Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave...

by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday, October 26, 2007 in Movie Reviews

A person’s enjoyment of Butterfly on a Wheel hinges entirely on the answer to one question: why is any of this happening? Why are these two people being tortured? Why has their daughter been kidnapped? In this reviewer’s opinion, the answer is completely ridiculous.

One day, Neil and Abby are surprised to find a man sitting in the back of their car, pointing a gun at them. They are told that their daughter has been kidnapped, and for the next 24 hours, they have to do everything the man tells them. Otherwise, their daughter dies.

It’s an intriguing premise, and it’s told pretty competently. Throughout most of the film, the audience is on the edge of their seat, trying to figure out the motivations of the kidnapper. One thing is revealed after the other, breaking the façade of the couple’s perfect life, and we get more and more intrigued by what’s actually going on.

The problems start when we find out what’s actually going on. It’s hard to say anything without spoiling the ending, but let it be said that it’s just laughably crazy and completely unjustifiable. It completely mars what was shaping to be a really thrilling ride. It’s another example of the twist mentality: it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense, just as long as it’s shocking.

The film’s pretty good, otherwise. The performances by the three leads (Gerard Butler, Pierce Brosnan, and Maria Bello) are all pretty good, even though Butler’s accent falters throughout the film. The film looks good, too, and the filmmakers should be commended for their excellent use of the camera.

It’s difficult to give a rating for this movie, because other than the inane twist, it’s actually pretty good. In the end, however, the mistake ends up being a fatal flaw, and it really brings the entire film down.

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