Cinema Review: Source Code (2011)

A commuter train slices through the countryside on its way to Chicago. Onboard, a passenger wakes up with a start, looking disoriented. The woman sitting opposite him seems to know him, but he has no idea who she is. She calls him Sean - that isn't his name, he insists. Increasingly confused, he leaves his seat, walks along the train carriage, ducks into the bathroom. The face staring back at him in the mirror is not his. Before he can begin to fathom what is going on, the carriage is annihilated in a massive explosion.

As cold opens go, Source Code's is pretty compelling. It's a shame, really, that its impact is diluted by any foreknowledge of the plot; the best way to see the film would probably be completely unprepared. Anyone who's seen a trailer or read so much as one sentence of a synopsis knows what they're in for - a slice of science fiction with a dose of time travel. Groundhog Day meets Inception, it has been called, the most warranted of those analogies being the former. It emerges that Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a US marine tasked to relive the last 8 minutes of a man's life over and over until he uncovers the identity of the train bomber. Thus we have the same passage of time being repeated numerous times, with differing results - only Punxsutawney Phil is nowhere to be seen. A clever way of introducing the audience to the concept is to make it just as alien to the central character as to us, his bewilderment reflecting ours, and his gradual education also teaching us the rules of the game.

Source Code is the sophomore feature of Duncan "Zowie Bowie" Jones, who made quite the impression with his debut Moon. This time he's more of a director for hire, but the film gives him ample opportunity to continue to exercise his clear passion for science fiction film while also proving he can take confident ownership of material he didn't originate. The film is very tightly constructed, with no padding and a brisk running time. Each iteration of the "Source Code" (the 8 minute window) is fascinating to keep up with, seeing how Steven's actions influence events. The interludes are less compelling, mostly featuring Gyllenhall trapped in a dark metal room talking to military officials (mainly the underserved Vera Farmiga) via a TV screen. Each time you find yourself just wanting to get back to the train. Ultimately, the moments between each time jump to have an important role in the plot, but the film never quite overcomes the fact that it's the time travel stuff that is the most interesting part. Jones doesn't pile on the Groundhog Day-esque repetition as much as he could, which is probably wise to distance the film from its comedic forebear, but it does lessen some of the fun.

Nevertheless, the film avoids certain pitfalls that another comparable effort, Denzel Washington vehicle Déjà Vu, encountered. Namely, it doesn't break its own rules. Of course, the plot is patently preposterous, but it plays everything straight, and doesn't contradict itself come the ending, which is a logical, satisfying conclusion. You find yourself willing Gyllenhaal to succeed, and get the girl too (a charming Michelle Monaghan), despite only having 8 minutes in which to fall for her. It's all down to the actor's commitment and believability. It's easy to buy him as a marine fresh from Afghanistan - having seen Jake in Jarhead possibly helps - as he registers the psychological torment and physicality that experience would entail. The film does not deny his character some very emotional beats too, and the actor (and script) rises to the occasion. Paced efficiently, written economically, Source Code delivers the goods.



Summary
Source Code is action-packed science fiction with both brains and heart. Hopefully Duncan Jones can get his pet project, Mute, off the ground soon - based on his form so far it would certainly be one to look forward to.