Entertaining but inherently flawed

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2005)

I must admit that I was intrigued by the premise of this movie: a young student with a tragic life history discovers unexplained powers that enable him to relive the past through memories, and even change history. It makes for some interesting twists, which the movie takes advantage of time and time again.
But with a premise as complicated as time travel, there are steps the writer must take to keep the plot holes at a minimum. Unfortunately, the writers of Butterfly Effect are so busy exploring different possibilities for their new "toy," that the plot holes are left there in abundance. Even a casual viewer can not help but notice them, and if you're one of those people who discusses things you noticed after watching a movie, you'll find that you like the film much less in retrospect.
Plot holes aside, the film has a good pacing and an unmatched blend of tragedy, drama, and horror. Ashton Kutcher delivers an astonishing performance considering his history with comedies. Development of other characters is very uniquely executed, especially since a few characters have very different personalities when the main character alters history.
All in all, the Butterfly Effect is an entertaining film, even though its integrity leaves something to be desired.