Much better than expected

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2004)

I went into this movie expecting a really bad teen horror flick. But I was pleasantly surprised to see a genuinely entertaining movie with some mind-bending twists and philosophical underpinnings.
The movie is about a kid named Evan who has blackouts during traumatic incidents. When he starts studying psychology as a college student, he tries to find out what happened during his blackouts and finds that he can return to the time of his memories.
When Evan travels back in time, he realizes he can change the outcome of the future by changing his actions in the past. But when he returns to the present, he finds his actions have had unintended consequences. (Sort of a scary version of Back to the Future, if you will).
Unfortunately, to make the audience understand what will come later, the filmmakers chose to show all of the childhood incidents first, which forces child actors to carry a movie in the beginning. Another gripe is the cheesy special effects they use to transport Evan back in time.

But by the time the movie really gets going, you'll be so engrossed you won't mind these drawbacks.
Ashton Kutcher was also a strong leading man, and the movie really livened up once he took over the role from the kids playing his younger self. Amy Smart was also believable in her various roles.
This is really a movie that sticks with you long after you leave the theater.