Steer clear, folks with half a brain

Rating: 5/10 (9 July 2004)

Against my will, I had to endure the hour and forty minutes of this flick. I call it a flick, rather than a film or movie, simply because it's nothing more than a flick friends drag you to see mainly for Ashton "lookie-lookie-I'm-dramatic" Kutcher. The acting was sub-par not to mention the plot itself (nothing but a direct Donnie Darko rip-off). Darko, released briefly in 2001, is a much more in-depth film about one's mental reality and time travel, but Butterfly Effect tries fancy camera tricks and plot complications only to leave the viewer saying they loved it but are truly confused. The main problem I had was the story never really took off and never even had something to take off from. There's no exposition that helps the audience understand why these characters do what they do. I found myself not
caring one bit if the past gets changed or even if this guy or the other dude or the girl or whoever dies right then and there. I will say this: it had a slight sliver of potential near the end with choices people have to make, but ultimately fizzles away into a bland, lackluster attempt at teasing one's brain. Look away.