Source Code

You wake up. You’re on a train, and you have no idea where it’s going. In the seat across from you sits a woman, and she acts like she knows you. She keeps calling you “Sean.” But that’s not right, your name is Colter, and you have no idea who this woman is. Feeling dizzy, and more than just a little confused, you stumble into the restroom and take a look at yourself in the mirror. As soon as you realize that the person staring back at you is definitely NOT you, you’re engulfed in flames as a huge explosion rocks the train, killing everybody on board.

This is the situation Jake Gyllenhaal finds himself in at the beginning of Source Code. Immediately after the explosion, he wakes up in a capsule as a woman is telling him he needs to “go back in.” Gyllenhaal plays Cap. Colter Stevens, a military helicopter pilot who finds himself roped into the “source code” program, and he needs to find the man responsible for the train bombing or millions more could die.

The audience is just as much in the dark as Stevens is, and the slow build-up of reveals throughout the film works very well at keeping up the suspense. We’re right there with Colter as he learns more about the other passengers (including a very bubbly Michelle Monaghan) and tries to figure out who the bomber is, as well as what exactly has happened to him. Every time he goes into the source code, Colter has exactly eight minutes before the bomb goes off to learn what he needs to learn. It’s in this mixture of Groundhog Day and Moon that much of the story is revealed, and it works well. Without spoiling anything, the ending goes into deep heavy-duty sci-fi territory, and it opens up a massive realm of possibilities. It’s incredibly thought-provoking, even if I was practically screaming at the screen (in my mind) for it to end five minutes earlier than it did.

Jake Gyllenhaal is fun to watch as always, and Michelle Monaghan is wonderful as Christine. The score works as it should, but isn’t especially memorable. The special effects were fantastic, as was the cinematography and the editing. The script, while not penned by Duncan Jones himself, is smart without being pretentious (*cough*Primer*cough*). The movie as a whole is very enjoyable and always entertaining.

Duncan Jones has proven with his sophomore effort that he is more than a one trick pony. In my opinion, he is the premier up-and-coming sci-fi director of this generation, and he’s one I will certainly keep my eye on. Source Code, like Moon before it, is a resounding success.