Source Code Review

Source Code is an excellent fast passed yet intelligent tale which will leave you thinking way after its 93 minute running time; well worth watching (if you can still find it in the cinema)

Director Duncan Jones last effort (and debut?), Moon, was downright amazing; probably one of the best Sci-Fi films of recent years, at least for me. Hence, you can understand why I was so excited to see his new effort Source Code, (and wondering why it took me so long to see it – watching it possibly on one of the smallest cinema screens ever), which promised more sci-fi intrigue; it doesn’t disappoint.

If you’ve seen Groundhog Day, Next (Don't see Next!), or Déjà Vu, you’ll quickly grasp the concept of Source Code, which see Captain Colter Stevens, played by excellent Jake Gylenhaal, reliving the same 8 minutes over and over again in the body of someone else an attempt to understand why a Chicago train exploded and who was responsible in an attempt to prevent further incidents.

Thankfully Source Code places this ability in something more intellectually tangible (if still most definitely impossible) compared to similar films in which the same event is relived a number of times. It also strays away from showing too much of the same action, with the majority of the eight minute chunks, though ostensibly the same time period, playing out remarkably differently past the initial moments.

Nor does it confine itself to solely this setting and there is much important interplay between Gylenhaal’s character and that of his handler (?) Colleen Goodman, played by Vera Farmiga, and Doctor Rutledge, the inventor of the ‘Source Code’, played by Jeffery White, who is excellent as the mildly villainous scientist. There is a certain edge of mystery and intrigue into the reality of Colter Steven’s position that heightens the excitement of these out of source-code experiences that help them transcends their status as simply a break in the action.

Overall, it is the strength of the performances that push this film forward, namely Gylenhaal’s performance, which is excellent. He ranges from confused, angry, to charming and witty, and to sympathetic and emotional seamlessly, emanating the emotional rollercoaster through which his character progresses across the film and within the Source Code moments and without.

As well as Gylenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, who plays Christina, the almost unknown companion of Shawn, the man that Colter Stevens ‘enters’ during the source code, is equally as excellent and it is the relationship between Stevens, within the body of Shawn, and Christina which is central to the film. Her reaction to the fact that one of her friends (or possibly work colleagues?) is suddenly acting erratically is great, ranging from intrigue to shock realistically, while her performances in the albeit identical sequences (in which ostensibly she had to repeat the same lines a number of times in the same way across the film) are spot on.

Perhaps one criticism I had was that I felt this relationship didn’t have enough time to develop and perhaps there could have been a few more Source Code sequences which, in my mind, would have helped the developing relation between Colter and Christina (or I guess more accurately the shifting acceptance of the relationship by Colter on his various trips into the Source Code) to a greater extent and increase the punch of the emotional ending. Overall then, I just felt that there could have been more, but equally perhaps it was the best the reign in something that could have become quickly monotonous and boring if repeated too many times and they were probably right to rein it in a little.

Despite this little criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing as the film progresses, even if it is dealing with mostly an identical situation. To say that it is purely a action film though, would be wrong; there is a number of action sequences (and one great explosion), but this isn’t a Sci-Fi Fast and Furious (*Now that would be great*); it’s much more about the relationships between the characters, the growth of Jake Gylenhall’s character and the twists and turns of the plot, rather than stuff exploding (I point you in the direction of Unstoppable for all your train related action needs) and that is most definitely for the best. There is a definite audience for this film and it probably won’t appeal to everyone, but if you like Sci-Fi, quasi-time travelling antics, and Jake Gylenhaal’s face, then you will most definitely like this film – if you can still find it at the big screen.