Mad World
Directed by Richard Kelly, the award-winning independent psychodrama Donnie Darko (Director’s Cut released in 2004) takes viewers on a journey through the life of Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a teenage boy with the fate of the universe in his hands. What may seem at first glance as a tale of a schizophrenic teen struggling with his inner demons is actually something much more compelling; Donnie is the “living receiver” of a tangent universe, and it is up to him to save the primary universe from collapsing into a black hole. Frank (James Duval), one of the manipulated dead, appears to Donnie in a frightening rabbit costume to lure him away from sure death and to warn him about the imminent end of the world. From that moment, …show more content…
With the help of the manipulated dead and the manipulated living, a chain of events referred to as the ensurance trap will guide Donnie to force the tangent universe to collapse successfully. When the clock runs out of time, Donnie decides to change his own fate and leaves the town feeling haunted by the events it never even experienced. What the viewer takes away from this movie depends entirely on how he or she interprets it. For some, it may just be an interesting story about a reckless teenager finding himself, and for others, it might be a life-changing tale. Assuming that the viewer interpreted the movie the way it was intended- following the guidelines of the fictional book, The Philosophy of Time Travel- allows for a fair review of the movie. Donnie Darko is one of the most captivating low-budget films ever created due to the convincingly malicious characters, the dark and mysterious composition of the film itself, and a complex plot that leaves the viewer wanting …show more content…
In other words, you see without noticing. Every other aspect of the production is tight and professional, placing this film firmly in 1988 without being quaint or, worse, anachronistic. The visual effects work well, even if they're not as flashy or perfect as other entries in 2001. Then again, maybe the good-not-great F/X sets the film properly in its '88 timeframe all the more. With such a small budget, Kelly's crew should be commended for maximizing the money and bringing every element together to help him tell his story. (Ellis)
Every aspect of the production was thought out and carefully planned. Set in 1988, the film features many of the best English alternative to new wave artists from the 1980s, such as Tears for Fears, Joy Division, and Duran Duran. The soundtrack evokes different emotions from each viewer, but it goes without saying that these emotions are strong. The score magnifies these emotions by leading us from scene to scene with a mix of peaceful and turbulent melodies. Together, these musical elements are largely part of what makes Donnie Darko so
Directed by Richard Kelly, the award-winning independent psychodrama Donnie Darko (Director’s Cut released in 2004) takes viewers on a journey through the life of Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a teenage boy with the fate of the universe in his hands. What may seem at first glance as a tale of a schizophrenic teen struggling with his inner demons is actually something much more compelling; Donnie is the “living receiver” of a tangent universe, and it is up to him to save the primary universe from collapsing into a black hole. Frank (James Duval), one of the manipulated dead, appears to Donnie in a frightening rabbit costume to lure him away from sure death and to warn him about the imminent end of the world. From that moment, …show more content…
With the help of the manipulated dead and the manipulated living, a chain of events referred to as the ensurance trap will guide Donnie to force the tangent universe to collapse successfully. When the clock runs out of time, Donnie decides to change his own fate and leaves the town feeling haunted by the events it never even experienced. What the viewer takes away from this movie depends entirely on how he or she interprets it. For some, it may just be an interesting story about a reckless teenager finding himself, and for others, it might be a life-changing tale. Assuming that the viewer interpreted the movie the way it was intended- following the guidelines of the fictional book, The Philosophy of Time Travel- allows for a fair review of the movie. Donnie Darko is one of the most captivating low-budget films ever created due to the convincingly malicious characters, the dark and mysterious composition of the film itself, and a complex plot that leaves the viewer wanting …show more content…
In other words, you see without noticing. Every other aspect of the production is tight and professional, placing this film firmly in 1988 without being quaint or, worse, anachronistic. The visual effects work well, even if they're not as flashy or perfect as other entries in 2001. Then again, maybe the good-not-great F/X sets the film properly in its '88 timeframe all the more. With such a small budget, Kelly's crew should be commended for maximizing the money and bringing every element together to help him tell his story. (Ellis)
Every aspect of the production was thought out and carefully planned. Set in 1988, the film features many of the best English alternative to new wave artists from the 1980s, such as Tears for Fears, Joy Division, and Duran Duran. The soundtrack evokes different emotions from each viewer, but it goes without saying that these emotions are strong. The score magnifies these emotions by leading us from scene to scene with a mix of peaceful and turbulent melodies. Together, these musical elements are largely part of what makes Donnie Darko so