Source Code – Review

by Martyn Conterio

Duncan Jones’ second feature, Source Code, is a more mainstream endeavour than his debut, the mind-bending Moon. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga, Michelle Monaghan and Jeffrey Wright, this sci-fi thriller is not strictly centred on time-travel but in “the afterglow of a moment”.

For a good majority of its running time the thrills derive from Captain Colter Stevens’ initial confusion and then manipulation of repetitious action à la Groundhog Day. Gyllenhaal plays his character with a slick assurance that wouldn’t be out of place in a Hitchcock thriller headlined by Cary Grant. It’s testament to Gyllenhaal and his performance because Stevens is a thoroughly likeable hero the audience can get behind, follow and root for every step of the way.

The US army chopper pilot wakes up on a train that is set to blow up in eight minutes time. It is safe to say the film is simply one scenario played out as alternatives each time around. A great concept for a science fiction movie if ever there was one. It allows its director to have plenty of fun with the restrictions of the narrative space while presenting fresh angles each time around. An early encounter with an Arab ‘suspect’ is cringe-inducing as it is logical to the character’s prejudices and experience as a soldier in Afghanistan.

Source Code is ninety minutes of high entertainment and pure cinema tension. The mystery surrounding the military programme masterminded by Jeffrey Wright’s pantomime scientist is the weakest element. If anything this feature film sets out Duncan Jones’ stall as a director who is comfortable with mainstream projects. Source Code makes a great calling card.

It would be easy to describe the film as Hitchcock meets Philip K. Dick because that’s the basic gist of the things if we have to reductive. How’s that for “strangers on a train”?

The attempts at poignancy towards the finale might add an emotive back story for Colter Stevens and his predicament, but it isn’t wholly necessary. Indeed, if this were more an indie sci-fi flick it might have been jettisoned all together allowing for a Quantum Leap-like set up. And at times Source Code feels as close as we’ve ever been to a full blown Quantum Leap movie. Such is the likeability of our hero if he dared slip in a quick “oh, boy” at the end it wouldn’t have been a homage too far. It would have been ace.

Despite some narrative weaknesses and Jeffrey Wright’s unnecessary grandstanding Source Code is fine and thrilling old school entertainment. It crackles with invention, is played very well by the two leads and, unlike the characters on the down train Chicago commuter train, the future of its director looks promising. Yeah, Zowie Bowie made wowie. Can’t wait to see what he does next.

Rating: ****