Donnie Darko (Blu-ray Disc, 2009, 2-Disc Set; Checkpoint; Sensormatic; Widescreen)

Features Acotrs:Jake Gyllenhaal,Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, Beth Grant, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Katherine Ross, Patrick Swayze & Noah Wyle
Running Time:132 Min.
Rating:R

It begins innocently enough around the Darko’s dining room table, where we find out the older sister (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is rebelliously voting for Dukakis and Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal, Bubble Boy) is off his meds. From here, the film churns forward at a hypnotic pace, revealing facts about its disturbed but endearing title character.
On the surface, Donnie is very typical -- he has friends and even is (awkwardly) able to net a girlfriend (Jena Malone), but he’s also "intimidatingly" smart, which gets him in trouble for thinking too much and speaking his mind. But Donnie also has a troubled past of setting fires (thus the meds). And at night, he’s prone to bouts of sleepwalking, lured from bed by a fabulously sinister, six-foot demonic rabbit named Frank (a kind of Harvey possessed) that inspires him to acts of mischief -- like flooding his high school or torching the house of a creepy self-righteous motivational speaker (Patrick Swayze).
Interestingly, all of Donnie’s nocturnal activities seem to have a purpose. His first encounter with Frank gets him out of the house to avoid being killed by an airplane engine that falls through his bedroom ceiling. The house fire reveals that the motivational speaker has a dirty little secret. Plus, Frank shows Donnie that he can see into the future, and even perhaps travel there – a lesson that comes in handy later in the film.

Donnie Darko -- through all its twists and turns -- will keep you guessing, and talking about what it could all mean well after you watch it. You’ll just have to fill in most of the answers on your own.Hope this helps you decide.Thanks for reading! :)

If you're a Donnie Darko fan or Richard Kelly fan you have to own this Blu Ray. I'll admit the HD isn't the greatest, but they cleaned it up very well leaving a sort of 80s feel to the film. The extras are awesome and the directors cut is way awesome!! This is a must have for Donnie Darko fans.

Donnie Darko shines as an indie movie that defies generic Hollywood classifications such as action, horror, sci-fi or comedy. The storyline is very unpredictable, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat for the whole 2 hours. It deals with difficult concepts such as tangent universes, non-linearity of time, manipulated dead (?) etc - which should provide enough food for thought for any sci-fi lovers.

The genius of the movie is in the ambiguity of its storyline, something that haunts you for a long time after you've seen the ending. The sound effects, brilliant soundtrack, and great lighting creates an eerie, sinister atmosphere rarely found in a movie. There are so many references to future events scattered throughout the film that you have to watch a few times to catch all the subtle references. Thankfully, this Blu Ray Version comes with both the theatrical release and the Director's Cut of the movie - plus a really cool collection of extras that explains many of the concepts introduced in the movie.

One of the strong points of the movie was the acting. Jake gyllenhaal delivered a superb performance as a schizophrenic teenager, and Frank was one of the creepiest villains I have seen in a movie.I will never look at bunny rabbits the same way again !

This movie was recommended to me and when I watched the film, it was so engaging that I had to watch it again the next day. This blu-ray copy is the third I've bought (the original and directors cut in low def), that is how much I like this movie. It is a labor of love, and features fine performances from some true actors who are in the peak of their craft. It is listed as a comedy, but there is love, drama, mystery, sci-fi themes (time travel) and an impending sense of on-coming tradegy. You will finish this movie with tears, not laughter. Donnie Darko is a gem that has reached its popularity almost completely by word of mouth. The characters dance upon a slippery slope of human foibles while surreal events unsettle and unfold around them. My only complaint about this blu-ray edition is that it doesn't have the "Mad World" music video that is so haunting and beautiful, that it is the only video on my ipod