Quite a movie to wrap one's brain around!

Rating: 8/10 (9 January 2005)

Producing yet another time-travel alternative-reality film is always a sketchy proposition because so many movie-goers have seen so many of them over the years. But this is NOT a schlocky 1950's take on the genre, nor is it as sweet as "It's a Wonderful Life." Instead, it is smartly written and engaging, most notably because it visually plays out the premise set forth in a Ray Bradbury short story some years ago: small changes in the past create big consequences in the future. In other words, going back in time and "fixing" things is not all that simple because of the myriad of chain reactions that those changes will produce.
In the case of "The Butterfly Effect," those reactions center around a boy suffering from blackouts who grows up to realize that he may be able to change the past in order to better the present. This involves altering the lead character's past with a little neighbor girl (who he has always loved), her sadistic brother and a neighbor boy who was unwittingly caught in the fallout caused by being their friends.
And with any good sci-fi, certain suspension-of-disbelief is required in order to appreciate what the writer/director is attempting. Sure, this film may have a plothole or two when it comes to fooling with timelines, but mostly, it deals with ramifications, interesting and thought-provoking ramifications of altering the past. And, yes, it has a complicated plot--most time-shift movies do--but that's part of the challenge and the enjoyment.
Nevertheless, the dialogue is natural, the cinematography appealing, and the score unobtrusive but additive. Although I'm sure that many of us had doubts about Ashton Kutcher's ability to pull off a dramatic role, this film proved to be certainly within his grasp, and the other young actors also gave convincing performances throughout.
"The Butterfly Effect" may take two or three viewings to get its full effect, but it will be time well spent.