Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal)
wakes up in the body of a school teacher on a Chicago train. He talks with a woman named Christina (Michelle
Monaghan) who wants to go on a date with the guy. In eight minutes, a bomb destroys the train and he wakes
up in what Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), his window to the outside world, calls the Source Code. The source Code allows
Colter to live the last eight minutes of a dead train passenger as the military tries to find out who is the bomber and what
is his next target.
SOURCE CODE uses the realm of quantum physics
and multiple universes to create a mystery as Colter lives that eight minutes multiple times as he pieces together the suspects
and find the dirty bomb the crazy bomber wants to detonate in Chicago. Also Colter wants to know why he doesn't remember
how he got into the Source Code and why his last memories are on duty in Afghanistan. SOURCE CODE is a well cast mystery
as the link between Colter and Goodwin engages me. Michelle Monaghan is a cipher as Christina and I wish the story involved
Christina more. I do wonder if it would halt the momentum the movie has. It is a tight sci-fi mystery that
is able to tell the same eight minutes in different ways and they always play out differently as Colter wants to save Christina
and finds out the truth about the Source Code.
SOURCE
CODE is an enjoyable 90 minute trip from director Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie). SOURCE CODE may not be as amazing
as MOON (Duncan's first film), but Jones is able to direct and cast a studio film with expert skill. The script does
have flaws, but the excellent direction and editing does help hold SOURCE CODE together. I did guess early on who the
bomber was and I was right. The story does have typical Hollywood studio script logic and yet I really enjoyed this
film. SOURCE CODE is a trip worth taking once or even twice.
this
movie review is (c)4-4-2011 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com
