Many people spent their Independence Day weekends having barbecues, throwing block parties and celebrating with multi-colored explosions after nightfall. Even though some of that was included in my long weekend, I also spent a lot of time with my good pal Netflix and some other films with the family. One of those films was "The Butterfly Effect."
While not perfect, this film does hold viewer attention through its confusion and often frustrating plot lines. So much happens in this beginning of this movie, and by the middle of it, you honestly are not sure what is real and what is fake.
Ashton Kutcher plays the main role of Evan, a college student who as a child suffered from blackouts and failed to remember certain memories that involved some of his old friends. The film begins with Evan rushing through a building of some kind, and he dons a blue robe that hints at it being some kind of medical edifice. We later discover that this building was the Sunnyvale Institution, as Evan has steadily been going mad.
He is not the only person whose sanity steadily wanes throughout his lifetime, as his father suffered from very similar symptoms. The most peculiar thing about these symptoms though? They are caused by a strange phenomenon that allowed these characters to recall certain memories and then alter them, resulting in a completely different, yet eventually deformed future. However, this power comes at a cost, as it damages their brain and their sanity diminishes as a result.
By changing his troubled past, Evan manages to create new timelines for himself and everyone around him, but changing the slightest piece of history can have the biggest repercussions in the future. For someone who is an avid fan of science fiction and time travel, this movie is interesting, even though it is more aptly classified in a thriller/suspense genre.
Although the ending is not happy, this movie was worth watching. It is not without its flaws, as there are sometimes just too many plot lines to follow and it all gets more wibbly-wobbly than an episode of "Doctor Who," but it has its moments. For a bargain flick that my parents found in a one dollar bin, it was a good way to spend two hours.
If you get a chance, check it out!
