Source Code Review

Source Code, the latest sci-fi fare from up and coming director Duncan Jones, is really the kind of film that doesn't hold up to close scutiny of any kind. Its the sort of movie that really starts to fall apart when you really think about the logic behind it. And generally, films where the world in which they inhabit make little sense usually leave me checking the time periodically whilst watching and wondering what I could have instead spent the £4.90 on (see Sucker Punch). Its very strange then, that I actually found myself enjoying Source Code. Alot.



I imagine this was the look on his face when someone first tried explaining how the science works in this movie...



Jake Gyllenhaal (who has finally made his first decent film in years) stars as Captain Colter Stevens, a helicopter pilot who is the first person to be used for a top secret government program. The 'source code' allows Stevens to live in the last 8 minutes of train bombing victim, through some kind of techno babble which you wont understand even after youve thought about its plausability for hours after you've left the theater. In short, Stevens must try and find out who bombed the train in an effort to stop him from attacking again, and he is forced to play out the same 8 minutes everytime until the bomber is caught. The plot gets alot deeper than that, but I wont go into detail and risk spoiling it...

The film rarely has a dull moment.



As it has been advertised, the film plays out a little like a cross between Groundhog Day and the Matrix. This is true for the most part, with Gyllenhaal's character constantly reliving the same 8 minutes, each in a new and interesting way. And whilst it feels like both those movies, it still manages to offer a viewing experience that feels both fresh and new to the audience, borrowing certain traits from those movies but still feeling original and utterly enjoyable. The entire film is buzzing with tension throughout as we slowly learn more and more about Stevens situation, with a well paced narrative that never seems to sag. If this movie intrigued you, and you cant get past the somewhat silly premise, then Source Code is well worth the price of admission.