Creepy But Never Boring

Rating: 8/10 (22 October 2018)

Warning: SPOILER ALERT
Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko (2001) is a very thought provoking film. It was not a typical film I would see, but it was quite interesting. The film as a whole is very ambiguous, I was not sure what exactly the director wanted us to think. By the end of the film, I felt very lost. The film went in a complete circle, starting and ending at the same point in time, yet having different endings. After contemplating the film, it slowly made sense. Donnie Darko had sacrificed himself for the greater good. In the end, it hit me that the twenty eight days until the world ended, referred to Donnie's time, not the whole world. I amazed me to find out Richard Kelly shot the film in twenty eight days, which was also the time-span of the movie itself. I enjoyed the special effects and continuity of the film as well. Especially when Donnie sees Frank and he touches the space between them and it makes a ripple effect. There is also a motif of bunnies throughout the film as well, with actually seeing bunnies on books, Frank being a bunny, and the slow motion on the trampoline (representing hopping). Which could relate to their innocence and possible guiding Donnie to making the choice of saving the innocent people around him. Another special effect were the bubbles that allowed Donnie to see others movement along with his own. That special effect along with the slow motion consistently used in the film give off the sense of time warping. Overall, this film is one to be watch multiple time to fully grasp the concept and see the small details.