An influential and thoughtful film.

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 2008)

Prior to my first viewing of Donnie Darko, I knew nothing more about it other than its cult status. Having much success with cult films, I decided to take a gamble and purchase it. I'm very glad that I did so. Donnie Darko is a monumental film in its intertwining of fantasy and time travel science. The film addresses existentialism and free will as part of the human condition.
The film combines a stereotypical high school (enhanced by the unimpressive Drew Berrymore) with an emotionally troubled young man. The film opens with an airplane part crashing into Donnie's home. Donnie doesn't die in the crash because he is called out of home by a mysterious rabbit. He then experiences visions from the ghostly rabbit that represents the other choice that some god could have chosen for him or that he otherwise avoided. The apparition tells him the world will end at a set time. I believe this occurs because Donnie's continued life altered the course of time. Donnie unintentionally discovers how this will happen, but it isn't obvious to either the audience or to Donnie himself. The rabbit's haunting allows Donnie to know the truth behind actions and intentions. He discovers a child pornographer's secret and realizes why Smurfit exists. Donnie is also able to see future where people will walk before they do. While this may sound trite, I assure you that it isn't. He doesn't see visions, just a celestial, amorphous figure that appears in front of the person. These images are CGI-enhanced, which is surprising for a cult film. Finally, a wormhole opens over his home and the airplane part from earlier falls on Donnie's home which kills him. This is what would have happened if the rabbit hadn't removed him from the home. I'm no theologian, but this film seemingly supports the theory that the divine has a set plan for all of us. Why then would Donnie have survived when the plane originally crashed? I have no religious views of my own, but it would appear as if Kelly may have had included his as director of this film.
Jake Gyllenhall does a spectacular job as Donnie. He always has stooped shoulders as one would imagine an emotionally troubled, Casi-depressed person would. His speech appears schizophrenic and conspicuous. Patrick Swayze did good as the child pornographer, and he was especially convincing as the Kent Hovind-like school speaker. The only gripe I have about the acting is Berrymore's extended screen presence. I understand that it was to help market the film, but her's was an unnecessary character.
I could endless discuss this film, and many introductory film courses regularly assign it as mandatory viewing. The plot is fantastically original and thought-provoking. It is also a great film to discuss Hawking's time travel theory and the role of free will. I wonder if wormholes can open at any point that the film suggests. Donnie Darko, despite its inability to appeal to the masses,is a masterpiece of storytelling. Only seven years in existence, it is already held as one of the greatest films of the century. This legacy will continue, and you should include yourself as part of that legacy.