Overview: Fifteen years before Stranger Things combined science fiction, Spielbergian touches and 80s nostalgia to much acclaim, Richard Kelly set the template – and the high-water mark – with his debut feature, 'Donnie Darko.'

Initially beset with distribution problems, it would slowly find its audience and emerge as arguably the first cult classic of the new millennium.

Donnie is a troubled high school student: in therapy, prone to sleepwalking and in possession of an imaginary friend, a six-foot rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world is going to end in 28 days, 06 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds.

During that time he will navigate teenage life, narrowly avoid death in the form of a falling jet engine, follow Frank’s maladjusted instructions and try to maintain the space-time continuum.

Blu-ray Verdict: In all honesty, 'Donnie Darko' is a very thought provoking movie! It starts off just odd with your typical socially awkward teenager and a family that seems very stereotypical and standard for any Hollywood movie and it actually isn't until Donnie's first "dream" with Frank that the movie takes a very serious turn from your typical Hollywood cinema.

These "dreams" that Donnie experiences are very eerie and put the audience in a sense of unease and unknowing as to what is going on. I won't go into a lot of detail to avoid spoilers, but this is very much purposeful for later in the movie.

The idea of having this "imaginary friend" from a teenager helps explain that while adults an try and find ways to help, they will never truly know what is going on in a teenagers head.

This is a theme throughout the entire film. The mind of a teenager cannot fully be understood unless you're in their shoes and experiencing everything they are.

This and the theory of time travel that gets brought up throughout the film add to even more confusion. Whilst the brilliant Director's Cut (which I also own and have watched numerous times now with friends) does help explain all this confusion, the theatrical cut really just allows the audience to think more for themselves.

I mean, come on, at the best of times trying to understand the teenage mind is tough enough, but adding a more complex topic such as what is going on here, well, it most certainly makes for a very confusing, yet highly effective viewing experience.

Indeed, the movie combines these elements expertly in a way that is absolutely confusing, but once you take the time to think about what you are seeing, it all starts to slowly make sense regardless.

In closing, and now here as an expansive Limited Edition 4K UHD, 'Donnie Darko' is definitely a movie that needs to be seen more than once in order to understand all the elements at play. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

New 4K restorations of both the Theatrical Cut and the Director's Cut from the original camera negatives by Arrow Films, supervised and approved by director Richard Kelly and cinematographer Steven Poster 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations of both cuts in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)

Original DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
100-page hardcover book featuring writing by Nathan Rabin, Anton Bitel and Jamie Graham, an in-depth interview with Richard Kelly, an introduction by Jake Gyllenhaal and contemporary coverage, illustrated with original stills and promotional materials
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by Luke Preece
Six double-sided collector's postcards
Limited Edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Luke Preece

DISC 1 - THE THEATRICAL CUT [4K UHD BLU-RAY]
Audio commentary by writer-director Richard Kelly and actor Jake Gyllenhaal
Audio commentary by Kelly, producer Sean McKittrick and actors Drew Barrymore, Jena Malone, Beth Grant, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Katharine Ross and James Duval
Deus ex Machina: The Philosophy of Donnie Darko, a documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures on the making of Donnie Darko, containing interviews with writer-director Richard Kelly, producer Sean McKittrick, cinematographer Steven Poster, editor Sam Bauer, composer Michael Edwards, costume designer April Ferry, production designer Alec Hammond and actor James Duval
The Goodbye Place, Kelly's 1996 short film, which anticipates some of the themes and ideas of his feature films
20 deleted and alternate scenes with optional commentary by Kelly Trailer

DISC 2 - THE DIRECTOR'S CUT [4K UHD BLU-RAY]
Audio commentary by Kelly and filmmaker Kevin Smith
The Donnie Darko Production Diary, an archival documentary charting the film's production, with optional commentary by cinematographer Steven Poster
Archive interviews with Kelly, actors Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, James Duval, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Noah Wyle and Katharine Ross, producers Sean McKittrick, Nancy Juvonen, Hunt Lowry and Casey La Scala, and cinematographer Steven Poster
Three archive featurettes: They Made Me Do It, They Made Me Do It Too and #1 Fan: A Darkomentary
Storyboard comparisons
B-roll footage
Cunning Visions infomercials
Music video: 'Mad World' by Gary Jules
Galleries
Director's Cut Trailer
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