MovieChat Forums > Donnie Darko (2001) Discussion > Accidental masterpiece?

Accidental masterpiece?

posted 8 years ago by Stigler
6 replies | jump to latest

For years I've had the feeling that this movie was not meant to have hidden and deeper meanings. It was merely meant to be a low budget superhero movie, when people started to interpret it as "deep" and "philosophical" Richard Kelly merely ran with it.
One example of this is the theater scene. The movie that was supposed to be shown was C.H.U.D. They couldn't get the rights, so they used The Evil Dead. Connect The Evil Dead to "Cellar Door", that's one little bit of evidence of Donnie Darko being an accidental masterpiece.

[–] Line-of-Flight 8 years ago

But only one.

[–] wdement 8 years ago

To say this was an accidental master piece is like saying fight club was an accidental masterpiece, this movie's themes are articulated all throughout the movie in a variety of methods and there's no way a "superhero movie" would take on such a complex plot.

[–] Stigler 8 years ago

Richard Kelly said that it was supposed to be a superhero movie and if you think the plot was complex you have no understanding of time travel or the concept of "it was all a dream" movies.

[–] wdement 8 years ago

Firstly, it might be a superhero movie in that the main protagonist has supernatural powers and gives his life to save others, but it is not a superhero movie in the way most would think of superhero movies because it contains a real message and has a more nuanced plot with realistic characters, rather than a larger than life Mr.Perfect saving a damsel in distress from a super villain type movie.

Second, a complex plot does not equate to a confusing plot. Inception has a complex plot, but that does not mean it is at all confusing. When I say that it isn't an "accidental masterpiece" because of its complex plot, I mean no movie with a plot and ending that well thought out and foreshadowed can be considered an accident.

Third, If you think this movie was "all a dream" as you say then you are the one who is confused about the plot, not me.

[–] Stigler 8 years ago

That's what the ending amounted to, he goes back and time and essentially commits suicide. EVERYTHING was rendered pointless.

[–] wdement 8 years ago

Just because it was all erased doesn't mean it was a dream or pointless. All the events of that month built on top of each other until they eventually culminated in halloween night and Donnie made the decision to kill himself to save others. The events of this movie aren't some random dream.