Comments on: Donnie Darko – An Interpretation

By: Alma

Alma — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:39:43 +0000

I really enjoyed reading this. While watching the film the first time, I thought it might be about two different universes but I couldn’t completely understand why Donnie’s death was so important. After reading this though, everything makes sense now. I wish they would have included some of the quotes in the movie that you used here because then it might have made more sense.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:11:16 +0000

Last sentence well said. I believe some of the points you made here, but telekenesis? Not so sure. Some other points you made also seemed unproven. Like the other characters knew “the world” was going I end. Even though it really different. But thank you for clearing some things up for me.

By: Connie

Connie — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:34:40 +0000

I love this interpretation. It opens the mind. The movie is pretty deep and I love the fact that someone has taken the time to give another view point that is different from everything else I have read.

By: Willow

Willow — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:55:54 +0000

The only moment which was truly bemusing was my attempt to discern the paradox which Tim stated above mentioning the the jet engine (Artifact).
When Donnie traveled back in time theoretically the artifact could not have fallen out of the sky from nowhere since the jet engine which crushed Donnie existed in the tangent universe and as such could not exist in the primary universe once the tangent world had ended…
The existence of a tangent universe IS in itself a logical paradox which speculates that in order for it to manifest it must travel through a vector in time/space at the speed of light, it would be crucial in postulating whether the jet engine was in fact a major plot hole based on a lacking of understanding in astrophysics or if it was an attempt at creating the Einstein-Rosen Bridge theory which was alluded to when Donnie spoke to the science teacher…it may even be that the Director/Writer interpreted this as a means of perpetuating that it HAD to occur in order for the tangent universe to collapse and the primary universe to resume from the moment that it split. This movie presents major theories on time/space travel which essentially are hard to understand even with most intelligent people but logically speaking, and in my opinion Tim is correct in saying the jet engine (The Artifact) is quintessentially a looping paradox which suggests that, in a slightly off-handed way, the tangent universe has to still exist otherwise the artifact would not be present in the primary universe. This theorizes that Frank MAY have actually been lying to Donnie as a result leading up to such a scenario (Both universes existing [parallel universes]) In its own manner of conveyance the movie can easily suggest to the audience that just as everything went right in the primary universe that all things in the tangent would exist for Donnie as a reality, idealizing that Donnie dying in the primary universe was a result of Donnie’s selves perhaps meeting in some way at one time in the same universe(s).
Either way it gives me a bad headache but the movie is wonderful in its way of making people think. Not many movies attempt to make the audience interpret things as hard as this, and Donnie Darko is a true masterpiece of cinema.
Another note:
I know that a good amount of people will iterate that the tangent universe was a reality but the manipulation of time to the beginning of when the primary universe paused still perpetuates the logical conclusion that the jet engine was merely a means of conveyance as the Director/Writer wanted it to be, although it is illogical in a manner that reversing time would result in the Artifact (Future/Tangent Universe) NEVER existing prior to the Tangent Scenario as such its a really big problem with me to be honest since there’s a few reasons behind this flaw:
1.lacking in understanding of time/space and tangent/parallel universes
2.Looping paradox
3.The ending was left BROADLY WIDE OPEN there isn’t a way to narrow it down even when giving it the singular label of science-fiction (Sorry you just cant do it, there are too many causalities which can lead into multiple interpretations [which is probably why the director/writer made it this way, they didnt want us to think it was a cult/emo film but a science fiction which actually makes you think])
Anyways enough said, come what may i still love this movie.
one more addition to my final comment:
Every science-fiction movie/show which employs the use of a wormhole or Einstein-Rosen Bridge to portray inter-universal travel is inaccurate since Einstein AND Rosen themselves never considered the idea of passing an object through the bridge larger than the size of an electron, so to be “frank” about it, the whole deal with passing The Artifact into the primary universe or Time Traveling using the Einstein-Rosen Bridge goes against both THEIR equations (since they never theorized passing objects larger than electrons through this bridge) AND Schwarzschild’s work on solving Einsteins equations [circa 1916]
(see also ‘Einsteinian causality’)

By: Grace

Grace — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:09:01 +0000

Excellent analysis, thank you! And for everyone who seems to denouce the psuedo-science aspect of this analysis, the fictional book “philosophy of time travel” is shown and referenced several times throughout the course of the theatrical film and then throughout the director’s cut. It has been made somewhat explicit that said book is canon to the film. Whether you want to interpret the material differently or not, is fine, but it is silly to just say that the pseudo-science it stupid. It is an integral part of the film.

