10 Essential Time Travel Movies
5. Donnie Darko (dir. Richard Kelly, 2001) Its very easy to dismiss Richard Kelly as a one-trick pony; the man seemingly cannot make a film that doesnt involve time travel, wormholes or the apocalypse. But the fact remains that Donnie Darko was a cult sensation when first released, and it still holds up (in its original cut at least) after 12 long years. The film revolves around the title character (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is informed by a giant rabbit named Frank that the world will end in 28 days and only he can stop it. Possessing a complex plot and a very impressive cast (including Katherine Ross from The Stepford Wives), Donnie Darko still holds up as a challenging and distinctive story about time, mental illness, adolescence and the end of the world. Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are brilliant in their respective roles, and Kellys direction is confident and compliments the story rather than working against it. Whatever his later excesses (including the directors cut of this film), Donnie Darko is testament to Kellys talent as a writer of intriguing science fiction.
