From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

"Immature. Simplistic. Foolish. Narcissistic. Perfunctory. Man, once again, attempts to play God."

"Blah, blah, blah. Utterly terrible."

Opening barrage!

Wait a minute, shouldn't this be a rave review? Why does the content seem a little off?

From "The Hollywood Reporter", a score of 85 – the highest score in the first batch of media reviews for "The Butterfly Effect".

Despite being slightly surprised that it came from "The Hollywood Reporter", a good review is worth its weight in gold, especially from the most authoritative and professional media outlet.

However, this opening... is it normal? Could the score be wrong, missing a decimal point, and it's not "85" but "8.5"?

Clearly, it's not normal.

But "The Hollywood Reporter" knows what they are doing.

"Indeed, this is the truth; but why act so surprised? Doesn't Hollywood churn out three hundred such films every year on an assembly line basis?

At least, 'The Butterfly Effect' has the courage and audacity to choose such an ending, refusing to compromise, refusing perfection, refusing to conform to the mainstream. The tragic undertones force one to face the consequences of every foolish, arrogant, and conceited choice, even if it leads to disaster.

If the ending were changed, I would hate this movie, because it would become a self-imagined, self-gratifying daydream for fraternity members, amplifying all the shortcomings tenfold and evolving into a self-serving hypocrisy. In fact, I believe this was the initial inspiration for the two directors/screenwriters—

Because the production team has stated that the film will have five different versions of the ending.

God, I can already foresee what at least three of the endings will look like.

And I believe it was Anson Wood who reined in this runaway carriage before it plunged into the abyss, premiering this version of the ending with a scorched-earth approach.

This alone sets 'The Butterfly Effect' apart from the other two hundred and ninety-nine films.

However, 'The Butterfly Effect' even has the courage to release the other four versions of the ending in theaters; they are attempting a completely new challenge.

At the same time, in the movie, Anson gives this character an incredible—I can't believe I'm about to say this—depth.

Like opening a Pandora's Box, step by step growing from an ignorant fraternity boy into a man who dares to take responsibility, his pain, his struggle, his despair, in such a dramatically intense vortex, pulling the audience into this chaotic story.

Undoubtedly, Anson's performance makes the story convincing. Rachel McAdams and Heath Ledger also deliver compelling performances in their scenes together, ultimately presenting a story with tragic undertones—

Don't forget, the protagonist of the movie is only twenty years old, it is only natural that he should be immature."

Eighty-five points!

Tough, firm, clear stance.

"The Hollywood Reporter" goes against the grain, offering praise amidst a chorus of criticism, and a score of eighty-five at that.

Lowest score: 10, "The Wall Street Journal."

Highest score: 85, "The Hollywood Reporter."

This was definitely a scene that people did not expect before the release of "The Butterfly Effect"—

"The Hollywood Reporter" and "The Wall Street Journal", two major authoritative media outlets, are tearing each other apart!

Of course, the above is a detailed review, while in a one-sentence review, "The Hollywood Reporter" succinctly summarizes it.

"You will love the foolish, immature, naive, and arrogant mistakes in the movie, because that is the price of youth, and also a joke of fate; and Anson Wood shows superstar charisma, giving this story the power of a knockout punch, the perfect choice for this year's holiday season."

Unbelievable!

The tough stance shown by "The Hollywood Reporter", firmly stating its position, is even more impactful when placed alongside the overwhelming negative reviews.

This also grandly kicks off a polarized controversy.

A complex, desperate, and surging emotion, Anson, standing in the spotlight, infuses the character with charm through a simple yet firm performance.

Undoubtedly, this is a surprise. One of the most unmissable works of the year."

Praise, extreme praise, even more incredible than the score of eighty.

Although Nicholas Flynn's report for "The New York Times" has already stated his position, Nicholas is just a reporter, he is not responsible for writing film reviews.

Therefore, at this moment, the comments from "The New York Times"'s professional film critic are particularly valuable, complementing Nicholas's in-depth feature report.

Even the editor-in-chief of "The New York Times" did not expect this scene. The editorial department thought that "Master and Commander" might complete a crushing victory; as a result, they themselves were the first to raise the flag of dissenting voices.

The situation suddenly became interesting.

"The San Francisco Chronicle", seventy-five points, "In a ridiculously absurd way, 'The Butterfly Effect' is one of the most entertaining works of this year's holiday season. Amidst the immature script, sloppy direction, cheap cinematography, and noisy soundtrack, Anson Wood has found a way to firmly hold the audience in their cinema seats and enjoy this two-hour rollercoaster ride."

"The Baltimore Sun", seventy-five points, "The biggest problem with 'The Butterfly Effect': stupidity; the biggest advantage of 'The Butterfly Effect': Anson Wood."

"USA Today", seventy-three points, "The script is too eager to show a fateful tragedy, so that each plot twist seems superficial and contrived; but incredibly, the film is attractive, all thanks to the actors. Heath Ledger once again proves that he has the ability to stand out in a terrible plot, and of course, Anson Wood also shows superstar brilliance for the first time."

"Variety", seventy points, "A model of a cast saving a movie. Anson Wood, Rachel McAdams, Heath Ledger, and a group of commendable supporting actors have completed an impossible task: making a terrible script attract audiences to watch this movie."

"Empire", seventy points, "A script that can be described as a disaster, but how exactly did Anson Wood manage to shine in a swamp of ruins?"

"Entertainment Weekly", sixty-eight points, "Never would have thought that Anson Wood, after stepping out of his comfort zone, could still firmly grab the audience's attention. His performance far exceeded expectations, and the other actors also deserve praise. But I personally don't like such a pretentious ending, but hey, we still have four other choices."