Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert.
"The film brushes against a certain kind of life wisdom within its extreme silliness, a straightforward interpretation of chaos theory; its intense dramatic tension promises a rollercoaster viewing experience. It's not Terrence Malick, but it has its own charm.
And Anson Wood? Undoubtedly a superstar."
Score: 80/100.
Four-star recommendation.
Saturday, sunny.
Quietly, the media reviews updated, and so did Chicago Sun-Times.
Roger, in his usual objective, rational, and calm style, yet with a hint of humor, shared his stance.
An 80, though not the highest score for The Butterfly Effect, still shines brightly amid a sea of scathing reviews, standing out with ease.
It's clear now that Roger's attitude towards Anson is continuously rising to new heights.
Let's not forget that when The Princess Diaries came out, Roger dismissed it entirely, even harshly criticized it. Their first encounter was anything but pleasant.
But now, from Catch Me If You Can to Elephant, and now to The Butterfly Effect, Roger has gradually changed his view, marking a breakthrough.
In his Chicago Sun-Times column, Roger still includes a viewability score, out of four stars:
Master and Commander, three stars.
The Butterfly Effect, four stars.
Crystal clear.
Three days ago, Master and Commander premiered to rave reviews, and Roger, lavish with his praise, gave it a perfect score, which 20th Century Fox heavily promoted. Roger's comment appeared prominently in numerous official press releases.
In an interview, Roger confidently declared it a strong contender for this year's top ten films.
Clearly, The Butterfly Effect isn't on the same level, but—
Four stars for viewability.
In this way, Roger took a stance.
Hollywood was abuzz.
After all, this was Roger Ebert. Whether his reviews sway the general public or not, his influence is undeniable among film aficionados and industry insiders.
Many eyes in Hollywood were waiting for Roger's review in Chicago Sun-Times.
And then—surprise!
Roger truly brought a huge surprise. Industry folks whispered, could The Butterfly Effect be poised for a comeback?
No way, right?
Thousands of eyes eagerly focused on the media reviews, watching as they updated in real-time—
An astonishing sight.
Once again, Anson was writing a new chapter in history.
On Saturday alone, thirteen new reviews for The Butterfly Effect were published, more than half of the first wave of reviews, an impressive figure.
At this moment, it's evident that the competitive energy from Master and Commander and Russell Crowe on premiere day only released its full impact now.
Good reviews or bad, at least from a numbers perspective, The Butterfly Effect is anything but unnoticed.
But now, it's not about quantity; it's about quality—
After all, the initial wave of media reviews for The Butterfly Effect wasn't exactly promising.
Score of 70: "Is The Butterfly Effect a cinematic classic? Not really. But did I enjoy my time in the theater, and would I recommend it to friends? Absolutely."
Score of 75: "A thrilling, rollercoaster viewing experience, perfect for popcorn lovers. Perhaps the only drawback is that it's still a bit rough around the edges."
Score of 75: "A young person's bold fantasy about life; yet Anson Wood makes this story credible and impactful."
Score of 30: "If this were a high school drama, I'd applaud enthusiastically. The only thing that kept me from walking out of this ridiculous, juvenile movie was Anson's charisma."
Score of 65: "Worth watching and pondering. Perhaps the biggest issue is that the plot I imagined was more complex and profound than the movie."
Score of 60: "A pity. Anson Wood, Rachel McAdams, and Heath Ledger shine on screen, but the script just doesn't keep up."
Score of 77: "I'm sold. The film is a shallow exploration of chaos theory, and the ending lacks depth, but it's still enjoyable. The actors' charisma draws you in, making the viewing experience enjoyable."
Score of 80: "Rough yet nuanced, raw yet powerful. Like a punch to the nose, it's meant to make you bleed and feel rage, leaving the audience with much to think about. Anson Wood delivers a complex, vulnerable character with conviction."
Score of 73: "I don't get it, but watching Anson Wood desperately try to save a disaster on screen—with those looks, legs, and physique—what more could you want?"
Praise, yet not praise.
Criticism, yet not criticism.
As expected, the second wave of reviews was also mixed with complex emotions. The Butterfly Effect ultimately did not achieve a miraculous turnaround—
But it did prove that the first wave of critics wasn't just being unfair.
Significantly, though, the tone of reviews is now tilting towards:
Positive.
Regardless of the review content, the ratio of positive feedback now dominates, reversing the initially negative review score.
Quietly, the overall media score rose from 61 to 66!
Still in the 60s range, but it finally escaped the edge of failure and even surpassed Gladiator, earning more recognition from professional critics.
A rare achievement!
Slowly but surely, The Butterfly Effect's reputation began to recover.
Then, the unthinkable happened—
Sunday saw the media score increase again for a second day in a row!
Hollywood insiders could feel the continued rise in The Butterfly Effect's buzz, finally surpassing Master and Commander.
Once far behind, it has now compiled reviews from 48 media outlets, achieving a comeback.
At least among the media, The Butterfly Effect now leads in attention.
20th Century Fox surely didn't see this coming—
They invested heavily in promotion, and yet, just this?
Meanwhile, New Line Cinema, operating like a shoestring setup, threw together a few makeshift platforms and messily released five different endings, and managed to beat 20th Century Fox?
What… what even is this?
20th Century Fox's marketing and distribution departments are fainting in the restroom.
Their advantage lasted barely five days, and now the balance has shifted.
This scene is one no one anticipated.
Yet, it happened.
So, is this… the Anson magic?
(End of chapter)