Movie Review
Title: Donnie Darko
Director: Richard Kelly
Story by: Richard Kelly
The film is honestly one of the best sci-fi thrillers I've ever seen. Set in the year 1988, it's basically about a troubled teenager who hallucinates (later, though, we find that he may not have been after all) a twisted, tall version of a bunny named Frank who warns him of the end of the world. It is a highly eccentric film with a consistent dark and eerie ghostly tint that keeps the audience disturbed and curious at the same time.
Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays Donnie Darko, portrays the character with his trademark touch of semi "A Beautiful Mind". Gyllenhaal manages to shift Donnie's state from currently sane to possible psycho in a single scene several times. I'd have to say, no one else could've played Donnie better that him having played other emotionally problematic characters before.
The element of time travel is the sci-fi essence of this film, a personal favorite of mine. Richard Kelly uses the concept of the predestination paradox wherein what occurs presently is an effect of future time travelling. With that, as our main character Donnie attempts to save the world from its impending doom, we are kept engrossed in the film in order to completely understand the sequence of events and the why of each action.
The supporting characters each plays a significant role in molding the eccentricity of the movie. From the innocent but discriminated Cherita Chen to the self-help guru Jim Cunningham (played by Patrick Swayze). The cinematography is perfectly simple with minimum grand special effects, most of which were done only with excellent camera work and editing. The mood upheld throughout the film foreshadows the unexpected ending which leaves you pondering still on Donnie Darko and the people around him.
Title: Donnie Darko
Director: Richard Kelly
Story by: Richard Kelly
The film is honestly one of the best sci-fi thrillers I've ever seen. Set in the year 1988, it's basically about a troubled teenager who hallucinates (later, though, we find that he may not have been after all) a twisted, tall version of a bunny named Frank who warns him of the end of the world. It is a highly eccentric film with a consistent dark and eerie ghostly tint that keeps the audience disturbed and curious at the same time.
Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays Donnie Darko, portrays the character with his trademark touch of semi "A Beautiful Mind". Gyllenhaal manages to shift Donnie's state from currently sane to possible psycho in a single scene several times. I'd have to say, no one else could've played Donnie better that him having played other emotionally problematic characters before.
The element of time travel is the sci-fi essence of this film, a personal favorite of mine. Richard Kelly uses the concept of the predestination paradox wherein what occurs presently is an effect of future time travelling. With that, as our main character Donnie attempts to save the world from its impending doom, we are kept engrossed in the film in order to completely understand the sequence of events and the why of each action.
The supporting characters each plays a significant role in molding the eccentricity of the movie. From the innocent but discriminated Cherita Chen to the self-help guru Jim Cunningham (played by Patrick Swayze). The cinematography is perfectly simple with minimum grand special effects, most of which were done only with excellent camera work and editing. The mood upheld throughout the film foreshadows the unexpected ending which leaves you pondering still on Donnie Darko and the people around him.
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