A Detailed Review of 'Donnie Darko'

Rating: 9/10 (6 January 2004)

Donnie Darko is a truly brilliant, electrifying, first-rate, visually and intellectually challenging, provocative, mystifying, surreal, disturbing, and utterly unique film [debut]. It's also an unforgettable edge-of-the-seat goose-bumps raiser and in an sheer way ends as a poignant tragedy.
The film is basically a clever tale that combines the elements of time travel, mental illness, apocalypse, religion, child exploitation, teenage romance, paranoia, societal milieu, sole and soul sacrifice, a potential ghost lurking, and one messenger or higher being in the form of an ominous young man dressed-up as a bunny. Despite the movie's early commencing or foundation may be a tad obscure at first, as where the film is heading, the mishmash of narrative lines, genre elements, and ambiguous statements or intended messages by the end all ironically prove to be of over-all favorable effect to the film's vision as an original whole. Such films can clearly be a bit too much for some viewers to handle, or even come to appreciate. One aspect that has been of controversy is its blend of various generic elements; such as the black comedy in the beginning, the romantic drama, and the coming-of-age and finding one self's place and purpose in the world in the midst of period milieu and societal context; age of change and madness (recall it was set in late1980's, at a time when the nation was deciding its future leader, and the onset of the gulf war as we know). But is also a cinematic tapestry rich in psychological suspense, supernatural horror, 'time travel' sci-fi, dream-like fantasy, mild period/societal satire, and has thriller rudiments and religious connotations; and features a stunning surprise finale, and ultimately ends in the form of 'tragedy'.
All of the latter entirely suggests a kind of unique, artistic execution. Especially when it came the film's use of a few clever metaphors, for example, the satirizing statement on the lack of attention in the typical American home, the focus on politics, things in the news, and widespread, etc. instead of on one's children, neighbors, students, etc. Another such statement is made in a quick school scene, when the principal is sure everything's just fine in his school (the 'you're in control' and 'just expect the unexpected' themes) when a couple of students pass right in front of him with drugs, and the music in the background, he is also in a way making a satire out of onset of the common societal and period values of the epoch surrounding Donnie Darko's character, as well as the perceptions, and thoughts of the time. For instance, most of what takes place in the film can be perceived as funny, albeit mostly in a dark way, yes, but then again, can also be perceived as deeply ironic, somewhat disturbing and utterly sad, depressing and/or tragic. It's this sense of sheer complexity and contemplation that he brings to such subtle, short and witty scenes that show in this remarkable debut an apparent 'trademark' throughout, that I think sadly makes way for the battle of people to take sides on the "absolutely admired it" or "absolutely despised it" claims. Like one replying post stated, the movie seems to require a personal sense of perspective to fully 'decipher' and 'understand' its 'intended' statements or 'messages'. For instance, in most of the scenes, including the ones above, one could have easily found the irony [of say, the shot of the druggies crossing paths with the school's principle] as funny, ironic, disturbing or sad in a tragic way or perception of the situation, or simply just as true as the former, is that the scene could also be perceived just as true as a 'combination' of all these emotional reactions to it; as you can see: it depends on the viewer's individual beliefs or given effort that a viewer applies to the scenes' significance. In fact, one of the film's most subversive tactics is to expand upon the idea of identity, and ultimately cross over into audience's identification with the odd protagonist of Donnie Darko. It's this often lack of dichotomous standpoint, in the vein of the greatest films of Lynch and Kubrick have been, that definitely does wonders (and blunders by some) for this movie.
Although at times it may admittedly seem to be a little too much to handle, incoherent, bizarre exploration of its themes, choice of cinematic execution, and weak dose of suspension-of-disbelief, that is simply due to its inherent, surreal nature, one with an open mind can easily come to appreciate the movie's exceptional attributes; especially when one compares it too all the clichéd, formulaic and shallow films of common day Hollywood.
Although the general viewer may fault the film for its deliberate mismatched composition or pacing, while the ending or 'climatic' final act was indeed slightly vague and suddenly abrupt, and seemed lurk in ambiguity, it just appear the ending* seems to have caused the film its greatest squall. Although what's most paradoxical and likely for this is, again, that it's due to the clichéd flaws, erroneous expectations and misleading popularity of most common-day 'thriller' finales; where with a 'surprise' or 'twist' ending, one is supposed to be 'spoon-fed' some sort of 'explanation' or even 'purpose' to suddenly wrap things up; instead of a rarely used, utterly dazzling revelation: that both stuns, needs a further analysis, and tad reflection -- and yet leaves one still thinking about it after the closing-credits reel.* Even so with all its hindrances, I doubt many people should be entirely disappointed with this movie. Especially for those who savor an involving, multi-layered, truly thought-provoking, and genuine multi-genre edgy yet somewhat poignant film experience. Masterfully handled with the superb ingredients of classic cinema; screenplay basis, smart directorial implementation, and compelling performances, -- and a heck of a noteworthy and auspicious directorial debut, -- the film more than measures up for any of petty 'flaws' and well compensates in return, in spite of maybe requiring multiple viewings! LOL. It's ironically funny this film did not run in theatres, it may have caused over-night sensation, and people who enjoyed it would have most likely wanted to have seen it again and again! Maybe in another universe it did, just like the very thing that impeded its theatrical run; the terrorists attack on 9/11/01! Which also involved airplanes and death! Creepy coincidence.But a true shame the film was not allowed to the public at the time. Anyways, in conclusion, I simply found it to be one the greatest, and most unpredictable movies in recent memory, among other things, and so I praise Donnie Darko a contemporary classic and mesmerizing masterpiece of the unexpected, that stands in its own right. Truly, one of the best films of 2001! *By the way, for all of those who are highly perplexed by the ending, as I was too at first - and - still am, I have to admit, if you want a more profound glimpse into an explanation or better understanding of the ending, you can get much help from the official website as well as the DVD; which features some deleted scenes and commentaries. In fact one of the reasons, director Richard Kelley decided to leave most of these scenes out is because they were a bit too 'revealing'; not to mention visceral and gory, among other things, and 'gave clues too easily and too quickly away'. So this way, he opted for a more ambiguous approach to his film's substance, style. stance, the very ending's shock, and so as of a result altered the very substance and style of the film, and thus, the very ways the film would be perceived; therefore the hype and crowning achievement for the utter uniqueness and given controversial brilliance behind Donnie Darko.