Not perfect, but definitely worth watching

Rating: 7/10 (23 October 2007)

This film is absolutely stunning in its originality, and will blow you away with its intelligence, creepiness and individuality the first time you see it. It might just have you looking over your shoulder for a few days.
That said, it might not have reached its full potential, because it almost couldn't decide what kind of film it was. Though no movie should limit itself to one genre and set of conventions, 'Donnie Darko' tries to cover too many bases - haunting supernatural sci-fi story, outcast romance, condemnation of hypocrisy, social commentary, and even high-school movie. The confusion is most apparent with repeat viewings, and as a result the tone can be somewhat erratic. But don't let it dissuade you from checking out this movie, because it's powerful enough to overcome its flaws, and sets an example of the kind of thought that should go into more flicks these days.