Source Code

 

You wake up. You're on a train. The woman sitting across from you is a stranger, however she is telling you that your advice was excellent and that she is thankful. Somebody opens a soda can. Clumsy lady spills coffee on your shoe. You can't remember anything about the situation you are in. Your name is Captain Colter Stephens, but this woman keeps calling you Sean. Your reflection is not your own. Eight minutes goes by and that is when it happens...the train explodes.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Colter Stephens, a soldier who is being repeatedly placed (matrix style) into the body of Sean Fentress, a commuter on a chicago passenger train, for the final eight minutes of Sean's life. Stephens' job is to find out who planted the bomb on the train so they can stop the next attack. Repeating the eight minutes over and over again, trying desperately to find the bomber, he comes to the cold realization that the woman across from him is dead and he must do everything in his power to change the past.

I know I'm a week late seeing this movie, but still, as I sat, alone, in the movie theater this Friday, I couldn't help but wonder why nobody else was there. Had they all heard that Source Code was a terrible movie? Were they aware of some fact about the film that I was oblivious to? A few people trickle in right as the lights go down and several more during the previews, but it played to a pretty small audience and I don't necessarily understand why.

'Source Code' is directed by Duncan Jones, the director of 'Moon' which is one of my favorite science fiction films. (side note. Duncan is actually the son of David Bowie)  If you haven't seen 'Moon', you should go rent that immediately. 'Source Code' stars Jake Gyllenhall, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright in a fast paced, action-science fiction movie full of intense paranoia and a few twists along the way. The story is always moving forward, be it on the train in the simulations, or in the think tank where Colter relays his new information to the team of soldiers and scientists trying to catch the bomber. 

Only a few things stuck out as being sub-par for a movie like this and one of them was Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale) who plays the scientist who has created the means to transport someones mind into the body of another person for the eight minutes before they died. I usually love Mr. Wright's acting, but in this film, he seemed way over the top and not as believable as the other characters. This might not bother you in your movie watching experience, but it took my attention away from the movie and I never like it when that happens.  Also, there were a few strange plot holes that I can't really discuss for fear of giving up too much information on the story. Lets just say that a few 'twists' that happen, are pretty easy to see coming.

Overall I really enjoyed the movie, despite its several flaws, so basically I think you should skip that new movie where the supposedly straight african american man dresses up like a woman because it is really the only joke he's got, and go see 'Source Code' instead.

I give 'Source Code' 6.5 exploding trains out of 10

"If I'm not back in 5 minutes...wait longer!"