Rating: 
Summary: Inconsistent and ludicrously disjointed.
Review: The loss of words I'm left with after watching "Donnie Darko" is not one born of fascination or perplexed wonderment, but one of sheer disappointment over being cheated out of two hours of my life for a story that does everything but shove its originality down the audience's throats. A cross between science fiction, horror, and comedy, the possesses but a few fleeting moments where these elements take flight, but never once do any of them connect in a noticeable pattern. The beginning of the film is exquisite, a terrific combination of character introductions and seething dread. We're introduced to Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a teenage boy plagued by schizophrenia and severe depression, that which causes him to converse with a abnormally large, surprisingly spooky rabbit named Frank (later revealed to be played, fittingly enough, by Gregg Araki alumnus James Duval). Such moments provide a terrific amount of underlying dread, that which perhaps causes one's expectations to elevate. We also meet the Darko family: Donnie's parents, Eddie and Rose (Holmes Osborne, Mary McDonnell), and his two sisters, all of whom look upon Donnie as look upon Donnie as the bad seed, though hope for better days ahead. His parents are understanding of his mental state, providing him with therapy and medication; they provide him with all that he needs in hopes of reinstating his mental health. Then one night, things get worse. After Donnie's first meeting with Frank, a freak accident involving a dismembered plane engine results in shaken nerves, though no one is hurt. Donnie, however, is told by his new imaginary friend that there is a window of 28 days, after which the world as he knows it will come to an end. He meets a girl, falls in love, all the while performing strange and sometimes shocking acts at Frank's request. Interesting beginning, and certainly enticing enough to wet one's appetite for more. But the movie's main course turns out to be a less-than-satisfactory concoction of science fiction and the psychological, throwing things like time travel and premonitions into its already-crowded blender of potential ideas. Despite my increasing frustrations with the material's lack of coherence, I found myself strangely entranced by it, blinded by my hope that something would eventually tie things together. In the end, there is an explanation for everything, albeit a very inconsistent and ludicrously disjointed one that only furthers one's discontentment for such a wasted opportunity. The film has a good cast in its favor, though one has to wonder how hard it is for Gyllenhaal to stare dismally into space and look continuously glum and despondent. McDonnell and Osborne play convincingly caring parents, while young Jena Malone is quite the attraction as Donnie's newly acquired girlfriend. The movie features Drew Barrymore as an English teacher who's fed up with abiding by the curriculum, and Patrick Swayze as a fear-fearing fanatic blinded by his fanaticism to his own hypocrisy. In the beginning, I got the feeling that too much was going on; after it was over, I felt as if nothing of any significance had occurred. My main question concerning a film like "Donnie Darko" is this: what is this movie trying to say? What is this story really about? Do the filmmakers hope that their bleak portrayal of such cultural elements as censorship and religious fanaticism will mask their inept efforts at creating a coherent storyline that makes no sense in its conclusion?
Rating: 
Summary: You will not be disappointed.
Review: Sci-fi fans, black comedy fans, anybody who likes to have their mind blown, should see this movie. Sure, there are some plot holes here and there, but there's just so much else to enjoy. The acting is great, my favorite character being Frank, who looks like the bunny rabbit from hell and has a voice unmatched in creepiness. Like many before me have said, this is a very underrated movie, a real treasure that slipped under the radar. If you like good movies, you should be sure to see this one.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing Film
Review: This movie should be seen. I doubt anything I say can match the impact of the film. This movie has been my addiction as of late it goes up there with films like fight club and so on. The end is so intense and keeps you thinking.
Rating:
Summary: This film has just entered my top 10!
Review: Remember the feeling you had the first time you read „Catcher in the Rye" or saw David Lynch's film, "Blue Velvet"? Well, this experience should be right up there! Ultimately, this is an esoteric piece that will make you want to re-watch it the second it's over to try and figure it out - á la "Sixth Sense". That said, it's a wonderful coming-of-age story (the likes of Salinger's "...Rye") of a cynical adolescent, Donnie Darko. Donnie is a sort of a comic book high school hero, who tells everybody where to get off in such an intelligent way, that even his parents have to congratulate him on being expelled from school. The twist that will "knock you flat" (as Jan Stuart of Newsday put it) is almost superfluous in light of what the rest of the film has to say for itself. This is almost two films in one: a highly spiritual film about time and space; destiny versus free choice - and one that is very earth-bound about having the courage to be your own person, and about questioning everything before excepting blindly. The two themes are magnificently bound together in a visually stunning, and breathtakingly acted film. Keep an eye out for Jake Gyllenhaal - he's right up there with Toby Maguire. One of the best films I've seen in the past few years.
Rating: 
Summary: A Terrific First Effort
Review: A stunning debut film that displays a wild eyed inventiveness, uncanny originality and steady, assured professionalism - a rare combination that entitles this film to a larger audience than it received in limited distribution. If anything, Donny Darko is this generation's version of Carrie, full of teen angst and dark, mystical occurences, held together with a thoughtful, focused performance by Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead. Special thanks should go to the name performers in the cast who signed on to support this tyro effort: Noah Wylie, Katherine Ross, Mary Macdonald and, in particular, Drew Barrymore, who spearheaded the effort to get this offbeat, risky film project produced. What a smart, savvy actress and businesswoman she's become! (Drew, belly up to the candy counter and have a chocolate bunny on me!)
