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Source Code proves that director Duncan Jones and his particular brand of minimalist sci-fi is not the product of flash-in-the-pan gimmickry. Jones, in his second movie out of the gate, proves that he absolutely deserves to stand alongside director contemporaries such as Christopher Nolan and Edgar Wright. Yes, the British rule sci-fi in Hollywood and, as long as they continue to provide such exhilarating tales as Source Code, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Capt. Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is having a really bad day. Originally stationed in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot, he abruptly finds himself on a speeding train alongside passengers destined to meet their maker. That’s right - everything goes BOOM in a matter of seconds. Once again awaking in a strange location, Stevens discovers himself facing a detailed interrogation at the hands of Commanding Officer Carol Goodwin (Vera Farmiga). She wants to know what he knows about the event…
Suddenly, the loop starts all over again, and Stevens is back on the train. It doesn’t take long for the soldier to turn detective. Much like Groundhog Day (in conception only) before it, Stevens keeps repeating the ticking 8 minutes until he can make sense of the military’s methods, the quiet girl he falls for (Michelle Monoghan), and discover the truth to the madness concerning the ill-fated train ride he is trapped upon.
Clocking in at a crisp 90-minutes, Jones doesn’t waste time getting to the heart of Ben Ripley’s multi-layered screenplay. The psychology of which is fully intact as we witness true-to-life responses to the pressure of time and one’s own mortality. Expect some head-turning moments throughout the narrative, as the time crunch impacts everyone and invites some unreliability and unexpected behavior from Capt. Stevens as he second-guesses everyone onboard – including himself. Madness must be like this.
Gyllenhaal absolutely delivers in his performance of bravado and paranoia; one of the many achievements of this low-budget film. He delivers the heart and the romance in a narrative that stretches its time-bending premise until it bursts. His reaction to his own confinement is, at once, harrowing and believable and it grounds us to the humanity of the situation – not the questionable logic of the situation.
Like Jones’ celebrated first directorial effort Moon, Source Code relishes in the idea of a man attempting to escape his own isolation. Then, with a one-two punch, Source Code floors its audience with some absolutely passionate bursts of authentic heart; a fact most thrillers can’t achieve without dipping into the syrupy sweets of breakfast at Cliché Town.
Even the construction of this low-key film sells it on the level of your typical Hollywood blockbuster, but look carefully and you’ll see the fraying edges of its special effects. Not a bad thing, only a reminder that Hollywood need not be so lavish in their attention to set design and special effects when the most careful attention has already been paid to the script. It’s the story that matters the most (as always) and Source Code, every bit of a dazzling mindbender as Inception (yet produced on not even a quarter of its budget), is the reminder of that fact.
Good things do come in small packages.
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence including disturbing images, and for language.
