A young man finds that he is capable of traveling back in time through the pages of his childhood diaries. Disturbed by a traumatic early event in his life, he attempts to go back in time and reverse the negative events that followed him into adulthood, but making them progressively worse as his minor changes have repercussions he can’t possibly predict.

Christ, what do I say about this movie? It was truly an ordeal. I suffered through this flick with dread and fearful anticipation, each scene just made the sense of impending doom grow. I wanted a happy ending, I wanted some light to shine in and I wanted someone to save the day. No one did, but it was a great movie. If you watched the theatrical version, then this review is going to confuse and annoy you. The director’s cut has a completely different ending, and I didn’t even watch the theatrical version, I had no idea there was such a big difference. There is.

The world is a cesspool and humanity is the rawest of the sewage, this is how this movie made me feel. Profound despair just crawled from the screen and into me, the only thing that kept me breathing was the joy that this movie wasn’t happening to me. If you’re depressed, watch this movie, suddenly you’ll feel better and lucky to be someone other than a character in this flick.

If you allow yourself to really empathize with Evan, and it’s very easy to do if you just shut the fuck up and watch the movie, you’ll feel what I’m talking about. It’s a harsh flick, it really is. This from a guy that likes the world to end in a wave of walking dead. This movie isn’t that light-hearted, not even close.

What’s more, it’s a horror I don’t really love. It’s too real. I like my horror to be brutal but not like this, this is truly horrifying, and even moreso because the most horrible parts are happening right now, all over the place. Think back to your third grade class, chances are at least one of your classmates had already been raped. That’s the horror of the world we live in, and the horrors in this movie aren’t the supernatural aspects, they’re the ones that happen constantly. Disturbing shit.

I did love this movie, I watched it twice in two days and with a second watching I realized how perfectly every scene was planned. And if some of it doesn’t make sense to you, it will with another watching, I realized things I didn’t catch before, and they weren’t little things, they made a big difference and made for a very impressive flick.

In early versions of the script, the character of Evan was originally Chris Treborn. When the "T" is moved over, it becomes "Christ Reborn". This was changed to Evan Treborn, which is a play on "Event Reborn".

Again I’d like to point out that the director’s cut and the theatrical version are very different. New Line made them do a “happy, sappy” ending for the theaters that isn't very cool. Watch the movie, not the Hollywoodified bastardization of it that they thought we’d like better. The ending that you’ll get with the director’s cut will make you sit there dumbfounded, not sure whether you should be happy or just start crying, but either way, you’ll be satisfied that you watched a hell of a movie.

9 out of 10 truly psychotic children that can whip ass

I was very hesitant to give this movie a chance because I thought that Ashton Kutcher was an obnoxious fool who plays childish pranks on overpaid celebs. But I put my bias aside and what I got in return was a good movie-going experience.

I bought into the idea for the film mainly due to one of my favorite episodes of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror. The episode in question is where Homer is trying to fix a toaster and in doing so accidentally builds a time machine. When he travels to the past, even the slightest of his actions has an effect on what will then become a different present.

While that tale was meant to be humorous, this film takes a more solemn and dreadfull approach. While the movie never scared me, it did move me to remember times in my own past that could have affected my life today. And while I had a childhood free of the abuse depicted in this film, I wonder how my life would be different today had I made some minor changes. It's that kind of interaction from films that make me admire what the director was trying to achieve so much more. That's why I recommend this film.

8 out of 10 pipe weilding over-reactions

What an incredible movie! I can't believe this one got by me for so long.

I was spellbound for a good portion of this flick. The characters and the performances as they morph are great, and the intensity with which things happen really keeps you on your toes. But the tragedy and the sadness of it all is just huge...even epic. I haven't felt so psychologically bitch-slapped by a movie since Donnie Darko. Some of the notions of what could be or what should be in this picture can really freak you out too. I felt a little winded as the credits rolled.

I think once again my ignorance has paid off. I think I knew just enough about this flick (that Kelso can time travel) to keep my hopes grounded. Only at the mention that this one was given great reviews by this site did I pick it up, and again HorrorWatch rewards me. Hype, though, could kill a movie like this.

Now, I really dig Ashton Kutcher. As Kelso he was a better performer than his character might allow notice for. But for the life of me I couldn't shake it: he was still Kelso in this movie! The intense parts he played well, but the bashfulness and the way he stutters... all Kelso. And that notion caused me to laugh uncontrollably at some very inappropriate times.

And some of Kutcher's decisions are frustrating and stupid. That's about the only thing I found wrong with this picture. But a great movie that was very well directed.

9 out of 10 fucked up childhoods

EDIT: that was the theatrical version. I liked that ending better than the director's cut.