By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Thanks to the Marvel movies, everyone, including their brother, now knows the multiverse theory. However, these films are generally optimistic and present the idea of different dimensions as an easy way to see our favorite heroes and villains in strange new costumes. However, a bizarre sci-fi thriller from over two decades ago showed us the much darker side of this idea by showing in grim detail how attempts to change the past can ruin your life. This movie is The butterfly effectand it’s now streaming on Netflix for those who want to take a stroll on the dark side of science fiction.
The Butterfly Effect Plot
The butterfly effect focuses on a young man whose childhood memories are essentially Swiss cheese thanks to a series of fainting spells and subsequent memory loss. Eventually, his present self realizes that he can travel to his past body during these fades, and he immediately begins to make changes to the past in an attempt to improve his life. Unfortunately, he keeps making things worse, and it soon becomes clear that his attempts to pull at the fabric of reality could upend his and his friends’ lives in increasingly horrific ways.
The cast of The butterfly effect helps the film sell its wild premise, including Ashton Kutcher like the young man who keeps jumping into his own past and ruining his future. The film also stars Elden Henson, the Mighty Ducks veteran who MCU fans will recognize Foggy Nelson, Daredevil’s partner in law (and, sometimes, crime). Rounding out the cast of biggest names are Eric Stoltz (the man who was almost Marty McFly) and Ethan Suplée (of which Mallrats his role cemented him as the guy who couldn’t see the hidden sailboat in 3D).
Surprising reactions
Compared to its budget, The butterfly effect was incredibly profitable. With a budget of only $13 million, this film grossed an impressive $96.8 million. It was enough to warrant two direct-to-video sequels, but they have almost nothing to do with the first film and are generally not (if we’re being completely honest) worth watching.
Interestingly, The butterfly effect is one of those films that really divided critics and audiences: Rotten TomatoesFor example, the film has a critical rating of 34 percent, with critics generally complaining that the film is overly scripted and based on scenes that are both tasteless and shocking. However, via Popcornmeter, those who watched (over a quarter of a million people!) gave this film a much healthier score of 81%.
As you probably guessed, I am one of the enthusiastic fans who enjoyed The butterfly effect much more than the criticism. One of the reasons for my enjoyment is Ashton Kutcher’s performance in the lead role. Certainly, the star has been criticized in recent years for her associations with disgraced celebrities such as Danny Masterson and Diddy. But if you can get past his more troubling professional associations, you’ll find that he effectively sells the conflicting emotions of a character haunted by his past and willing to take any risk to save the future, both for himself and his friends.
In addition, The butterfly effect really tickles me inside Star Trek fan (one who is never far from the surface) because of his intoxicating messages about the dangers of changing history. The truth is that most people would change countless things in their own timelines if given half the chance, whether it was trying to kill little baby Hitler or trying to keep their parents together. Changing the past is a common fantasy of those who think the present could be better, and Kutcher’s film is a powerful reminder that these good intentions could nonetheless ruin the lives of countless people in ways we could never predict .
The director’s cut
The only downside to watching The butterfly effect on Netflix is that you will see the cinema version. It’s still a great film, but the Director’s Cut gets full marks for giving us the darkest ending possible. And it’s an ending I still think about regularly about 20 years after watching it, which is a testament to the film’s creativity and innovative storytelling.
Are you going to spring The butterfly effect as much as I do, or will you want to change your own past so you never see this movie? You won’t know until you stream it on Netflix. Afterward, you may never be able to watch your favorite time travel movies the same way again.
