Source Code

The latest update from your friendly, neighborhood movie critic is Source Code.

Source Code is about an army helicopter pilot, Colter Stevens, who wakes up on a commuter train traveling to Chicago, although the last thing he remembers is a mission in Afghanistan. He finds out that he appears as Sean Fentriss, a school teacher. As he begins to understand that he is Sean Fentriss, the train explodes, kills everyone on board, and derails and runs into a train going the other direction. He wakes up in an unknown area. Through a screen he sees Air Force Captain Colleen Goodwin who explains that he is in an experimental unit known as “Source Code”. It allows its user to go back and experience another well-suited person’s life within a past alternate timeline. He is also told that the train explosion cannot be changed, but if he can find the bomber, he can save millions of innocent lives. Stevens goes back into the “Source Code” and tries to identify the bomber, but in the process thinks he can change the past alternate timeline. The film focuses on the struggle between Stevens and finding the bomber, as well as trying to change the explosion although he is told he cannot.

The film is directed by Duncan Jones, David Bowie’s son, who has directed Source Code and Moon. He is known for his two science-fiction films and is understanding of science and the research he puts into the projects. His first film, Moon, was released in 2009 and is regarded as one of the best science-fiction films of 2009. He is currently working on an untitled project which could possibly be a sequel to Moon.

The actors in this film are phenomenal. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the role of Colter Stevens/ Sean Fentriss, in one of his better performances recently (mainly because I am comparing it to Prince of Persia). Michelle Monaghan plays Christina Warren, Sean Fentriss’s travelling partner, in her best role since Gone Baby Gone. Accompanying these two are Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright. Vera Farmiga plays the role of Air Force Captain Colleen Goodwin, and plays it extremely well. I think she is one of the most underappreciated actresses working now. She always brings her A game and I haven’t seen her in a bad role yet. Jeffrey Wright, probably most well-known for his roles as Felix Leiter in the last two James Bond films, is also a phenomenal actor on the stage as well as in front of the screen.

Filming took approximately two months to do in Montreal, Canada and Chicago, Illinois. Editing took place in Los Angeles and the soundtrack was to be done by Clint Mansell, who did the soundtrack for Moon, but due to time constraints, Chris P. Bacon replaced him.

Critics and fans alike both like this film. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 92 percent, Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+, and Metacritic gave it a 74/100. My rating for this film is a 4 out of 5 stars. It was extremely well done and the acting was great, but some of the plot was confusing and needed further explanation. Loved the ending though, so if you want a smart science-fiction thriller with Jake Gyllenhaal, this is your movie. You will not see the ending coming.