Directors cut ending was so much better than the theatrical ending. - The Butterfly Effect (2004) Discussion

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Humanity_Youve_Failed 13 years ago

Good point, that's true. But if you ask people about this movie, a lot will say "Most depressing move ever!" anyway so why not just finish it off and give it an encore ending of depression? haha.
Either way, i agree, we should be thankful. It's always gonna be one of those stick in your mind type endings lol.
I dont know if you've ever seen the 1980s movie Stand By Me, but that was another ending that stuck with me.`

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[–] Phanatic77 13 years ago

The first time I saw it, it was the Director's cut without even realizing it.

Though the movie offers a few different endings.

So the theatrical is the one where he goes back to himself as a kid in that BBQ and tells the girl some awful things so she'll end up staying away from him, and then later on they cross each-other on the street and then go on their way... ?

I think there was another one with them actually talking within the same setting..

And yes, the last one, the most powerful of the all, he goes back to himself as a fetus and chocking himself on the umbilical cord... Then we see the girl getting married and being all happy..?

Powerful stuff..

Excellent movie.

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[–] vertygo2000 13 years ago

I just watched the movie on Netflix and I didn't even remember that I had only ever seen the Director's cut. The theatrical release ending is horrible. I only wish I had to option to view either. :(

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[–] shortbread226 13 years ago

An unborn baby can't actually strangle themselves with their umbilical cord.

They don't breathe through their mouth and throat so this wouldn't suffocate them.

Babies are born with the cord wrapped around their neck all the time.

------------------------------------------
What you just read was probably a bit of a rant. Sorry

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[–] Thrivingdead 12 years ago

This caught me by surprise, never thought of that.

However, knotting the cord would have been fatal (suggests some inexpert googling) but if they'd portrayed that I for one would not have been as clear as to the significance.

I think I'm going to have to turn a blind eye to it, like how humans could possibly be batteries in the Matrix...
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief

... Sanity and Happiness are an impossible combination ...

EDIT: Just found a mahoosive plothole so the link should now be
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FridgeLogic

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[–] Eve_of_Destruction 12 years ago

Killing himself in utero was a little extreme anyway. The theatrical ending was more realistic (if you could call this film realistic). Why never be born just to save Kaleigh when he could simply just not go to that party or just do what he did?

It's not just a bag it's a Prada

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[–] niloo_xp 12 years ago

"[when he could simply just not go to that party]"

No, it is not that "SIMPLE". That is why the movie is called "Butterfly Effect".
It sure seemed "SIMPLE" to give Lenny that knife (or whatever it was) thinking he would cut the rope with it. Or it seemed "SIMPLE" to just run towards that lady and stop her from opening the mailbox. But as it turned out, the consequences of every action were too big and unpredictable and since all of them have been really bad, he got tired of it... You can feel his desperation when he tries to kill himself in the bathtub instead of trying to go back in time once more and make things right. And when he later does that, it is just to save her mother, as for himself, he was ready to die.

After all that happened to him, he got to the conclusion that "It can never get better", and "Nothing can be fixed" (the same thing his father told him in that mental hospital), so, he just gave up and killed himself...

I think the director's cut is better, because what he does in the end, is a sacrifice in a way...

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[–] CapnDred 8 years ago

Because in both endings he didn't get to choose which home movie to watch. He only had chance to watch whichever was already loaded into the projector.

If he has the opportunity to kill himself in utero, but doesn't, he ends up right back under that desk in the shrink's office, the orderlies take him away immediately, he's never given access to his journals or home movies again and so can't try to fix it again, and Kayleigh is still dead. His last chance to fix things came and went.

In this ending, the only memory he can jump to is the one where he's a foetus.
As a foetus, his only options are to kill himself to save Kayleigh, or do nothing and let Kayleigh die. What else can a foetus do?

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[–] mattack 12 years ago

>Babies are born with the cord wrapped around their neck all the time.

But it's always a very serious emergency (at least from what I've seen on medical TV shows).

Even if it wouldn't "strangle" him, given enough pressure, it could cut off blood from the brain, which would kill him.

Basically, give them a bit of artistic license.

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[–] nmking26 12 years ago

Can't believe people actually like that directors cut LMAO. Really? He went back to when he was a fetus and killed himself? I mean... REALLY?

He might as well have gone back to when he was a sperm and prevented himself from entering his moms egg. At least then the mom doesn't have to suffer through a THIRD still born child.

The whole point of the directors cut is to show that life without him is better. Going out on a limb... but I'm sure most mothers would prefer having a child with issues than having a still born.

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[–] jiggetyb 12 years ago

I don't think you are getting the point of being her THIRD still born child. The director is implying that he wasn't the first to do this.

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[–] jockey-1 11 years ago

You are right, but, did you notice this, also;

Outside the psychic:
MOM: Before you were born, I was pregnant, twice, and they were both still-births.

Closing scene in the hospital:
MOM: (V.O.) Before you were born, I was pregnant three times but they were all still-births and I kind of thought of you as my miracle baby ever since.

It changes. An error or...?

