The kind of movie you hate to love...

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2005)

Donnie Darko is the kind of movie you hate to love. It's a movie where 3/4 in you ask yourself why you decided to watch it. Then the ending redeems the whole experience.
Here's a story about a guy who escaped death, then follows a path of (seemingly) destruction. He acquires a new "friend", Frank the rabbit, of which you ponder during the movie if he's a product of imagination, pathological deviation, etc. The movie shows the good and the bad of Donnie Darko as he unravels the beautiful exterior of the evil seed of his community.
Then the ending rewards your patience. The movie has you going back to the beginning to see how everything was affected by the ending of the movie. We finally understand "Frank". Ultimately, it's Donnie's sacrifice that leads to the understanding of the question "if you could go back in time, what would you change?".
I'll tell you right now, you'll hate the movie. You'll feel like the movie was a huge detour to your ride home - you hate the experience but once it's over you forget about the bad. And that's just it - the ending will leave a seed in you that will want to watch it again for nourishment. Only upon seeing it for the second time will you appreciate the journey.