In the folklore of many nationalities of our huge planet, the black butterfly has a special mystical meaning, it is considered a harbinger of major failures and even a sudden inevitable death. It is not surprising that the thriller with the name "Black Butterfly" immediately attracts the attention of fans of the genre. At the same time, the majority of people watching the movie “Black Butterfly” left conflicting reviews about the film. The tape has its fans and at the same time skeptical viewers.
Hollywood remake
It is no coincidence that the Black Butterfly thriller was described as a failed remake of the 2008 French television film, in which the main role was played by the magnificent and terrifying Eric Cantona. The fact is that for the director Brian Goodman, who is known in the film industry as an ex-supporting actor, the thriller is just the second author's full-length project. Perhaps, due to the lack of proper experience, the director was not able to give the tape a widescreen scope and gloss. In general, according to the experts of the cinema, the creators of the genre failed to demonstrate anything new, but on the whole it turned out fervently. Therefore, the "Black Butterfly" reviews about the film critics received skepticism and IMDb rating: 6.00.
Promising cocktail
The first attempt at the Hollywood adaptation of the French thriller is considered to be the beginning of the production of the film in 2011, when Nicolas Cage was invited to the role of the key character . But tape production was suspended. And only after years, Mark Friedman, Justin Stanley and Brian Goodman created a creative tandem with the goal of spinning a hard whirlpool on the screen, in which the hunter and the victim would constantly change places for a modest 93 minutes of timing.
A cocktail of intrigue, author’s creative delights and the mysterious protagonist with obsessive-compulsive disorder is undoubtedly a favorable, though not unique element for a promising psychological thriller. But after the release of the Black Butterfly tape, reviews of the film by viewers and critics were replete with statements that the creators were not able to mix the ingredients correctly.
The difference between the original and the remake
Corresponding to the status of the remake, “Black Butterfly” (2017) repeats the French tape with small adaptations. For example, the action is transferred from the Alps to the mountainous state of Colorado, the mysterious stranger who defended the protagonist is younger in comparison with his prototype, and the authors more sparingly represent the maniac: his list of victims has been reduced from eight to four. The rest of the Hollywood "Black Butterfly" (reviews of the film especially emphasize this fact) does not shine with specific ingenuity, because the original tape perfectly placed the accents and painted the characters.
Cast
In contrast to the skepticism of experts, the picture “The Black Butterfly” received more positive reviews about the film. To a greater extent, because the creators involved in the production of actors known to all, who undoubtedly stretch the thriller. Antonio Banderos, albeit somewhat cheered and overgrown with bristles, is extremely convincing in the image of the writer Paul. Despite the fact that recently a star of the first magnitude has been vegetating on the margins of second-order roles, in the project of Brian Goodman he saves the action with his signature facial expressions. It is felt that the creators relied primarily on him. By its participation, the movie Banderos adorned the film.
“Black Butterfly” also received favorable reviews thanks to the skill of Jonathan Reese Myers, who played the role of a mysterious stranger. Although, according to film critics, the actor does not really look like a guy picked up on the sidelines, he is too aristocratic and sophisticated. His Jack looks like he is not hitchhiking along the Rocky Mountains, but has just visited a barbershop.
A good company for men is Piper Perabo, who sometimes re-plays somewhat, as if competing with more experienced screen partners. Pleasantly surprised by the cameo of the famous independent visionary Abel Ferrara, who loves to participate in individual film projects as an actor.
Some symptom
According to the assessment of filmmakers, the main trouble of the thriller is that the director was unable to cope with the rhythm of the development of the plot. While watching, it seems that the director is unable to keep the main secret for more than the first third of the film. The intrigue is revealed prematurely, so then a depressing imitation of violent activity, more similar to the author’s panic, begins, and the action turns into a real confusion. This fact cannot but cause disappointment, because in the original film, the creators managed to collect all the darkness accumulating in the characters and spew it in a saturated stream at the climax of a quarter hour of timekeeping.
In the Hollywood version, the thriller is similar to some symptom. The authors, unashamedly, borrowed topics that have successfully frightened the audience for more than a dozen times: the fear of loners, random companions, wagons and their brutal truckers and everyone who is far from civilization. According to reviews of the film, “Black Butterfly” has collected all the thriller genre stamps about the tormentor and the victims. As a result, the ragged rhythm and the weak attempt to adapt the once-shot script turned the thriller about a writer looking for incentives for creativity in danger to an ordinary film for cable TV.
Verdict
All of the above clearly does not take the picture beyond a slightly perky, but mostly B-movie movie, while the audience is still interesting to heat up. And the charismatic Antonio Banderas, extremely convincingly depicting an alcoholic writer, once again proves that there is no way to drink talent. In general, it’s not at all difficult to watch the thriller before the final credits, if you don’t take the author’s surprise in the form of a matryoshka final from two twists at once. Despite the attacks of cinema experts, “Black Butterfly” is not a hopelessly stupid film, able to stay at a respectful distance from mediocrity, suitable for at least one time viewing.
By the way, the insect mentioned in the title has almost nothing to do with it. The black butterfly in B. Goodman’s movie is a tattoo on the back of the hero Jonathan Reese-Myers.