I Can Understand the Cult Status

Rating: 6/10 (26 August 2018)

In 2001, filmmaker Richard Kelly released his directorial debut, Donnie Darko. Despite underperforming on its original release, it did well enough on home video to gain a cult following, whilst also getting critically acclaimed at the same time. Unfortunately, Kelly has never made anything on the same level of cultural status as this film, and this remains his most popular project to date. As for what I think of it, while I do get the appeal of this film, I personally just find it to be ok.
Probably the best aspect of Donnie Darko is the suspense, as it details the misadventures of a troubled teenaged boy who seeks the purpose behind these doomsday-related visions from a creepy looking bunny. As the film focuses on Donnie's struggles, we see just how emotionally distraught he becomes from the real world, yet it's not hard to see where he comes from through his imagination. In addition, the people around him who get affected by his unorthodox behavior, such as gym teacher Mrs. Farmer and motivational speaker Jim Cunningham, provide great contrasts in personalities and views on the world, giving some much needed pathos.
The rest of the supporting cast are more of a mix. Some like Donnie's psychotherapist Dr. Thurman, friend Gretchen, teachers Dr. Monnitoff and Karen Pomeroy, and his own mother give much needed advice and logos to him whilst being unaware of Donnie's problems (besides Thurman). Others like Donnie's father and sisters, friends and rivals are mainly just there for the most part, though some don't play much importance until later on in the film. With all of this said, I would've preferred a little less of the additional character's time, as they come off as more like filler than anything else. Also, there are some weird edits here and there that make the film come off as a little wonky rather than visually pleasing, but that's just me.
Truth be told, I actually don't know what else to say about Donnie Darko. While I admire it for its originality, concepts and creepiness, I also find it a little confusing for my tastes. That being said, I totally get why many people have gravitated towards this film, as it presents the point of view from an emotionally wrecked teenager with strange mental dilemmas that they can relate to. So while I was a tad underwhelmed by the film as a whole, I nevertheless recommend the film to teens who are in love with dark stories and macabre fantasies. Or maybe the director's cut is slightly better, who knows?