The original cut leaves the “mystery” unsolved, and thus makes it a movie about existential angst, which can never really be solved. Especially when you’re in the midst of high school insecurities. The emotional core of the movie is more true than any literal interpretation. It’s the best “teenage angst” film I’ve ever seen.

Richard Kelly seems to have thrown that away in the interest of making his story more explicit. His “Director’s Cut” makes the sci-fi and deus-ex-machina elements manifest. The convoluted sci-fi elements (which I agree were the literal meaning of the movie) are the least interesting parts of the movie. The original Donnie Darko confusion was the hook to the movie.