Time travel has been a boring topic lately, especially since Hollywood has exploited it many times. Aftereffect? The idea has been some kind of dumb and lack of innovation (even China has recently put strict NO for any time travelling related movies). Then, coming out from nowhere, Source Code delivers not just a new paradigm of time travelling purpose, but also a fresh and smart narrative storyline. Here, the time travelling idea is mixed up more with sci-fi rather than fantasy approach, and to be frank...Source Code is basically a series of 8-minute movies.
Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in a commuter train heading to Chicago, but his last memory recalls that he was supposed to be in Afghanistan, riding a helicopter. After a series of meeting strangers, a different person in the mirror, and many awkward moments, including hooks up with a hottie named Christina (Michelle Monaghan), then KABOOM...the train blows up...and he wakes up (again) inside a black capsule...
Turns out, he is in mission part of Source Code, a military secret project where a very sophisticated equipment is able to put him in within the last 8-minutes of the unknown person mind (I'm gonna skip all the technical parts here, sorry). Bottom line, Stevens has to identify the train bomber since there will be another incident in the future. Therefore, he has to re-live and go back and forth the incident, getting more clues each time, identify the bad guy, prevent the future bombing, also to make a sense out of his situation. Supervised by another hot chick, Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) and nasty project leader, Rutledge (Jeffrey Wright), they don't spill out every detail to Stevens, since apparently, there is some hidden agenda behind the whole project.
In short, Source Code is a very smart, and well crafted yet satisfying sci-fi thiller I've seen in a while. From the same director who brings us 'Moon' (which I think is one of the best movie of 2009), Duncan Jones does a very good job, and turns out he is able to make a great flick (with a bigger budget, of course). Watch this space guys, he's the next big thing, I'm sure of it.
There's a lot to be loved from Source Code, apart from it's mind blowing concept and twist plots, Jones also introduces some human emotions in it, such as Stevens' relationship with his father, and also idea how he also wants to become a 'hero' in the end. Concluded in a very touching way, I felt so both relieved, sad, and satisfied to see how the story ends, and believe me, halfway through will all those twisting and surprise elements, I just couldn't figure it out how they will finish the movie (but still it's pretty predictable on the 'good ending' possibility). Perhaps the low-down falls on the illogical sci-fi explanation on how the Source Code actually works. There is some loop holes and they may leave some question marks in our head, but hey, fortunately the story pace won't keep you wandering too long.
This is a better role of choice for Jake Gyllenhaal, compared to the last year so-so 'Prince of Persia', but he still needs some improvement if he wants to be a lead action star (somehow, he's a more dependable actor rather than to be a superstar guy). Nevertheless, he's truly the real asset of this movie, along with decent cast. Monaghan and Farmiga add the eye candy thingy, although the latter provides more meaningful role, while Monaghan who plays as Gyllenhaal love interest, some time can be a bit distracting, but since she's a good looking brunette, I don't mind that.
Perhaps I can underline, Source Code is basically a simple love story, with complicated situations. On the other hand, I like the new concept it brings for the time travel thing. It's not as complicated and grand as 'Inception', but Jones creates this movie the way as it's supposed to be. The repetition of the 8-minutes always brings something new, which makes it interesting to watch, it's like the puzzle is being resolved bit by bit. If you watch the classic 'Groundhog Day', try to combine it with 'Time Cop'. Source Code is a good pace thriller yet brilliantly handled, and foremost a good looking flick of 2011.
My Review : 8.5/10
