Overrated and phony

Funny, what you describe above sounds like a great *beeping* movie to me :-)

I like it because it was so difficult to grasp at first and yet the characters oddly drew you in to their universe. It all seemed off in the right kind of way. I think it is anything but phony, overrated is not for me to judge. I like it and I think it really stands out.... so parhaps I will judge it anyway and say I find it underrated.


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** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **

It's a shallow movie masquerading as something deep and complex. The cinematography and atmosphere is enough to make it more than watchable after a few bong hits, however.

I'm 60 and I thought it was wonderful - original, creative, great script, simply brilliant.

On the other hand, I have zero interest in sooperhero movies and giant robots.

Don't knock movies just because they are over your head. Try re-watching the film a few times....

I agree, it seemed like something I might've liked when I was 14, a bit corny. Not worth rewatching for me.

If mostly what you have described is your true understanding of the movie, then you missed the plot of the movie(much more detailed in the director's cut). It is a good version and open for interpretation in the same way as Vanilla Sky.

Donnie Darko though is more linear and less complex which leaves holes for the viewer rightfully point out. The theater version tells the story as Donnie discovering the reality of time travel and suggests that it may even be something he can control. This is suggested to even a greater degree when he decides to go back in time to the point where he would die and therefore saving the life of Gretchen. If he had such command then he could just go back in time far enough to remain in the house and not go to the cellar door (which seemed to me a rather impulsive action made without any reason or build-up).

However. there is a lot the viewer is not shown with the theater release being rather "thin" and the plot is as follows:

***As outlined by Salon's Dan Kois from the book's text, much of the film takes place in an unstable Tangent Universe that is connected to the Primary Universe and a duplicate of it, except for an extra metal vessel known as an Artifact — the plane engine. If the Artifact is not sent to the Primary Universe by the chosen Living Receiver (Donnie) within 28 days, the Primary Universe will be destroyed upon collapse of the Tangent. To aid in this task, the Living Receiver is given super-human abilities such as foresight, physical strength and elemental powers, but at the cost of troubling visions and paranoia, while the Manipulated Living (all who live around the Receiver) support him in unnatural ways, setting up a domino-like chain of events encouraging him to return the Artifact. The Manipulated Dead (those who die within the Tangent Universe, like Frank and Gretchen) are more aware than the Living, having the power to travel through time, and will set an Ensurance Trap, a scenario which leaves the Receiver no choice but to save the Primary Universe*****

And of course even knowing the full background, the question is what is the higher power that constructed both universes and why choose the scenario? To save Donnie's soul? To make a point about human's ability to make decision on some scalable moral compass?, etc...... Who knows? Good science fiction film that really could've been great with maybe a larger budget and better design of the plot.

I would say Jacob's Ladder is the more mature version of Donnie Darko (not entirely the same though) for adults above 25 to enjoy. Donnie Darko is rather juvenile and even when you understand the the plot device/twist it really isn't that thrilling for an adult.

I disagree completely. I like it even more now having seen it a second time. It's a fascinating film combining sci-fi, mystery, drama and comedy. There are no easy answers, but mostly open ended questions. And Gyllenhaal is excellent. I will probably watch it a third time in the near future.


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