S. Darko [2009]

This film is just rude. It is an unauthorized sequel to the cult classic Donnie Darko, with no one from the original involved except for the lead actress who played the little sister in the film. This film wants so badly to be like the original with its subtle blue tint to its use of the rabbit figure to the time travel paths and theory, but it just makes no sense. 

It's a fanfic written by someone who didn't really get the original but wanted to use the general ideas and aesthetic. I don't often describe movies we watch on bad movie night as pretentious, but this definitely is. It is trying for the occasionally iconic dialogue of the original but mostly the dialogue sounds like a bunch of people speaking their intrusive thoughts. Plotwise, we have two instances of people going back in time to save someone and it ultimately ends with no real difference to the status quo except that a missing child who was found in one timeline never is. Oops. I don't have much to say about the plot but that's because the plot doesn't really happen. Donnie's sister and her annoying friend have their car break down on a road trip and hang out in a town full of creepy men and Jesus freaks (sometimes both in one person). That's all. Elizabeth Berkley is here for a post-Showgirls role. We like to imagine this is where Nomi Malone eventually ended up: in Utah and in love with Jesus.

Cinematically the film frequently looks more like a music video than a movie and the editing employs a lot of speed up or slowed down shots for no real reason. We get some moments that seem like they're trying to be symbolism, but the film lacks the depth to really say much of anything.

The one nice thing I can say about the movie is that the score is pretty good. All the songs with lyrics sound a bit like discounted versions of Echo & The Bunnymen or INXS songs but what can you do?

Don't waste your time with this film no matter how many copies you find at Goodwill.

Spoon Rating: 2