Source Code (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:1 May 2011 (India)| Runtime: 93 min

Genres: Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital  | DTS

Tagline: Make every second count

An action thriller centred on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Director:  Duncan Jones

Writer: Ben Ripley

Cast:

Jake Gyllenhaal | Michelle Monaghan |Vera Farmiga  |Jeffrey Wright| Michael Arden |Cas Anvar |Russell Peters | Brent Skagford| Craig Thomas| Gordon Masten | Susan Bain | Paula Jean Hixson| Lincoln Ward | Kyle Gatehouse| Albert Kwan

Storyline

Colter Stevens, a US Army helicopter pilot whose last memory is flying in Afghanistan, wakes up on a commuter train. However, he discovers that he has assumed the identity of another man. 8 minutes later, the train explodes and Stevens finds himself in some kind of pod. He then talks to someone named Goodwin, who tells him he has to go back and find out who the bomber is. He is sent back to go through the whole thing again and attempts to find who the bomber is but fails. The bomb goes off and Stevens finds himself in the pod again. He is sent back another time, yet still cannot find out anything. When he returns, he asks what is going on. Goodwin and Rutledge, the scientist in charge, tell him that he is part of a project that can put someone in another person's consciousness during the last 8 minutes of their life. Stevens then asks why he cannot just stop the bomb. He is told that...

Box Office

Budget: $32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $14,812,094 (USA) (3 April 2011)

Gross: $54,696,902 (USA) (10 July 2011)

Production Co: Vendome Pictures  | Mark Gordon Company, The

Filming locations

Chicago, Illinois, USA  |Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA |Montréal, Québec, Canada

Review

Only those with a degree in quantum physics might understand the science behind it but essentially this whodunit mystery with Jake as our protagonist (Airforce Captain, Colter Stevens) trying to find out who caused a bomb on the train is an attention grabbing ride. Initially Colter confusion about what's happening to him is a bit drawn out at first but important in light of events later on in the film which reveal what the source code is and how he is being sent through time.

There is a twist to the film although cannier viewers than me might summarise this early on however and this is built up gradually. when the real situation is revealed it is a poignant moment and really anchors the predicament of Jake with the viewer.

I'm almost certain that everyone who leaves the film will be pondering the same question and that is whether Duncan Jones' movie would have made a more lasting (albeit darker) impression if ended at a crucial moment in the last act of the movie. Who knows what the original ending was conceived to be but in this case I think it's fair to say its the destination rather than the journey that could have elevated this to something extra. Still I would say 'all board' to those of you meaning to catch this.