Great idea but denies title

Rating: 6/10 (30 June 2004)

The title The Butterfly Effect refers to the ability of even the beating wings of a butterfly to upset the balance of the world. For time travel, even the slightest change can dramatically alter the future. While this movie excels in creativity, much like Donnie Darko, it presents too many holes in direct violation of the premise of its title.
For instance, (SPOILER) when Evan (Aston Kutcher) is trying to prove to his prison cellmate that Jesus talks to him, he goes back in time as a child and stabs his hands into two sharp points. When he comes back to the present, he is still in the prison cell with the scars on his hands. If even a butterfly's wings can alter the course of history, then surely that act could have completely altered Evan's future to where he may not even be in prison anymore.
Maybe as a way to compensate for this paradoxical display, the movie goes overboard in the opposite direction by showing how Evan can alter people through words (such as his confrontation of Kayleigh's dad). And in almost all the scenarios Tommy turns out a bad seed, except for his illogical saving of a mom and her baby. He then becomes something of a born-again Christian. It's too big a stretch.
Basically the concept is very creative for this film but more attention to detail could have been given to make for a more convincing and concrete story. Granted, it is hard to manipulate alternate futures to reach the best outcome, but then again, that is the theme behind the movie.