20 Years Later: Donnie Darko Explained

Donnie Darko: Timeline & Ending Explained

The gateway movie to my full-blown film addiction was Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko (2001). Kelly has yet to create a film that matches the mood or magnitude of his first success. This supernatural thriller has sparked a cult following behind the intense narrative and themes. Countless arguments have played out discussing whether it’s a representation of madness or simply a dark supernatural epic. Made in only 28 days, utilizing a low budget of 4.5 million, it`s an independent film poster-child with its success.

I first watched this film in High school whilst sitting at the back of a stuffy media class. After the first viewing, my fascination with the world now lay in unpicking every detail of this flick. Donnie Darko had everything a 16-year-old girl could want in a film. This included a deranged bedroom-eyed teenage boy (preferably this would always be Jake Gyllenhaal) facing the angst of a collapsing world. Kelly leads you down a deliberate path leaving clues to be decoded long after the film is done. I loved that other students were dumbfounded when the credits rolled. It felt like this film was telling me that my mundane high school existence could actually be extraordinary. My lingering fondness for the film lies in the fact that even today Kelly is trying to explain its ambiguities.

Now, I will try explaining everything I understand about the unfathomable masterpiece that is Donnie Darko. A lot of this information is not explicitly explained in the film but is rather suggested and hinted at. In the director’s cut, it veers towards a more supernatural ideology rather than Donnie being mad or waking up from a dream.  It becomes helpful to actually read the fictional book The Philosophy Of Time Travel by the character Roberta Sparrow, known as Grandma death in the movie. Yes, there is an actual book. It comes with the director’s cut in special features or floating around the Internet. However, Seeing as I have read it for you, no need to worry!

The film starts with traumatized teenager Donnie Darko, who on October 2nd, 1988, sleepwalks outside to a figure dressed in a manic rabbit costume. This beautifully grotesque costume has inspired many hours of drawing for me and multiple poster purchases. The rabbit’s name is Frank and he tells Donnie the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds.  In this scene by his dazed expression and soft-focus cinematography, it is assumed this is a representation of insanity.  However, as the film progresses a deeper discourse is unraveled.

After this scene, Donnie returns home to find a jet engine crashed into his house. The film then leads viewers on a supernatural journey of weird events that happen to the people surrounding Donnie in the little town of Middlesex, Virginia.

The Tangent Universe vs. The Primary Universe.

Firstly, it must be understood the film is mostly set in an alternative reality. The switch happens when Donnie wakes up laughing in his bed at 12 am. Donnie’s world has shifted to a reality called “The Tangent Universe”, which exists within the 28-day timeframe of the film. Broken down “ The Tangent Universe” is a replica of “ The Primary Universe” and only exists for limited periods of time.  The problem with “The Tangent Universe” is that after a short period of time it will collapse destroying all existence.

In The Philosophy Of Time Travel Sparrow explains, “If a tangent universe occurs, it will be highly unstable. Sustaining itself for no longer than several weeks. Eventually, it will collapse upon itself forming a black hole with the primary universe capable of destroying all existence.” According to Sparrow, why time becomes corrupted and creates this new universe is unknown.

Yes, quite a lot to swallow.  Now understanding the film is set in “The Tangent Universe”, with the potential to destroy all life, someone must stop it from collapsing into a black hole. This person happens to be Donnie Darko.

The Artifact

What makes “ The Tangent Universe” different, is it materializes an Artifact.  The Artifact properties include it must be made of metal. In this case, it is the massive jet engine that falls onto Donnie’s house. This Artifact will appear at the epicenter of  “The Tangent Universe”. This is where the vortex will start to develop when it collapses.  To save all creation, the Artifact must be sent back into the vortex when the dimension split occurs.   This vortex materializes itself at the end of the film with the tornado over Donnie’s house.

The Living Receiver

Chosen at random Donnie has to return the Artifact to “The Primary Universe” making him the living receiver.  He is the hero that will stop all life from being destroyed. Nicely referenced when Donnie’s crush Gretchen (Jena Malone) says, “Donnie Darko? What the hell kind of name is that? It’s like some sort of superhero or something.” Donnie replies, “What makes you think I’m not?”

One advantage of being the living receiver is you get sweet as superpowers, which according to Sparrow  “include increased strength, telekinesis, mind control, and the ability to conjure fire and water.”   He uses increased strength to throw the axe into the bronze dog statue at his school. He uses telekinesis to rip the plane engine off and throw it back down the vortex. He floods the school with water and burns down Jim Cunningham’s (Patrick Swayze) house.  Clearly, the disadvantage is that you hallucinate dead bunny rabbits and everyone thinks you’re insane.

The Manipulated Dead

Does the living receiver have any help with this daunting task? Yes, he does and it comes in the form of the manipulated dead. This is anyone who dies inside “The Tangent Universe”. They have some idea of what is about to happen and have the power to move freely through time. Frank is a manipulated dead. He is Elizabeth Darko’s (Maggie Gyllenhaal) boyfriend who gets shot by Donnie on Halloween.  As a manipulated dead he pushes Donnie towards events that will ultimately lead him to return the Artifact to “The Primary Universe”. For example, he tells Donnie to flood the school so he can meet Gretchen. This is shown when Donnie says, “ I am really glad school was flooded today because otherwise, I would never have had this conversation”.  Gretchen is also a manipulated dead but in a different sense. By Donnie meeting Gretchen, losing his virginity, and falling in love, she becomes an important pawn in the game. She becomes the reason for Donnie to save all existence.

There is also the manipulated, who are the other characters surrounding Donnie. They all become players in pushing Donnie to finish his task. They will often have recollections of the events that took place in the alternative reality. Almost referencing how one may feel in a near-death experience. As seen in the clip below, Donnie is laughing as there is no more fear as he will die soon. Jim Cunningham is crying because he begins to wake up to his sick perversions. Frank places a hand over where he was shot. Gretchen rides by on her bike having a moment with Donnie’s mother.  A lingering glance suggesting they both feel traces of “The Tangent Universe”.

The film can be interpreted in countless ways and will always spark debate between me and my friends. As a teenager looking for answers, I feel that I can now close the book on all I understand about the movie.  This movie generated my love for analyzing film pushing me to gain the deeper discourses hidden under every layer.

Written by Tamarah Scott

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published under our old brand, Sound On Sight.

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