The Blue Butterfly

Blue Butterfly is the best movie i have seen in the last two years.

It is funny, amazing, and beautiful. You would expect it to be a heartbreaking drama from the synopsis but it is NOT instead it is so much more.

There are so many thrills in it and i strongly recommend it to anyone to try. If you don't want to see it for the acting, which is EXCELLENT then go see it for the beautiful scenes of the Costa Rican jungle.

This movie is proof that Canadian movies are just as good if not better than some Hollywood movies.

This film is about a 10 year old boy with a terminal brain tumor whose last wish is to catch a blue butterfly that lives in the forests of South and Central America. He and his mother convince a begrudgely naturalist/scientist/insect collector to let them tag along with him on one of his expeditions. They stay in a small village in the jungle, where not only do they encounter all sorts of wildlife, and learn about the culture of the indigenous people, but also learn about each others weaknesses and fears and relationships develop along with a bit of magic. I saw this movie on TV with my 8 year old son, I felt it had a lot of important things to teach him about humanity and nature: wildlife, disease, relationships, other cultures, other perceptions of reality, other lifestyles. It might be a bit corny for adults to watch on their own, but I felt its message was positive and profound for younger people. I also liked its slower pace, which was not boring because of all the beautiful scenery. My recommendation is rent it for your kids.

The Blue Butterfly is based on a true story about a nine year old boy dying of a brain tumor whose last request is to capture the blue butterfly for his collection. He and his mother enlist the help of a renown entomologist to take them into the jungle to find the insect. At first the entomologist refuses, but eventually relents. They spend several days searching for the butterfly and have some dangerous encounters. Everyone learns a lot about life and nature. The scenery is great, but the films moves slowly in many spots. Other than some slow spots it is a relatively heart warming film. Excellent acting and top notch technically.

This movie is not slow-moving at all. Only 10-15 minutes is spent on build-up; then they're in the jungle. If you only like action movies and want things to bleed and blow up all the time, this is simply not the movie for you. It's not slow, it's just different.

It is a beautiful movie. It held my attention, and it's full of delightful close-up shots of the jungle and its animal (mostly insect) life. If you like nature films, you will definitely enjoy this as a great visual experience.

William Hurt once again plays a father figure to a troubled little boy (see "Second Best" and "A.I."), and he does it very well. As an honest, well-produced, well-filmed movie, this would earn a 7 out of 10 rating from me. I have to detract one, however, because the actors who play the mother and the brain-tumored kid are sentimental "types" that are obviously designed to evoke excessive pity and compassion in the viewer, Disney-style. This is a bit too much, and mars an otherwise very beautiful little story.

6 out of 10.

The Blue Butterfly tells the extraordinary story of a 10-year-old boy diagnosed as terminally ill whose dream is to catch the most beautiful butterfly on Earth the mythic and elusive Blue Morpho. His mother persuades a renowned entomologist (William Hurt) to take them on a trip to the Costa Rican rain forest to search for the butterfly leading to an adventure that will transform their lives. And so their journey begins. A journey of courage redemption and love. A magical film about a courageous young boy and a jaded man who chase a dream and whose lives are forever changed. Now fourteen years later the young boy who was given hopefully six months to live is now a young man. This magical story is true.