By: Christian

Christian — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:26:11 +0000

I share the same question that many others here do. That is, why the mug is that jet engine there the second time around? I understand how it got there, but if an artifact from the future enters the Primary Universe, then this signifies a rift which will, once again, lead to the end of the world.
One of the mistakes I believe a lot of people are making is that they see the jet engine as the cause of the Tangent Universe when Philosophy of Time Travel states it is “the first sign.”
Here is my best explanation, but even I don’t believe it.

Donnie is not supposed to die the first time. He is supposed to live so he can not only save the world, but bring personal redemption or condemnation to the people of the town (Dreams). His 28 days in the Tangent Universe are used to touch the lives he needs to and realize his own destiny. He does this despite his own ignorance because of Frank’s guidance. Once his mission in the Tangent Universe is complete, he must go back to the point where the Tangent Universe is created and stop it from forming. He can do this since he can “do anything he wants.” But, since he is a product of the very thing he must stop, he has to kill himself. He, being the Living Receiver, cannot exist in the Primary Universe. I submit that the jet engine that kills him is not from the future. It is not from the plane containing his mother and sister. It is, instead, from some random plane flying overhead. Perhaps he chose to bring about his own death in same way the rift was first signified to satisfy an ironic sense of humor. He saves the world with the very thing that threatened to destroy it. Perhaps that is why he is laughing with such satisfaction before it strikes his home. This may beg the question, why then, did his mom’s plane crash in the Tangent Universe since it appears neither her, nor Samantha experience the “Dreams.” Firstly, just because their dreams are not confirmed does not mean they don’t exist. Secondly, it could have been watching the plane crash in the distance that gives Donnie the idea and helps him realize his final task.

That was really long, but as I typed it, I became more and more convinced of my own correctness. Interpretation lies with the receiver rather than the sender anyway. Hope that helps!

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 01:56:14 +0000

Question about frank. His name is repeated a few times throughout the movie. At the start, right after the crash donnie’s dad tells his mom while in bed about how this guy “frankie” was in high school and seemed cursed to die. What frankie were they talking about?

Later, the pedophile mentioned a frank who was lost to fear due to his searching for love in all the wrong places. What frank was that talking about? Is it all the same frank? Is it perhaps three generations of franks ie. Frank, franks father and franks father father before me?

The movie starts with donnie’s sister looking like she just had sex with frank, the religious theme in this movie is very against premarital sex could that be the searching for love in all the wrong places? Is frank doomed to die even though Donnie will no longer be shooting him as punishment for his sexual indiscretion against god?

By: bitsbite

bitsbite — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:54:19 +0000

An alternative explanation:

Donnie has a lame life, he goes to bed.
He proceeds to have a heart failure or something like that and enters a temporary coma en-route to death. His body is now paralyzed, his subconscious is acutely aware of his imminent death and his conscious mind is racing to find meaning in his seemingly pointless life.

The entire movie is his struggle to come to terms with death.
That is to say the tangent universe exists in his mind alone.

This idea stems from the movie Waking Life, which is also excellent.

The girlfriend, the pedophile, frank, the engine, the fat girl with a crush on him, the schizophrenia itself, the philosophy of time travel and the reaction to his death are all constructs of his lucid dream state. As far as I can see this explains every detail in the movie and does away with all the pseudo science.

Try watching the movie again with this idea in mind…
Everything adds up, specifically his psychological battle and all of the unlikely coincidences.

He tries to convince himself that the alienation and lack of love in his life was forgivable and to discredit the truth that his life was based on fear. Finally he sets himself up as hero and victim of circumstance, allowing him to die happily in his delusions.

In fact if you watch the movie from this perspective it makes for an honest, dark and thorough character study.

By: CFW

CFW — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:59:34 +0000

Nice to see a movie which didn’t spoon-feed, but resulted in folks taking the time to provide their feedback.

