Unfortunately, this bunny rabbit leaves no eggs.

Rating: Null/10 (16 April 2002)

There's a nice little scene in "Donnie Darko" where his girlfriend reflects upon his full name. "Sounds like a superhero," she muses. Donnie gives her a sly glance and quips, "Who's to say I'm not?"
Indeed. And by the movie's end, we're left to question whether or not Donnie really is such a savior. At least I did. In fact, I did a lot of questioning at the end of this picture. Not the good kind, either--born of wonder and amazement, but the bad kind: spawn of frustration and delirium.
The year is 1988, and Donnie Darko is a dorky, reclusive, temperamental teenager growing up in a typical dorky, reclusive, temperamental teenager environment. He deals with bullies at school, falls for the pretty new girl, fights with his caring, concerned family at home, and desperately tries to understand the life he's been given. Oh, and as our story opens, he begins to receive regular visits from a nightmarish overgrown bunny rabbit from the future named Frank.
Frank reveals that the world is about to end and the only person that can prevent it is Donnie. Thus begins his quest to unravel a mystery that includes a 100 year old woman named Grandma Death, a new age spiritual evangelist who preaches about love vs. fear, a mysterious book called "The Philosophy of Time Travel", and two young school teachers who seem perfunctory at first but then take particular interest in Donnie.
I love movies that toy with my mind, confusing the hell out of me while promising understanding and sometimes, by the movie's end, delivering revelation. "Jacob's Ladder" ranks among my favorite films of all time. And even when "The Ninth Gate" failed to deliver a satisfactory ending, it worked for me nonetheless because I so enjoyed the journey.
But "Donnie Darko" seems to think 1 out of 3 is enough. It's not. With every dark scene, every social satire, every equitable performance, this movie promises greatness. But that's all. The ending is simply another enigmatic scene. I wish I could say that the sum of its parts makes up for it, but it doesn't. There are moments where you brace yourself and smile and think: okay, here it comes, here's where it all falls into place!
But, unfortunately, this bunny rabbit leaves no eggs.

2 OUT OF 4 STARS