Butterfly Effect

By: Randell Gresham 3.4.2009

The Movie Itself:
If you could change something in your past what would it be?

This is perhaps one of the biggest “what if?” questions, one which you would receive a wide range of answers. One might answer to correct a mistake a person made in the past, such as who they married, or how they handled a situation that had more than one outcome. Then others may answer that they would change nothing, that every choice that they made is what made them who they are today.

Going back in time has been in been done several times in films and novels, often times with matching results. In the 1985 film ‘Back to the Future’ when Marty McFly is sent back in time thirty years, we see how one event changed the future that followed, nearly erasing Marty from existence. In Ray Bradbury’s short story, later turned film, ‘A Sound of Thunder,’ an even smaller event has disastrous results, changing the future of humankind. Many of the movies and novels that explore the realm of time-travel are, more often than not, filled with loopholes that in the end destroy what could have been a great story.

With ‘The Butterfly Effect’, we see a new spin on time travel. Evan Treborn, who is haunted by childhood memories, has the ability to go back in time and change the past, which will in turn change the future. This results in changing not only the way many events turn out, but also the way the people involved, change each time an event is changed. Kayleigh, in the original series of events is a waitress, another she is a drug addicted hooker, and another she is happy and in love with Evan.

As the film progresses, we watch Evan change event-after-event trying to turn the disastrous events of his past around to benefit himself and everyone involved. The trouble is, no matter how hard he tries, or how many events he changes, they all turn around and lead to events just as disastrous, if not more so, than original events. To put it in a nutshell, Evan has a bad case of taking one step forward, but two steps back.

While, like every other time traveling movie, ‘The Butterfly Effect’ has plot-holes, but on the other hand these plot-holes do not ruin the movie, nor are they in your face obvious, throughout the entire movie. Overall the movie does a great job explaining itself, has a great story, and takes time-travel to a new and unparalleled level. The entire cast, adult and kids alike, do a great job. Ashton Kutcher, who plays the adult Evan, delivers what I believe is his best performance to date. Likewise, Logan Lerman, who plays the seven-year-old Evan, does a great job as well. These two performances help make the story believable, as crazy as that is to say.
Rating: 9/10

The Presentation:
‘The Butterfly Effect’ arrives via Canada with a 1080P AVC transfer, and I was not overly impressed with the transfer. While the outside shots nearly always look great, and the image stays sharp for most of the movie, many of the interior shots, which make up most of the film, look soft and bland.

There is a light natural looking grain throughout the movie, but never distracting and helps give the film a nice look. The “flash-back” sequences have a heavier grain and appear softer, but again this helps the film more than harms it.

The audio, I loved. We are treated to a DTS-HD 5.1 track. I never had a problem understanding any of the characters. As this is a mostly dialogue driven film the front speaker stay active, but the surround stays silent for the most part. The highlight of the audio comes each time Evan has one of his “flash backs.” They sound simply outstanding. With the help of your sub, it really feels as if your moving back in time (or forward) with Evan.
Rating: 7/10

Dear Diary

The Extras:
There are none. I wonder if Evan can go back and add them.
Rating: 0/10

Overall:
When I put this Blu-ray in my player a few days ago, it was my first time to watch it since it was first released on DVD. I wasn’t struck by the greatness of the movie on the original viewing, but now I am in love with the film. I think this is the best time-travel movie since the ‘Back to the future’ trilogy. While the video is not the best it can ever be, the audio is great. If you are a fan of the film, do not hesitate in buying the Blu-ray, you will not be disappointed.
Rating: 6/10