT is delightfully chilling.
| Starring | Ashton Kutcher, Melora Walters, Amy Smart, Elden Henson, William Lee Scott, Eric Stoltz, Callum Keith Rennie, Ethan Suplee, Eric Lively, Erica Durance, JR Bourne, Gina Holden, Chris Carmack, Rachel Miner |
|---|---|
| Director | Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber, John R. Leonetti |
| Studio | ICON HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 53 mins Blu-ray: 4 hrs 54 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| Language | English |
| Released | DVD: 13 Sep 2004 Blu-ray: 14 Sep 2009 Production year: 2004 |
| Format | DVD |
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
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Sign up Butterfly Effect 1 and 2 - BLU-RAY Version
The Butterfly Effect: A young man struggling to access sublimated childhood memories finds a technique that al...
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Sign up Butterfly Effect 3 - Revelations - BLU-RAY Version - Disc 2
Sam's ability has been both a blessing and curse, he can help the police solve crimes, but can make no move to...
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Critics' reviews (5)
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Just Married and Dude, Where's My Car? goofball Ashton Kutcher takes on a more serious role in this ambitious supernatural thriller. Written and directed by Final Destination 2 scribes J Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress, it's based on the idea of chaos theory, which speculates that the smallest of events can have the hugest of consequences. In a plot that feels lifted from The Twilight Zone, Kutcher plays a troubled college student who discovers he has the ability to go back in time and re-write the past. Touching on provocative themes such as child abuse, disability and terminal illness, Gruber and Bress have created a powerful and disturbing tale. Despite being spoilt by a rushed and overly simplistic conclusion, it's surprisingly dark and adult for a Hollywood project. In contrast to his joker reputation, Kutcher delivers a strong and believable performance, though his co-stars, with the exception of a stomach-churningly good Eric Stoltz, are largely unremarkable.
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Structured a little like one of those Russian dolls, with smaller dolls nested in one another, this needlessly complex thriller reveals a succession of its protagonist's differing memories until finally revealing that it is empty inside.
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Most helpful member's review
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136 out of 146 people found this review helpful
Ignore the ridiculously poor reception this film received by critics - this film rocks!
I urge you not to read the above plot of the film - I went to the cinema knowing nothing about the plot, and I'm sure this is the best way to see it.
It is an amazing, well-structured, original take on time travel, with a coherent and interesting plot with very dark overtones.
The only reason this film got such poor reviews on its release was due to its leading actor (I can't remember his name, that 'Dude Wheres My Car' guy) which critics love to hate. I'd never heard of him, but think he did a just fine job in the leading role! Its such a shame that this was generally over-looked at the cinema and such an original film was not rewarded.
I urge you to see this film - you must see it! One of the best time travel films of all time! -
Most recent members' review
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9 out of 11 people found this review helpful
A Wonderful Life it ain't
Don't watch this if you're feeling down in the dumps - this is most definitely not a feelgood movie and it doesn't have a happy ending. What it is a very powerful film with terrific performances all round and a superbly well-structured and coherent structure and story which really works.
The film is terribly dark and bleak and if the hero's childhood hadn't been so traumatised you could be excused for thinking that the moral of the story is that life always turns out for the best so don't wish you could change a thing 'cos you'll only make it worse. In fact, this isn't quite right, but close.
The story involves a boy who has blackouts at times of trauma in his life and the key points the film tracks are indeed very disturbing and unpleasant. However, as he matures he finds a way of revisiting these keypoints in his past and changing the course of events. What he doesn't realise, and can't control, is the way in which the consequences of his changes ripple wildly across the lives of those affected and produce unforeseeable results back in the 'present'.
The plot all hangs together nicely and I was too disturbed and emotionally entangled in this film to break out and try and forecast the ending, but I did enjoy the way all the plot strands tie together and didn't spot any loose ends anywhere - although might on a second viewing.
But that's why I give it 4 stars and not 5 - like Dogville, I don't know how long it will be before I can bring myself to watch it again. Nevertheless I would recommend this film to anyone who is capable of understanding that not all films are jaunty, life-enhancing experiences with happpy endings.
If I wanted to make comparisons I'd say it's a very dark take on Back To The Future; or - perhaps more appropriately - it's an 'anti-' version of It's a Wonderful Life. -
News and features
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Controversial Kidman film gets studio backing
- 29 Jun 2004
Nicole Kidman's latest offering has received studio backing, despite a growing furore. In the film "Birth" Kidman plays a widow who becomes convinced her late husband has been reincarnated and that his spirit dwells in a ten-year-old boy. In a scene dubbed "borderline disgusting" by some critics Kidman strips and bathes with the child. But New Line Cinema boss Mark Ordesky defended the scene stressing that the two do not make physical contact. "The scene was shot over... Read more
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Playing God has its consequences, which is the theme of the tricky time-travel shockfest THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress, who share writing and directing credits, make a splash ... -