Source Code (2011)

Stevens: What would you do if you knew you had less than eight minutes to live?
Christina: I don't know . . . I would make those seconds count.

And that’s exactly what Captain Colter Stevens attempts to do. Make his final eight minutes count. Over and over and over again.

Welcome to the Source Code. Captain Stevens awakens, finding himself in the body of Sean Fentress on a train that is set to explode in eight minutes. But the bombing has already happened and Sean has already died. Through the wonder of science, it is now possible for a soldier to inhabit the body of a deceased person for the last eight minutes of their life. Each time Stevens returns to the train he finds new clues which will help him identify the bomber who now threatens to destroy all of Chicago. During this quest, Stevens develops feelings for a beautiful passenger whom he then sets out to save.

While marketed as an action thriller, this film is, at its core, a character drama. And it excels on both levels. Edge-of-your-seat suspense captivates and never bores. I was able to call some of the plot twists, but others were completely unexpected and shocking. It’s also a solid who-done-it that provides some interesting ethical themes to contemplate.

The characters were rich and deep, a difficult task since many of them had only eight minutes in which to develop. Jake Gyllenhaal convincingly portrays Captain Stevens, the flawed hero who must save the world, get the girl, and sort out his past. His performance is earnest and often touching. Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga, while not given a whole lot of screen time, do a good job portraying their characters: Monaghan as the girl the captain must save, and Farmiga as the sympathetic mission commander.

There is always the danger that a film that features repeating scenes and identical sets can become tedious and boring. However, director Duncan Jones clearly anticipated these moments, making sure that this was never the case. I was enthralled to the end.

The film would have been near-perfect if it had ended five minutes earlier, at the height of emotional impact and tear-jerking redemption.The ending we’re given isn’t bad, but it detracts from the beauty of the film and feels very Hollywood-esque. But don’t get me wrong, it is still plenty satisfying and heartwarming.

On the technical end, this film is a wonder. The film quality was astounding. Each shot was chosen with such brilliant precision that the director did not need to rely on the cheap trick of shaky cam to increase suspense. Editing was top notch, and the special effects were realistic and impressive. The soundtrack by newcomer Chris Bacon was a bit too bombastic for my tastes, but it worked well in the film and brought a sense of urgency to an already suspenseful story.

Love, forgiveness, heroism, and seizing the time we are given are the main themes presented. Captain Colter Stevens continually put his life on the line as a helicopter pilot and now puts his life on the line repeatedly in order to try and save the world from mass destruction and chaos. His character provides a great moral backbone to the story and these themes provide good fodder for consideration as you enjoy this roller-coaster of a ride.

So take a journey into the Source Code; you’re guaranteed a great time.

Caution: The film was marred by some infrequent strong profanity and a few mild innuendos.