The Movie
Sequelling a small, personal movie like writer/director Richard Kelly's 2001 Donnie Darko--and doing so with an entirely different cast and crew--might seem a fool's errand, but the makers of S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale have succeeded in achieving their own, albeit fitting, vibe of weirdness. Samantha (Daveigh Chase), the younger sister of the ill-fated title character from the original film is now a runaway in the wake of family tragedy. Stuck in a small-town in the middle of nowhere with an array of quirky/dangerous locals, she'll either grow up and get her life back on track, or lose her life on the course of her journey. I can't claim to understand every last bit of the non-linear story, but S. Darko is unlike anything I've seen in a while.
The Picture
Likely because it was destined straight for the home theater, the picture--captured digitally--is framed at 16:9/1.78:1, with moments that are truly outstanding: beautiful scenery of America at eye level, and the grass, trees and sun-baked back roads all reproduce stunningly. A slew of subtly rendered visual effects blends in remarkably well with the live-action footage, but there is also distinct noise in some backgrounds and dimly-lit scenes, and undeniable ringing in the sky, or later in a dissolve, and these issues prevent S. Darko from receiving a higher video rating.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack displays strong, solid bass throughout, evident in everything from the musical score to the rumble of big American car engines, from the sharp thunder to a car crash to a fiery explosion. Oh, and I neglected to mention that the events here all lead up to the end of the world, and this quiet burg is spectacularly, jarringly showered with giant flaming meteors in Act III. Put it all together and you have a pretty aggressive, theatrical-caliber mix.
The Extras
The supplements are none too shabby for a direct-to-video release, although all are in standard definition. First up is a commentary by director Chris Fisher, joined by writer Nathan Atkins and cinematographer Marvin V. Rush, their musings further enhanced by the 15-minute featurette "The Making of S. Darko." "Utah Too Much" (seven minutes) breezily covers the unusual experience of working in Utah, reflections ultimately captured in a song recorded by members of the cast. There are also a total of six deleted/alternate scenes, running six minutes.
Final Thoughts
A curious little movie, the tale of Samantha Darko will likely be welcomed by the many fans who embraced Donnie. While I can understand why it was not released theatrically, it was surely not because of sub-par audio/video post-production.
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