By: Asiablu

Asiablu — Sat, 21 May 2011 16:59:34 +0000

Crazy as this may sound, I just saw this movie for the first time, and was left wanting. Wanting an explanation about what happened. I thought that it was a case of dejavu for the protagonists and everyone else was insignificant. I think the therapist recalls the events that occurred, because her expression is that of anguish, the type from that comes from feeling deep pain. But Werkkrew your interpretation was great, it lightened many grey areas.

By: Raoul Duke

Raoul Duke — Fri, 13 May 2011 06:38:35 +0000

Don’t worry Jim, if you feel retarded it’s probably because you are.

By: Jim Francos

Jim Francos — Mon, 02 May 2011 07:51:32 +0000

No offense to the interpretation of this movie, but i think this movie is insanely retarded as the author who wrote it. This is my first time ever seeing this fucken flik after all these years of hearing it. To be quit honest, you would have to be mentally disturbed to sit and ponder something like this. Above all, there seems to be no fuckin plot in this movie.

Though the interpretation done here made me realize what they were tryin to depict, which was better explained than this retard of a movie. Otherwise, i wouldn’t be on here tryin to get an explanation for what i just fucking saw because it made me feel incredibly retarded. Anyways, thank you for reading.

By: Isabelle

Isabelle — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:50:49 +0000

While it could be argued after what I said that the engine’s time travel should have created a TU itself. Only Donnie has powers because somehow he was the receiver. Perhaps because he had the closest contact with the artifact. So without Donnie, time would go on as normal, because no one else would be able to perceive the artifacts travel.

At the point in time it falls in Donnie’s bedroom becomes the past, in the future when it disappears, it goes back to that point, but no one has the ability to perceive that. So for everyone else times goes forward only.

By: Isabelle

Isabelle — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:39:24 +0000

Forgive me if I’m wrong about anything I’m about to say, but this is what I think happened after long consideration, and reading a few interpretations.

No matter what, the plane’s engine hits the portal, despite Donnie’s mom and sister being on it or not. Portals are rare but they happen. This one just happened while the plane passed over his house. Note that this is all in the primary universe: that the engine traveled from the point in time of when the plane flies over, to when Donnie’s lying in bed that night. Still in the primary universe, Donnie was meant to die in that accident.

The fact that he didn’t, created the tangent universe. Let me explain why. In the tangent universe time travel and other type of energy manipulation are possible that wouldn’t be in the primary universe, simply because the TU’s instability causes them to be possible. So you need to see the TU as linear or spatial and measuring 28 days in length. Frank moved through time like you would space, going to the point the engine appears, but before it hits, and lures Donnie away, which then creates the tangent universe.

By Donnie choosing to stay in bed after time loops back to the beginning, he lets the primary universe go on as intended. By allowing his own death, he doesn’t kill Frank, who then can’t travel back through the tangent universe, because it no longer exists. A TU is the same as an alternate reality. It is theorized that alternate realities are created by possibilities of “what ifs”: What if I had made another decision? The TU was created by Donnie’s choice and/or possibility to be lured away by Frank. If it wasn’t possible for him to be lured away by Frank, then the TU could have never existed.

It could be argued that Frank wasn’t there the 2nd time around, but knowing the future changes it. Just by Donnie having foreknowledge, he would have left the bed only because of that, thus still created a TU. So you see with out knowing the future, or listening to Frank, the natural course would have been his death.

How the TU got created in the first place was only the possibility of it. Frank was only able to come back and create it due to a possibility. When time reset, Donnie took that possibility away and voila, time goes on as intended.

On a side note, When Frank said the universe will end, he didn’t specify which universe, did he? He only implied it was the primary, which Donnie thought he was in anyway. Why the TU was created, I can only guess. Maybe it was just one of those things that just happens, like the random time portals.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:45:13 +0000

This was a great interpretation and I agree with pretty much everything. One question still haunts me tough. In the movie, they mention that the vessel must travel faster than the speed of light. There is no commercial airline to my knowledge that is able to go that fast. So how did the “time machine”, as Donnie Calls it, work at all?

To address D Burns, I’m not entirely sure, but my guess is that the artifact had to be guided back into the exact location that it was supposed to be in and have the same effect as it was supposed to have in the Primary Universe. Donnie was SUPPOSED to die. Him living would simply create another disturbance in the Fourth Dimension, causing another Tangent Universe.