It makes you stop and think. I wish more films did that.

Rating: 10/10 (27 March 2005)

Director Richard Kelly has done what some would say isn't possible in this century. He has made a film that is actually worth talking about. Donnie Darko is as open to interpretation as any film I've seen since 2001: A Space Odyssey. At least with that film you had Arthur Clarke's book to use as a reference point for explaining some of what you saw. With Donnie Darko, you just sort of have to figure things out for yourself. In this day and age, it's no wonder the film didn't make any money.
Donnie Darko is a very troubled young man. He lives in what appears to be a very nice house with a loving family during the fall of 1988. I was his age then, so I feel a little connection with the young man, though I never experienced some of the oddities that he faces. Donnie is being treated by a therapist and taking meds for his emotional problems. He has been sleepwalking at night, too, and the first shot of the film shows him waking up in the middle of a road right outside his home town. The following evening, a large creature that appears to be a spooky rabbit instructs Donnie to follow him outside of his house once more. It's a good thing, because a 747 jet engine comes crashing down onto his house and through the ceiling of his bedroom. No airline will claim ownership of the engine. Where did it come from? HMMMMMM....
Anyway, the rabbit tells Donnie that the world will end in approx 28 days from that evening. And the rest of the film just shows Donnie living out these next four weeks and falling further and further under the rabbit's spell. To give any more details about the film would be pointless. You simply have to watch it for yourself to see what happens. I promise you that whatever you feel about the end result, at least it will make you think, and it likely will make you want to watch the film at least once more.
Kelly has a unique touch for such a young director. He didn't have a ton of $ to make the film with, but he does the best he can, and I sure hope we continue to see more from him. It's kind of scary for me to see that a guy younger than me made such a thought-provoking film.
Spoiler part ahead!!!!
Like Roger Ebert said, I could tell you what I think the ending is all about, but I might be wrong. It is very much open to interpretation, but here's mine: Donnie is finally happy when he knows his death will save the life of his girlfriend. We see the look of fear on each of the faces of the characters in the final montage. Not on Donnie's however. He has lived in fear his whole life, but now his death will bring him freedom from that fear. As Donnie told Jim Cunningham: We all live in fear. And we don't always have the answers. Donnie finally does, and the euphoria of his final expression proves it.
Anyway, do yourself a big favor and check this one out. We need more thought-provoking films like this!!!
10 of 10 stars
So sayeth the Hound.