🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌
This is the story I wish I wrote. Parallel universe. Alternative reality. Time loop. Time travel. Faith. Insanity. Symbolism: All together to create a rather bizarre and astonishing film. And if I were to commit a crime of plagiarism, this would be the one I’d steal. The story may require a bit of research and/or undivided concentration to fully fathom its meaning and representation. Nevertheless, you don’t expect to gather a concrete explanation to everything you see on this movie. It is open to different interpretations. But I must say the story flows so fluidly despite its ambiguity.
Consider these three theories:
1) Donnie is insane. Most parts aren’t real. They are hallucinations.
2) Donnie is a representation of Christ-figure though it’s obvious he isn’t saint-like.
3) Donnie is indeed the Living Receiver in a messed-up tangent and primary universes…with the goal of bringing back the “artifact” to the main universe so that the alternative realities will get destroyed and will eventually stop the creation of blackhole that can easily annihilate all existence. With the help of the Manipulated Dead and Manipulated Living (and of course, the divine One that’s there but not shown), Donnie shall triumph (depending on his choice) Further, it’s possible that he is also caught in a repeating time loop within the tangent universe while time travel is also taking place…samakatuwid, I highly highly recommend this! You don’t just watch Donnie Darko, you also analyze it.
One sad realization: Donnie’s heroic deed will never be fully known and celebrated by all humankind. Only God knows.
Nollan’s Bookhouse 