Here is my analysis for the psychological thriller, 'The Butterfly Effect'. More details on my blog: ricaangelicaadarlo.blogspot.qa

1. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
DIRECTED BY: ERIC BRESS & J. MACKYE GRUBER, 2004, USA

2. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER, WHERE A
YOUNG MAN CALLED EVAN TREBORN, BLOCKS OUT HARMFUL
MEMORIES OF PROMINENT EVENTS OF HIS LIFE. AS HE GROWS
UP, HE DISCOVERS A WAY TO REMEMBER THESE LOST MEMORIES
AND A SUPERNATURAL WAY TO CHANGE HIS LIFE.

3. THE FILM OPENS WITH A QUOTE THAT ILLUSTRATES THE CHAOS
THEORY, WHICH DESCRIBES HOW SMALL INITIAL DIFFERENCES
MAY LEAD TO UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES OVER TIME.
THIS BREAKS THE TYPICAL CONVENTIONS OF A THRILLER, AS IT IS
UNUSUAL AND NOT MANY THRILLER FILMS USE THIS.

4. THE NEXT SHOT SHOWS A MYSTERIOUS, UNKNOWN SUBJECT,
DISFIGURED BY THE GLASS, WHICH BRIEFLY BUILDS TENSION
AND ANXIETY.
USUALLY A CONVENTIONAL THRILLER WILL GRADUALLY BUILD UP
THE SUSPENSE, BUT UNLIKE THESE TYPICAL CONVENTIONS, THE
BUTTERFLY EFFECT STARTS FAST PACED AND FULL OF ACTION.
THIS LEAVES THE AUDIENCE ON EDGE THROUGHOUT THE FILM.

5. THE BACKGROUND MUSIC PROGRESSIVELY GETS LOUDER AS
THE PROTAGONIST HURRIEDLY OPENS THE DOOR AND
BARRICADES IT SO NO ONE CAN ENTER.
THE DIEGETIC SOUND OF MEN TALKING AMONGST EACH OTHER CAN
BE HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND. THEY ARE SHOUTING THINGS
SUCH AS, “I THINK HE’S IN HERE!”; WHICH GIVES THE AUDIENCE AN
IDEA THAT HE IS HIDING FROM THESE MEN WHO APPEAR TO BE ON
THE LOOKOUT FOR HIM.

6. THE LOCATION AND PROPS MAKE THE AUDIENCE AWARE THAT IT IS
SET IN A HOSPITAL OR PUBLIC AREA - ALSO BECAUSE OF HIS
CLOTHING, WHICH APPEARS TO BE A HOSPITAL GOWN.
THERE IS ALSO PAPERWORK SCATTERED AROUND THE ROOM, AND
THIS ENGAGES THE AUDIENCE BECAUSE IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT THIS
MAN IS DOING BY JUMBLING OBJECTS AND LYING (POSSIBLY
HIDING) UNDER A DESK..

7. AS THE INTENSITY OF THE SCENE GROWS, AND THE MEN GET
CLOSER TO CAPTURING THE PROTAGONIST, THE CAMERA
ZOOMS INTO THE WORDS, “TO SAVE HER”.
THIS SHOWS THE RELEVANCE OF WHOEVER THIS GIRL IS TO THE
MAN AND THE MOMENT HE IS IN. tHIS ALSO ALLOWS THE
AUDIENCE TO THINK HOW THE CURRENT SITUATION MAY LINK.

8. ADDITIONALLY, THE CROSS ROADS MAY SYMBOLISE THE
DIFFERENT PATHS THE PROTAGONIST MIGHT TAKE IN HIS LIFE.
BREAKING A COMMON CONVENTION OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL
THRILLER, THE SHOT FADES TO A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY ON AN OPEN
ROAD. IT IS NOT DURING THE NIGHT TIME, NEITHER IS THERE ANY
RAIN, WHICH IS MORE LIKELY TO APPEAR IN A THRILLER.