Source Code Review

                                                            3 Nuts!

Director: Duncan Jones

Source Code is one of those movies that will have viewers talking about it well after the ending credits. This sci-fi thriller is smart and utterly enjoyable.  The film is about Captain Colter Stevens, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who wakes up on a train in someone else’s body and is forced to relive the last 8 minutes of that person’s life,  before the train blows up.  Stevens soon learns that his mission is to find out who blew up the train. 

For the first 45 minutes of the film the audience is just as confused as our protagonist; learning things only as he learns them.  Although this gets a bit confusing, the plot remains intriguing.  The film follows Stevens as he tries to uncover who the bomber is while at the same time figure out what’s really going on with him. 

Quick editing is perfectly utilized in the early parts of the film to create a sense of instability in Stevens’ world.  When he first wakes up on the train he is very fidgety and the camera enables the viewer to feel his discomfort.   Each time Stevens is sent back to relive the 8 minutes, the same events occur; a soda can is heard opening, and then it cuts to a woman spilling some of her drink on Stevens’ shoe.  The audience knows these events are coming and so does Stevens.

Many of the funny moments came from the star Jake Gyllenhaal whose natural energy and charisma make him a very likable character.  The one character in the film that was miscast is Jeffery Wright who plays the creator/inventor of this mission. His lines feel forced and overacted at times.

Although the first hour is very strong, I felt like the last 30 minutes were a bit weaker.  Not that the conclusion of the film is weak, I just felt it loses some of the shine it had in the beginning.  The film’s tone changes a bit and a few scenes begin to feel like something other than an action thriller.  The last few minutes deliver a twist but it happens too fast and is done almost too casually. 

In a peaNut Shell:  Source Code is a solid sci-fi thriller that feels like The Matrix meets Groundhogs Day. There are a few plot holes, but that should not stop you from enjoying it. This film is well worth your time.

This review was first published by The Daily Targum