What a film for rookie Richard Kelly.

Rating: Null/10 (27 August 2002)

It is interesting to look at some recent films by young filmmakers. Robert Rodriguez did "El Mariachi." Luc Besson did "The Fifth Element." M. Night did "Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable." And now, 25 and two years out of So. Cal. Richard Kelly did "Donnie Darko". All of them both wrote and directed. "Darko" was done on a very small $4million budget with cheap or free actors. It is true what they say about growing older, we lose our imagination, our ability to think like children, without boundaries. "Donnie Darko" is without artificial boundaries, is a work of great inspiration. However it is not easy to view and understand on its own. Watching the film twice on DVD, the second time with director commentary, is practically essential. I did just that and this is a film that will stick with me for a long time.

SPOILERS - This is pure Sci-Fi, playing on the concept that time-travel is possible through a wormhole if conditions are just right. At midnight on October 2, 1988 such a thing happens, a break in the space/time continuum, and the consequences threaten the very future existence of the universe in 28 days plus a few hours. Through Devine Intervention, "Frank" is chosen to be Donnie's guide, disguised as a six-foot rabbit, and Donnie is chosen to be the super hero that will figure out how to put things right and save the universe. So Frank first has to save Donnie from the time-traveling jet engine that is about to fall into his bed, so goes to Donnie in a dream and has him go out onto the golf course.
Donnie's family and many friends think he is mentally disturbed, he sees a shrink, but the medicine she prescribes are just placebos. There isn't anything wrong with him, he is just ultra-aware and very intelligent. In his waking hours he senses that he has a mission, and must piece together clues provided by Frank and others. Everyone is manipulated in this parallel universe gone off kilter, to provide situations which will lead to Donnie's correcting things. The flooding of the school. The burning of the house. The shooting of Frank in the right eye. The running over of Gretchen. Everyone, teachers, students, family, strangers, all act in small strange ways, consistent with a universe being slightly off kilter.
In the final act Donnie figures out how to build a portal and pull the engine off his mom's return flight. We are not shown all the ways he does this, but when he does, time reverses for those 28 days, back to midnight October 2. Gretchen and Frank are alive again, the house has not burned, the teacher was not fired, the "proper" universe has been restored and the parallel universe non-existent. But the jet engine still falls at midnight, Donnie is in his bed. He has sacraficed his own life for everyone else, saving the whole world.
This is Science Fiction. Donnie Darko is a comic book name. The writing, acting, and filmography are all first-rate. The director's commentary reveals a maturity way beyond his age of 26 or so when the commentary was recorded. My only complaint about the film is that it is bit too vague, and most audiences will not be able to appreciate its full intent without listening to the director's commentary. That's why I rate it "8" of 10, but could very easily have been a "9".