Character Analysis

Donnie Darko is the ultimate anti-hero because even though he engages in disrespectful and even criminal behavior, his heroic qualities are much more prominent. He defends the innocent, such as the character Cherita whom the other boys tease. In one interpretation of the film, Donnie sacrifices his own life to save his loved ones. In this particular reading of the film, Donnie spends the majority of the film learning the secret to time travel. At the end, once he has mastered the secret, he chooses to go back in time in order to save: his girlfriend Gretchen’s life, Frank's life, his favorite teacher's job, and his mother and sister from a possible plane crash. Beyond just being a hero, he has superhero characteristics like the ability to foretell the future and to see other characters' true motivations. Even Donnie's name and "costume" (the hoodie he wears) are reminiscent of those of a comic book hero.