kimdis-963-235277
I watched this last night hoping for a strong suspense/thriller. Yes, the suspense is kind of there, but the plot line has so many glaring holes it becomes annoying and frustrating. The characterizations are OK, Gerard Butler and Maria Bello do a pretty good job but Pierce Brosnan shows he is out of his depth and paints a one dimensional and one expression (less) character...seems he is perhaps only good at action films where not much talent is needed. Pity.What can I say about the plot? Well, let's just say (without spoiling it) that there are so many opportunities for the couple who have been held ransom to do something about it. Several times they (in particular G Butller's character) could have notified police, his work colleagues or his mistress for help, but no, instead he listens to the woeful, nonsensical rants of his wife to do nothing except what the antagonist (Brosnan) tells them to do. Very annoying and simply with no logic this is the greatest downfall of the plot. Suspense? Yes, if you disregard the husband's and wife's illogicality !! The twist at the end is perhaps one of the best developed and unforeseen I have encountered. Totally unprepared for it. But that's the best I can say about this film. Good atmospheric cinematography and music score.Almost, but not quite "Shattered" !
sawnbelinda
This movie completely disgusted me. The ending was completely unexpected and what made this movie the worst I have ever seen. I do believe that Gerard Butler despised doing this movie and only did it to fulfill a contract he signed and didn't know the ending was appalling. I know that many of you will watch it just to see what has me so overwrought but I warn you will regret it. I love Gerard Butler, Maria Belo and Pierce Brosnan and they put all their effort into it except Brosnan was seriously lacking and overdid his accent. I wish I had never watched it. I need to watch 300 just to get the bad taste out when I think of Gerard Butler and some James Bond for Pierce.
tieman64
A weak thriller by director Mike Barker, "Butterfly on a Wheel" stars Gerard Butler as Neil Randall, a father whose daughter is kidnapped by a mysterious man (Pierce Brosnan). The film's big twist – massive spoilers ahead – is that Neil's own wife (Maria Bello) has concocted this elaborate scheme to punish Neil for his infidelities."Butterfly's" title is an allusion to an Alexander Pope poem, in which the phrase "who breaks a butterfly upon a (torture) wheel" referred to all those who put inordinate effort into achieving something minor or unimportant. The implication is that Neil's wife is disproportionately punishing her husband. As the film takes Neil's point of view, Bello's character becomes an unsympathetic villain.5/10 – Worth no viewings.
ffmskyline
This movie is literally one of the worst I have ever seen. I don't even know where to start.With the awful plot that makes no sense after the first 10 minutes? With the motivation for the kidnapping that was pretty much revealed in the first 10 minutes? That is if you are not braindead it's pretty easy to figure out.Great acting? I always thought of Brosnan as a respectable actor but not anymore.And nobody should be surprised by the ending.Sometimes you just want to pick up a movie for the evening and you don't expect to much.But after watching this I am actually angry I wasted my time on this.How could anyone greenlight this?
AD