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[–] wolf-cola 11 years ago

I think that outside the psychic, the mother is talking to Evan. But during the closing scene, in the voiceover, it is her (in the future) talking to the child she eventually has (as shown later, her and her husband with a baby in front of a house).

That's just my guess. Could be wrong, but it makes the most sense to me.

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[–] emmapettit99 10 years ago

I agree that because she states she had two stillborns beforehand, the exact same experience probably happened to the other two babies. Also, it's more likely that Evan killed himself in the womb because that's when his ability to store memories had developed, and had the capacity to give him enough time to kill himself.

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[–] honwekoh 11 years ago

But then I don't remember him wrapping his umbilical cord around his neck. He sort of squeezes the umbilical cord.

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[–] PancakeConnoisseur 10 years ago

Remember that when he would go back to when he was a kid he had the same mind/vocabulary/etc that he had as an adult? Same with the unborn baby. Sure normal unborn babies can't consciously do something like that. But he could.

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[–] Nemesis42 10 years ago

Doesn't matter. It's a cool idea and it's only a movie.

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[–] cjchamp2001 9 years ago

Yes they can

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[–] Ryu81 13 years ago

100% agree OP!! Just watched this on UK TV now and they showed the crappy theatrical ending instead. It's the Director's Cut that makes this film GREAT!:D

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] gcarras 13 years ago

"[u]Humanity You've Failed[/u]":
"I love this movie to no end, but I do wish the DC ending had been in the theatrical version. It seems that it would have pulled in the audience, and left them with a better feeling than the theatrical version."

Humanity You've Failed, your comment has. First, I doubt if anyone knew if of the ending when that film got to theatres, especially as it's not even based on a true story, and if the suicide in the womb one HAD been on screen, the flick woulnd't have been #1.

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[–] behamut 13 years ago

I agree. I've only ever watched the Directors Cut, but went back and viewed the theatrical ending on the DVD.

The theatrical ending was a 'sad' ending that tied the movie up in a pretty bow, and made everything somewhat okay.

The director's cut ending made you think... a lot. It was hard to swallow, but really powerful. I preferred it immensely and am glad it's how I originally saw the film.

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[–] linda_lee110282 13 years ago

It would be, if it didn't have so much holes (there are holes in the "Directors Cut", if you pay attention). THe theatrical is better, sorry. Just because something is more "sad" or "grotesque" it doesn't mean it's better.

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[–] tjack10 13 years ago

Directors cut, IMO, was a better story by comparison, but I also enjoyed the theatrical version's more positive take. I recommend everyone to watch both.

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[–] moby_casey 13 years ago

While I like both the endings, I like the movie as it is and the Directors cut ending is good as a Directors cut ending.

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[–] Eve_of_Destruction 13 years ago

It's the Director's Cut that makes this film GREAT!:D

I hate to be the Debbie Downer here but if he killed himself in the womb, wouldn't there be something negative coming out of it? Like the mom went into a depression and then the dad went crazy and killed her? I kind of like the real ending because I liked Evan. I would be sad if there was no Evan.

Edit: Spelling error

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[–] Go_Blue_99 13 years ago

Director's cut is way better. We are renting this movie this weekend for a few people who haven't seen it, and I am definitely playing the directors cut first.

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[–] gcarras 13 years ago

I'm with the "Debbie Downer" here. Theatrical ending was what I saw in Jannuary 2004 in the movies, and what I watch on DVD and what I reccomend for everybody before seeing the directors one, if they must to. But to each their own Butterfly Effect ending, though.

Amanda Bynes is hot and Lindsay Lohan is not.
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[–] jajceboy 13 years ago

I do think the Directors cut ending was better.

The Theatrical ending is nice, but you can really sense and feel that it was added on in the last minute. It just is bland and not memorable enough.

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[–] cryptic16 13 years ago

I was disappointed with the theatrical ending, but I understand why they used it. Audiences usually want to see happy or nice endings. I think that the DC ending would have been too much for theatrical audiences, but I did prefer that ending. People tend to get upset when films have sad endings and they may have shyed away from it for that reason.

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[–] emmawatson717 13 years ago

I prefer the Theatrical Ending more. I thought the Director's Cut was a bit too much for me personally. The Theatrical Ending was extremely bittersweet, but I thought it was extremely powerful and effective. I love the Theatrical Cut, but then again I saw this movie in the theaters for the first time and the Theatrical Cut is the version I came to love in the first place.

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[–] tracypowers 12 years ago

I also prefer the theatrical ending because it's bittersweet. It still removes Ethan from the situation, and had him make what was (for him) a huge sacrifice but still be able to live what we assume turns out to be a full life. IDK, I'm just not of the school of thought that says a movie character HAS to die to make a sacrifice.

And to be bluntly honest, the vibe of the Director's Cut doesn't sit well with me at all--that idea of "is your life crap, and the lives of everyone you've come into contact with crap too? It's because you were born. You weren't meant to exist and the fact that you have lived is screwing everyone up. The only right thing to do is to kill yourself."

