Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko film is one of head-scratching as well as amazing movies. It centers on Donnie, a troubled adolescent who after surviving an incident that nearly killed him finds himself acting violently as well as bringing vandalism in his surrounding because of his growing insanity. Considering the movie’s end, Donnie achieved his goals as all the obstacles are eventually removed.

One of the main characters in the film, Donnie Darko, does not get along well with anyone including his family, teachers, or classmates. However, he finds sympathetic friends who agree to date him besides his other company and a false ally, Frank. It is clear that Donnie has a history of schizophrenia and violence when he receives medication. Frank seems to manipulate him. The presence of Frank is very significant to the movie plot as he wakes Donnie and encourages him to sleepwalk from the house to the golf course. I think Frank takes pride in misguiding Donnie ’s life but begins his mystery after confessing to him about the end of the world.

Frank is the primary antagonist in the movie. He is the ghost of a man wearing rabbit costumes, which means he defines the nature and behavior of Donnie. Besides, Frank appears to Donnie only when he is on medication, thus poltergeist. The rabbit can symbolize the journey of Donnie as he travels towards his destiny where he discovers himself and the world around him. The rabbit creates disturbance; thus, it can be regarded as a demon in Donnie life. Fank haunts Donnie any time he takes his medication and eventually informs him about the end of the world. By explaining to Donnie the sum when the world will end, it adds up to eight, and Donnie realizes that his dog died being eight years old. This was supernatural and not easy to be explained.

The movie does not give details about the elderly woman known as grandma Death. However, when she whispers something to the ears of Donnie, she turns out to be the author of the time travel book that the teacher had given Donnie. He had impressed the English teacher with his ability to understand difficult materials though Donnie’s science teacher was always complaining about his troubling nature. It is clear that Frank was always troubling Donnie by telling him that he will not be caught in whatever he does. Donnie ended up being suspended from school for verbally assaulting the science teacher. At the end of the movie, it was becomes that grandma Death is connected to Frank who was the cause of Donnie’s trouble.

Considering the motives why Frank was causing problems in Donnie’s life, one can infer that Frank saw him as the only way to execute his plan; thus, he could take advantage of his violent nature. The fact is that when Donnie was not under medication, Frank could not manipulate him. Frank only incited Donnie to do anything with the assurance that he would not be caught. When Donnie assaulted people, he was the influence of medication and Frank could easily control him.

There seems to be no explanation as to why the jet engine is the masterstroke. The movie builds twists and turns until the plot wheel revolves so many times leaving the viewer scratching their heads. Both the falling off the engine and the escape of Donnie seem supernatural events. At the end of the movie, one does not demand any answer; only closure is required.

In conclusion, Donnie is a film that is full of mysteries of Frank manipulating Donnie. However, Frank acts as a ghost as he controls and haunts Donnie in his violent nature when on his medications. Many events that take place in Donnie's movie seem supernatural especially when he realizes that grandma is liked by Frank.

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