US Theatrical Cut Surprisingly Better than Director's

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2007)

As a rule, I end up liking Director's cuts of films better than Theatrical cuts, but this film makes my exception list to that rule.
First off, forget what the critics say about this film; especially if you enjoy films that deal with concepts of time. Sure you could pass it off as another hash of the old time-paradox syndrome, but this story takes it to a whole new level. It really delves into the repercussions that can happen when you play with time. Not only can it have your intended consequences, but the ripples can have many unintended consequences that can be disastrous.
Now, here're the key differences between the cuts and what makes the Theatrical cut better:
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***************WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW THIS LINE*****************
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In the Theatrical cut, which I watched first, Evan Treborn (played surprisingly well by Ashton Kutcher), finally saves face by making sure that his childhood girlfriend moves away and never gets to know him. This finally sets things right and enables Evan to have both purpose and peace in his life.
In the Director's cut however, a brand new storyline is introduced early on in the film. A scene is added where Evan and his mother visit a palm-reader and Evan is told that he has no life-line--that he was never meant to exist. This eventually leads him to kill himself while still in his mother's womb to set things right.
For me, I have a hard time accepting this theory that's introduced in the Director's cut. I can't accept that someone wasn't meant to exist. I am morally and ethically compelled to believe that we all have a purpose. This is why I can't support the Director's cut, but instead offer full credit to the Theatrical cut.