Film Review: A Sound of Thunder (2005)

The concept of time travel has long been a popular theme in science fiction literature and cinema, but it is notoriously difficult to present on the big screen in a convincing and coherent manner. A Sound of Thunder, a 2005 science fiction film directed by Peter Hyams, joins the ranks of other ambitious Hollywood time travel films from the early 21st century that turned into spectacular failures.

The film is based on the eponymous 1952 short story by Ray Bradbury, a classic that popularized the concept of the "butterfly effect." Set in 2055 Chicago, the plot follows the story of Time Safari, a company that offers wealthy clients the opportunity to travel back in time to Mesozoic era and hunt dinosaurs. Sonia Rand (played by Catherine McCormack), a former employee and developer of the time travel software TAMI, is concerned that these trips, despite precautions to prevent time travel paradoxes, might alter the past and create catastrophic consequences in the present. Her fears are realized when an incident during a hunting expedition leads to the team barely escaping a rampaging Allosaurus. Upon their return, the world begins to experience strange changes, including unusual weather, the appearance of bizarre plants, and the emergence of monstrous animals. It becomes clear that the past has been altered, and Travis Ryer (played by Edward Burns), the team leader, must race against time to discover what went wrong before he can make another trip and prevent a fatal mistake.

With a production budget of $80 million and a respected director like Peter Hyams at the helm, A Sound of Thunder had the potential to be a thrilling and visually stunning science fiction film. Hyams had previously directed several acclaimed science fiction films, as well as the time travel-themed Timecop few years earlier.

However, the final product falls far short of the high standards set by Hyams' earlier work. The most glaring issue is the poor quality of the special effects, which are almost entirely based on CGI. While serviceable, they look unacceptable for a top-tier Hollywood production of the time. The futuristic Chicago scenes are especially egregious, appearing more akin to low-quality television productions from the previous decade.

The cast also struggles to elevate the material, with Edward Burns delivering a bland and forgettable performance as the protagonist. Catherine McCormack and Ben Kingsley, while solid actors, are limited by the script and unable to make much of an impact.

The biggest problem with A Sound of Thunder, however, is its conceptual approach. Bradbury's original short story is concise and more suitable for a short film adaptation, as evidenced by the faithful 1989 episode of the anthology series Ray Bradbury Theater. The feature film version attempts to expand the plot but does so in the worst way possible, introducing "time waves" and a gradual transformation of the timeline as an excuse for special effects, bug-eyed monsters, action scenes, and other annoying clichés of bad science fiction.

While Hyams manages to direct a scene or two in a satisfying manner, and the opening dinosaur hunt sequence is visually impressive, these moments are not enough to salvage the overall impression of the film. A Sound of Thunder deservedly flopped at the box office and has since sunk into obscurity, serving as a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of adapting a beloved short story into a feature-length film without a strong conceptual foundation or the technical prowess to bring it to life.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

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