What an excellent trip!

Rating: Null/10 (25 January 2003)

There are very few movies that have really gotten under my skin, stayed there for days, and inspired me to think further into the movie's concepts. I had no idea what kind of film this was going to be when I got the DVD. By the looks of the cast, I thought I was in for a teen slasher flick. The name "Donnie Darko" didn't sound too hot, either. I'm so glad I watched this film because it was much different than I thought it was going to be. Its intelligence rivals that of any sci-fi movie. I guarantee most viewers will be thinking about this film for days after they've seen it.
The title character, Donnie Darko, is a 15-year old living in a small town in 1987. His parents have suspected he has mental problems and he is kept on some medication to help his problem with sleepwalking. One night, he is summoned out of bed by a distant voice. He follows it to a nearby golf course, where he meets a demonic-looking rabbit. Soon after Donnie has left his house, a jet engine crashes into his home, leaving most of it intact except for Donnie's room. Donnie had cheated death, but why? Why did this creepy rabbit get him out of bed? And why are the townspeople acting so strange? These are just a few of the questions you'll want answered.

At it's core, the story is about time travel and parallel worlds, something that has always fascinated me. Richard Kelly, the writer of this brilliant story, takes an old idea and turns it into something totally new. I'm tempted to give more details, but I won't spoil the film here.
The cast is full of big names, which is something I tend to cringe at, but the cast works so well in this film, that their starpower is barely noticeable. This was the first time I've seen Jake Gyllenhaal in a film, and I was pretty impressed. The acting all-around was very well done. I especially liked Drew Barrymore in her small role as a schoolteacher. Patrick Swayze is excellent as a nutty self-help guru trying to spread his program throughout the town.
With such a small budget, this movie turned out better than most multi-million dollar productions. This film is the ultimate display of love, from every department that went into making it. Mr. Kelly has said that everyone worked for practically nothing, including hundreds of cast and crew. Their dedication and care really shows in the final product and they all deserve to be commended for their effort.
Be prepared to watch this film more than once, because it will help greatly in understanding the story. If you have the DVD, play the commentary with Richard Kelly and Jake when you watch that second time. And after that, be sure to visit the "Donnie Darko" website to gain some very important information on time travel and what happened to several of the characters. This film just might have taken "The Sixth Sense"'s spot on my top 10 list. That said, this movie deserves a 10/10.