Donnie Darko - Theories please!

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bball-xo-chick14

New member
Just finally watched Donnie Darko. Completely lost at the end. I presume that Donnie is given a chance by the guy in the bunny outfit to live another 28 days. Perhaps someone could fill me in with a better theory.
 
There is a great site here that lists some of the most popular theories:

http://www.jakegyllenhaal.info/darko.htm

The Director's Cut DVD also has some good documentaries and a commentary which offers even more ideas.

It's definitely a film that requires more than one viewing to appreciate every subtle detail. I still haven't made my mind up after 3 years but I like the Donnie superhero theory best. The religious theories are also plausible however :)
 
Yeah - there's a good 20 minutes of extra scenes plus some re-edited stuff. There are also a few scenes from the cinematic release cut out of the Director's Cut. The Director's Cut seems to lead the viewer by the hand a little more than the original and explains some of the more subtle scenes clearly. You definitely have to see both versions!

BTW there is a lot of good Darko trivia over at ever-reliable IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/trivia

There is also no shortage of obsessive internet sites and forums dedicated to the theories.
 
Its nothing more complicated than some stupid film with delusions of granduer tagging on an "enigmatic" ending to appear more complex and intelligent then it really is.

I am not fooled. :rolleyes:
 
Yeah, that's kinda what I was trying to say, with a few thousand more worRAB. :D

I think it's a brilliant film though, and one that can be open to many interpretations. The one linked above is probably the closest I've seen to my own though. :)
 
I agree, you really should watch both versions, the director's cut last, because personally the theatrical cut was intriguing and in a way the director's cut spoils that a little. I adore the film though, I still think it makes you think whether you think it's clever or not, plus I really like the ending and the music and the 80s settings. There are many theories, I read through loaRAB after watching the film-took ages!
 
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