Today’s quick review: Donnie Darko. Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teenager, experiences disturbing visions that seem to presage a coming disaster. His only guide to these visions is Frank, a spirit in a grotesque rabbit mask who offers Donnie advice. As his visions begin to influence his behavior, Donnie finds himself spiralling down a dark path.
Donnie Darko is a psychologocial horror movie and a cult classic. The film explores themes of predestination and teenage isolation using a tense, surreal mystery as its framework. Donnie Darko is not a pleasant watch. Though it only has one or two actual scares, the tension is high throughout, and the bottom feels like it could drop out of Donnie’s world at any minute.
The plot of Donnie Darko can be hard to follow. Part of this difficulty comes from the mystery at the heart of the story. Donnie does not understand the nature of his visions or the critical moment they point toward, and his confusion is reflected by the viewer. Part of the difficulty comes from the abstract logic the visions employ. The end of the film does answer some of these questions, but it takes a dedicated viewer to follow all of what is going on.
Donnie Darko is a difficult watch made worthwhile by its masterful execution and its surreal, disturbing tone. The themes of the film wind in on themselves in strange and unpredictable ways, while the plot marches on with the implacability of Fate. Watch it if you are looking for a darkly fascinating film with a plot few other films would attempt. Skip it if you are looking for straightforward horror or any sort of a light watch.
8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for excellent tone and a unique premise.