Rating:
Summary: This film haunts you and makes you think
Review: I didn't exactly know what to expect from this film upon seeing it, but it completely blew me away. It is at once funny, gripping, and extremely creepy. Jake Gyllenhaal gives an excellent performance as the teenage schizophrenic Donnie, and although the rest of the cast is solid, he definitely carries the film. There were many moments in the film were I found myself going, "Whoa," and I had to pause it to let my brain catch up. As the plot deepens, you can see all of these elements and subplots coming together, and it is sometimes enough to widen your eyes and make you shiver as you see another piece of the puzzle snap into place. The film's culmination will stay with you for a long time. It is probably one of the best films I've ever seen about time travel (and one of the best in general), and it treats the concept with intelligence and skill. I say "Watch this movie immediately" to anyone who is willing to work some for the answers to the movies they watch.
Rating:
Summary: Very cool, very different film!
Review: You read this following statement many times, but I would have given this film 4 1/2 stars if possible. I had wanted to catch this film in theaters (because the trailer made it look like a horror film), but it never came to my city. So, I scooped it up on DVD ASAP.
What a unique, powerful film! This film is ultra-cool, without trying to be so. There are elements of horror, but Donnie Darko is so much more. There are scenes where I, a child of the 80's, laughed out loud in appreciation of references to that time. There were times when I actually felt chills. There were times when I was sure I knew where the film was going, only to find out I was dead wrong. There were so many interesting subplots that were intentionally left wide open that my wife and I spent several hours talking about them before we even touched the main plot (which was left to interpretation as well).
In conclusion, this may be one of those films that you need to watch only when you are in the mood for it, but it is a film that has does not fit in any genre out there right now. It is as unique as another great film, Memento. And the DVD is jam-packed with cool extras. I would almost demand that you rent it, and I would definitely recommend buying this wonderful film.
Rating:
Summary: Lots to like, but flawed.
Review: Let me first get this part out of the way. This movie has moments of absolute cinematic brilliance. But, I wouldn't leave it at that. Calling this a great film would lead to a lot of disappointment because it has some serious flaws, not the least of which are plot contrivances that simply don't work. It is as if the writers wanted to squeeze too many ideas into a single film, and then couldn't intelligently wrap up the many loose ends. The film's ideas are oftentimes terrific, but they pull the viewer in too many different directions and end with a far more "conventional" and unsatisfying conclusion for all the effective build-up. What I liked most about the film was its ability to depict a nuanced view of psychosis. It is perhaps the best cinematic portrayal of a schizophrenic mind that I've ever seen, and in some ways reminded me of Polanski's "Repulsion." Unfortunately, rather than playing to this strength, the movie then attempts to "explain" the psychotic state through a somewhat silly "Carlos Castaneda" explanation of secret knowledge, emanations from the solar plexus, time travel, and extradimensional physics. The lovely ambiguities of the first three-quarters of the film melt away into time-looping conventionality, with a lot of inexplicable throwaway issues. (The burning down of the "positive thinking" guru's house is a good example. We're never given any clues as to why the future is informing the present about his involvement in a child pornagraphy ring--and directing him to burn the house down. Kept more ambiguous, the event would have had far greater and more interesting significance.) With the exception of Drew Barrymore, the performances are top knotch. Barrymore comes across as a not very bright person overacting and just catching a superficial layer of her character--a character that seems to be a bit of a throwaway in any event. I think Jake Gyllenhaal is someone to watch. Get this DVD, and think of it as a first draft by an extremely talented novelist. Lots to savor and enjoy, even if it is a bit messy.
Rating:
Summary: Donnie Darko
Review: Here's a tip. Watch this film late at night (but not too late as it demands your full attention), turn down the lights (perhaps light some candles, unplug the phone and be prepared to be taken on an amazing heartrending journey. Does it all make sense the first viewing? No. Does it lessen the experience? Not in the slightest. Like many of the reviewers here I am baffled by the films weak release in the theaters. I do think it was marketed ineffectively. The trailer was limp, the posters lackluster, the release limited, before a lively buzz could get started it was gone from the theaters etc... I would have loved to see this film on "the big screen". Nonetheless, I do think we will be seeing this film becoming a midnight classic at town theaters. It's that cult, it's that classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Mainstream movie posing as an Arthouse film
Review: I've seen this film and yet I don't know that I can definitively tell you what it was about - - and that's the worst news, because this film is really good. I'm sure this film was made on a small budget, but there isn't anything small about the aspirations of the director, writer, and the cast and production staff. This is a high quality film with a dynamite script. Part "The World According to Garp," part "Evil Dead," and part "American Beauty" this film is really indescribable in the best sense of the word. Donnie is a troubled boy who needs to be medicated...Only when Donnie is medicated he sees and hears a demonic version of "Harvey" the rabbit. Donnie's life becomes a series of strange encounters that he is witness to/or is he responsible for? Donnie starts to fear the latter of the two. "Darko" makes me think that I caught a conversation in the middle without knowing the beginning or end. I don't like a steady diet of films of this nature, but I was apparently in the mood for this one and I found it very satisfying as it left me wanting to rewatch the film and see if I'd really understood it.
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