An intriguing journey into a schizophrenic teenagers soul - but all is not as it seems.

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2002)

Neatly bookended between two superb songs: the (punning) Bunneymen's "The Cutter" and a poignant slow version of "Mad World", is a thoroughly involving and intriguing story. Some of my favourite films create their own world and their own rules without resort to unbelievable fantasy - by careful use of ambiguity and the direct perspective of Donnie himself, as he witnesses strange happenings around him, this film skillfully treads such a line with some flair. Donnie is increasingly fascinated yet amused by his visions and feels the need to test the powers that the giant rabbit demonstrates. It's easy to imagine many teenagers doing the same in the face of supposedly real hallucinations. We are not sure if Donnies visions are real or hallucinatory until he is watching Romero's Living Dead / Scorsese's Last Temptation - (the director paying homage to the latter's ambiguity between vision and reality) - and suddenly Frank reveals himself. From this point on, the story falls into place in a way so brilliantly managed and paced that only in the penultimate scene is everything "explained". Yet, a visit to the IRC pages below, will show that many threads remain loosely tied - and this is one of the films greatest characteristics - the ability to keep you thinking days, even weeks afterwards, trying to get it all sorted out. Be warned that there are three or four ambiguities that stories of time travel always throw up. A fault of the film for many and for me to a lesser degree, was the need to visit the website to get some of the extra angles and plotlines. As such, a directors cut would be very welcome and there would be no need to sacrifice any of the films endearing sense of mystery. One last personal commendation: this is the first DVD that I wanted to "lose" from the local hire store (its only just finished screening in the UK and didn't have a cinema life in Spain where I live). This film was only beaten into second place in the BBC poll of films of the year by Lord of the Rings - 'nough said.