Themes: There are several primary themes, but many other tangents present. The major theme is that of predestination. This is dealt with not in a religious sense, although there is a lot of talk about God. This topic is mainly dealt with from the standpoint of our steps being ordered by God, and Donnie struggling through what is his choice and what is God ordering his steps.

Another major theme is how our actions affect others. Frank leads Donnie to perform certain acts that once completed, set in motion a chain of inescapable events that connect Donnie to other characters in the story, and causes their futures to be affected by his actions. Sacrifice plays into Donnie’s character as ultimately, he realizes that his death in one universe will affect the lives of many others in another universe (Don’t ask, just watch).

Random Observations: I have now seen the Directors Cut and the original version of Donnie Darko. I can say that every time I see this film, I like it more and more. After the first run through, I was on the fence about what I just saw and if I liked it or not. I think that this movie is one to be watched several times before judgment is made. If you were to watch the original version, there is a lot left open to the viewer’s interpretation.