OK, that probably wasn't the idea that was really intended, but it's definitely there. I usually do not mind dark movie endings AT ALL but truthfully this one hit a little too close to home for me, and I can see why it would have not gone over well in the theater. (Probably because I've been through some major episodes of depression; when you're in that state, you really do feel that the lives of others would be so much better off without you, and it was very chilling to remember what that felt like.)

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[–] melinda2001 9 years ago

You're right that a character doesn't have to die to make a sacrifice. In this case he could have accepted the reality in which he had lost his arms. Everyone else was OK in that version except for his mother who smoked herself to death, but that was entirely her own choice. You're also right that the movie was stating that the world would be better off without him. In that way, the DC was the more correct ending, according to the movie's logic anyway. Yes, it's a downer of a message, but thankfully it's also an unreal one. The real-life message is "make the best of the life you've got.

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[–] dmnmrx 13 years ago

The Director's Cut ending was playing on the fact that Evan was actually "not meant to be" and that purely his existence is the key to the unbalance of those around him. Therefore, by cutting his life short in the womb, the balance is restored and that's actually when things are "as they should be...or as fate would have it." It was truly a much more memorable ending, and it is apparent it was the original intended ending from the initial comments from the psychic early on in the film.

Also, since his mother was stillborn twice before him, I thought it may have been possible that she had two other sons with the same ability as Evan and his father, that dealt with their own experiences, and ended up doing the same thing Evan did at the end of the DC. It's not an implied thing, I don't think, it just seemed like a definite possibility to me.

These are my opinions.

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[–] transmentalist 13 years ago

I think the stillborn thing was only in the DC - it makes it clear what Evan's doing.

He and his older siblings all had the power, and they all learned that no one should have that power, so they gave it up along with their lives

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[–] workingwithmeat 12 years ago

Also, since his mother was stillborn twice before him, I thought it may have been possible that she had two other sons with the same ability as Evan and his father, that dealt with their own experiences, and ended up doing the same thing Evan did at the end of the DC. It's not an implied thing, I don't think, it just seemed like a definite possibility to me.

It's not an implied thing, you're absolutely right. That's what makes the DC ending the best.

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[–] monkey-B 12 years ago

^ I agree with this. MAN you put this PERFECTLY! lol

To add, his father's fate wasn't any better either. Because he had these "powers", he wound up in a psych asylum until he was killed. His fate was imminent, and so was his son's, or sons. None could've lived a normal life, no matter who they were around. And Evan wasn't effecting just Kayleigh's life, but his best friend's, Kayleigh's brother, his own mother, the woman and her child, EVERYONE. Ultimately, he did the world a favor in the Director's Cut and killed himself. Powerful indeed.

“I am dark-skinned and bald. So I hate you and I hate Jesus!” - The Boondocks

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[–] Splarne 11 years ago

...and how does his non-existence keep kayleigh's father from being a molester?

for that matter, how does his being born make her father a molester?

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Thread ender.

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[–] broomulack 8 years ago

It doesn't. She goes to live with her mother instead of her father. She stayed with her father to be with Evan.

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[–] Cherry_Popsicle 11 years ago

Ultimately, he did the world a favor in the Director's Cut and killed himself.

See, that's what I find completely absurd. Evan was not the bad guy. It wasn't his fault that bad things happened to the people around him. For example, Kayleigh chose to live with her dad because she wanted to be close to Evan, that's true, but it wasn't Evan's fault her dad was a pedophile. It's like the point of the movie is that some people were never meant to be born and if you feel like your life is affecting the lives of your loved ones in a bad way, you should kill yourself because everyone will be better off without you.
That's why I like the theatrical ending better.

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[–] gcarras 12 years ago

If you saw the much more recent [last year,2012] "People like Us", you'll note a similarity between that and the last part of TBE: two kids being separated, but by totally different means [one case: a kid tells other off; the other:divorce]. When I think now about "Butterfly Effect"'s final straw on "Evan"'s part, when he's a little kid by his powers and "tells off" "Kayleigh" [correct spelling., btw], it's how "People Like Us" kind of turned out to be except again for the means of separation, with the re-meeting later, only in PLU the re-meeting is central to the entire film--not mentioning the CONSTANT re-unions earlier in TBE.]

[And the whole thing turned out to be a dream in the hit theatre version. 

Amanda Bynes is hot and Lindsay Lohan is not.
MAGIC=Sarah Silverman.
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RIP Annette Funicello, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Jonathan Winters.

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[–] mcgmcgmcg 13 years ago

Thanks for clearing this up for me.
First time I saw it was the kamakaze foetus version.
Second was walking in the street.
I couldn't work out what was going on!
I thought perhaps I too had gone back in time and changed something and the second vewing was the result but I couldn't work out what I altered in the past that would do this. Was it really changing how I make coffee by adding the hot water after I have poured the milk?
What a relief to me that I never used to pour the hot water before the milk!

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[–] enraged_bunny 13 years ago

Personally I enjoy both endings. I prefer the one where he lives, but I do respect the director's cut ending (even if it wouldn't really work). I'm just glad that I have a dvd that gives me either option.