Setting aside Master and Commander for the moment, the anticipation surrounding The Butterfly Effect has always been present, fueled by a mix of curiosity, provocation, scrutiny, and nitpicking as it awaited release.
As Anson's first film as a producer, and following his transformative attempts in The Elephant and Walk the Line, every aspect reflects his determination to shed his image as just a "pretty face." Yet, the general public—controlled by prejudice and bias—has refused to remove their tinted glasses to offer an objective assessment. The spotlight on The Butterfly Effect has only grown fiercer.
This could be a good thing if the film proves solid in quality—or a bad thing, as it appears now.
Rolling Stone, 25/100:
"Not even Anson Wood's good looks can save such an utterly boring film. Buddy, what happened to your memories? Lose your diary and suddenly you lose all your other memories too? Is your entire life just a fragmented mess?"
The New York Post, 25/100:
"Plot? Looks. Characters? Looks. Acting? Looks. Twists, story, reflection? All looks. If it's just about looks, then sure, it's got everything. Ha."
A flood of negative reviews crashes in.
The long-dreaded outcome has come true, predictably—
When pretty faces attempt to break free of their typecasting and broaden their range, it often results in disaster. They have everything and yet nothing, and not even their looks can save a work destined for failure.
Hollywood has seen this story countless times.
Brooke Shields, Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Jessica Alba, Megan Fox, Zac Efron—the list goes on and on.
And now, Anson Wood joins their ranks.
Critics don't care how successful Catch Me If You Can or Spider-Man were. If they don't like something, they'll criticize it ruthlessly.
Let's not forget that even though The Elephant won the Palme d'Or, its media reception was still mixed and far from universally praised.
Now, with The Butterfly Effect falling short of expectations, negative reviews are sweeping in like a tidal wave.
These aren't random, obscure outlets but reputable, high-profile media. And they're not mild critiques—they're scathing feedback in the form of tens and twenties.
It's severe. Very severe.
Out of the first 23 media reviews, nearly half were outright negative. Compared to Master and Commander, it's not even in the same league.
The atmosphere is grim.
Many outlets are questioning Anson's judgment in selecting scripts.
Before the release of The Butterfly Effect, the media praised Anson as having a golden touch, saying all his projects were hits and lauded his keen eye.
Now, they're flipping their stance, saying Anson still has a lot to learn:
In the past, Anson didn't have a say in project selection; the roles were chosen by the production teams. Therefore, the success of those works can't be attributed to him.
The Butterfly Effect is Anson's first outing as a producer and his first true test of his judgment. The results suggest he still has a long way to go.
But that's the harsh, cold reality of the industry: when you succeed, everything you do is right; when you fail, everything is wrong.
Praise or criticism—it's all just smoke.
The situation is dire but not entirely hopeless.
Out of those 23 reviews, there were still four mixed and nine positive ones.
Village Voice, 65/100:
"The film's understanding of the butterfly effect is too shallow, overly literal, and overly dramatic. It's perfect for those audiences who scream 'masterpiece' every time they see a plot twist, a way to pass an afternoon with a bucket of popcorn.
But in this otherwise dumb film, the one bright spot is Anson.
He uses his personal charm to hold the audience's attention and keep the film from completely losing its way. Shockingly, he delivers convincing performances in key scenes, lending the story some credibility.
Too bad it's not enough to sustain me until I reach my fridge at home."
The mention of the "fridge" refers to the Fridge Test: if a movie holds your attention long enough that you don't notice its flaws until you're home grabbing something from the fridge, then it's considered a success as a genre film.
Los Angeles Weekly, 65/100:
"It's hard to believe this script took two writers seven years to develop. Clearly, these guys are just fraternity kids lacking life experience, with their heads full of self-indulgent ideas like 'a man saving his lover can save the world.' They didn't even bother researching the butterfly effect properly.
What's harder to believe is that the performances turned out to be the film's biggest strength.
Anson Wood, Rachel McAdams, and Heath Ledger deliver impressive chemistry. From their expressions to body language to their grasp of their roles, they manage to carve out emotional depth from a shallow and immature script, delivering convincing performances.
I don't like it. But I don't hate it either.
Maybe I'll remember it because of Anson Wood."
Surprisingly, major outlets like Los Angeles Weekly and Village Voice reached a rare consensus with similar scores and feedback.
The other mixed reviews followed a similar pattern.
Critics agreed that the film's plot was too straightforward, offering only a surface-level exploration of the butterfly effect. This left the movie stuck in a cycle of plot twists without deeper intellectual engagement.
However, the actors' performances and personal charisma salvaged the film.
At the very least, it's still worth a watch.
This is why these reviews landed in the "mixed" category—flawed but with redeeming qualities. The scores hover near the passing mark.
Now, things are getting interesting—
Whether in negative or mixed reviews, the focus remains squarely on Anson.
It's clear that his reputation as a "pretty face" is a double-edged sword. It draws attention to the film but also overshadows everything else, making its success or failure revolve almost entirely around him.
In a way, when directors Mackie and Eric cast Anson, this was their intent. And now, they've gotten what they wanted.
Yet, the directors are shaken.
Their once-proud script has been torn apart by critics. If not for Anson salvaging some dignity, the flood of negative reviews could have been even worse.
They had believed Anson was hitching a ride on their coattails, confident that their "perfect" script needed no outside input and dreaming that critics and audiences would bow to its brilliance. But the tables turned—it's they who are riding on Anson's coattails, relying on him to save them from total disaster.
Mackie and Eric… are struggling to keep it together.
Even so, they take a deep breath and cling to their last hope—
What about the positive reviews?
After all, out of the first batch of media reviews, aren't there still nine favorable ones?
(End of Chapter)