The Butterfly Effect (Director's Cut)

What would happen if you had the power to change back time, just like a movie, by using your brain and senses? That's the focus of The Butterfly Effect, Ashton Kutcher's first foray into science fiction thriller territory that did modest business when it was released during the dreary winter months. Mr. Kutcher plays a man who is separated from his troublesome dad after going to a psychiatric institute  and lives with his mother and two brothers. Years later, as he goes to college with his girlfriend (Amy Smart), the young man re-reads his diary notebook and tries to recreate what happened and what should not happen as he travels back in time when he was a young boy to a young teen and a young adult. The results could have a big effect on him and his friends, who would die, be sick, or come back to life. The title of this movie comes from an ancient Chinese proverb saying that when a butterfly flaps its wings, someone dies.

After watching this movie, I thought that this was one of the scariest sci-fi thrillers of the year (besides the horror flick The Grudge and The Village). Ashton Kutcher really shines as the young guy in all of us who wants a girlfriend, and marry her as well as be independent and free from parenthood. The effects in the movie are pretty good, and the surround sound is loud and brash.  The storyline is loosely borrowed from other films, but the concept of time travel by mind is pretty new in this genre. Amy Smart is a good choice for the main character's girlfriend, a lonely girl who works now at a small diner who now hangs out with other people.

If you want to see a decent sci-fi thriller that uses the concept of time travel and mind tricks, then go see this movie on DVD. It's worth the wait.

Coming soon: A review of Ray.