Donnie Darko Review
by Jon Popick (jpopick AT sick-boy DOT com)December 12th, 2003
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If you believe Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anya, there's something very malevolent about bunnies (and midgets, but that's a whole other story). Anya would probably be the last person in this or any other realm who would want to see Donnie Darko, a bizarre but extremely enjoyable drama/horror/sci-fi/romance/comedy/fantasy/mystery/thriller about a giant rabbit who prophesizes the end of the world. And since most of you probably haven't seen it either - at least on the big screen - Darko makes its Rochester debut this Saturday night, July 5, at the Dryden Theatre.
Darko, which might be the only film you've never heard of on the Internet Movie Database's Top 100 list, tells the very strange story of sleepwalking schizophrenic teen Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), who lives with his middle-class family in what I can only describe as a town that is equal parts John Hughes, M. Night Shyamalan, and David Lynch. Everything takes place in October 1988, beginning with Donnie being lured outside late one night by a giant rabbit named Frank, who tells Donnie the world will end in just over 28 days.
Shortly after, the engine from a commercial airplane falls from the sky and crashes into Donnie's empty bedroom, setting off a dazzling chain of events that includes a blunt discussion about the sexual activity of Smurfs, teachers having their lesson plans stunted by a feel-good right-wing agenda, references to a ton of films (including Evil Dead, Back to the Future, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, and Stephen King's It), nauseating period music (Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, and of course, Echo and the Bunnymen), appearances by a couple of '80s icons (Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze), and, more importantly, our protagonist realizing, via the laws of the space-time continuum, his actions have no consequences.
Darko, the best black comedy about high school teens since Heathers, was written and directed in 2001 by then 26-year-old filmmaker Richard Kelly, who injects so much darkness, humor, dread, and plot-twirling into the story, I could barely contain myself. Even if you've caught it on HBO, or rented the DVD, do yourself a favor and check out Darko on the big screen.
1:53 - R for language, some drug use and violence
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