Dude, It's Destiny........ but Deeper!

Rating: 10/10 (27 July 2010)

Donnie Darko is a film about a disturbed adolescent who is searching for his placement within the universe. A series of events leads Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) on a quest to correct an error that he caused in the world. Because Donnie Darko dodged his destined death, he envisions that the world will cease to exist in 28 days. Donnie Darko becomes desperate to fix this dilemma, so he follows the guidance of an imaginary friend. The messenger, a creepy rabbit named Frank (James Duval), becomes Darko's adviser throughout the film, instructing him on how to correct the glitch in the universe.
The film Donnie Darko implies that if time and actions are predetermined by a metaphysical force, then any disruption of an imminent destiny will adversely break down and destroy the universe. Donnie Darko shows that an individual can not cheat their own destiny. In order to illustrate this theme, we must examine the visions Donnie began to have after the engine of the plane crashed onto his empty bed.
At first, the visions began like warnings. Frank would appear to Donnie and advise him that the world was coming to an end. These scenes typically took place when Donnie was alone, usually while he was in his bedroom or bathroom, gazing into his mirror. Because destiny is a personal matter, it was appropriate for these scenes to take place in a bedroom or bathroom, using close up shots, while he was tending to personal hygiene. The deep-focus shots of Donnie, with Frank in the background, gave the impression that the only thoughts going through Donnie's brain at the time were thoughts of the tasks that Frank was demanding.
The mirrors utilized for their camera effects during the tripped out scenes can also be used as a symbol for self reflection. Self-reflection, with Frank's guidance, eventually led to Donnie's self discovery. It can even be determined by Donnie's scenes in solitude that in order for him to cleanse himself fully of his crime against humanity, he needed to visualize the completion of his tasks. In order for Donnie to visualize being successful in his quest, he needed to self reflect on what brought him to this point.
Mirrors serve as a motif throughout the film. The lighting used during the self discovery scenes and during the scenes with Frank was low-key. The dimness in these scenes was necessary to set the emotion of darkness and uncertainty.
The film Final Destination employs a paralleled theme in its interpretation of destiny by a supernatural design. Final Destination starts off with a similar account of an adolescent avoiding his own death. Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) had a realistic premonition about a plane, which he was a passenger on, crashing with him and his friends aboard. Moments later, after waking from his dream, he causes a substantial commotion and gets his group kicked off the plane. While watching from the airport window, the group witnessed their plane crash and burn. Throughout the film Alex continued to have visions of each one of his friends dying right before their deaths occurred. He then realized that it was their destiny to die on the plane and forces beyond his power were going to cause those deaths to occur. All of the friends die in the film; and the world remained in sync because their fatal destiny would prove unavoidable.
On a grander scale, destiny can be somewhat of a grim theme to explore in film and in life. Donnie Darko shows us that a catastrophic event will occur if there is a single hiccup in a destiny's design. However, Final Destination suggests that there is absolutely no escaping a fatal destiny because that destiny will hunt you down and slaughter you! After examination, no matter which arena the theme is presented in the result of the game is: DESTINY-10/ HUMANS-0