Lots of promise -- weak weak delivery

Rating: 4/10 (11 April 2011)

Despite the generally rave reviews Source Code has gotten, I found it to be far less than I was expecting and wanting.
To get to the point, though I am a lifelong lover of science fiction, I tend to be put off by science fiction films where the "science" comes across as something conceived and explained by a poorly educated non-scientist grabbing buzz words out of thin air. Source Code falls apart in the "science coherence" realm for me, and thus I find the film fundamentally flawed. A side note to that, I had had the impression that Source Code was a 'time travel' story, but no, they put that hoped for idea to rest quickly by the lead "scientist" mumbling something about this *not* being time-travel but rather he gives a mumbo-jumbo-buzz-words-what- did-he-say lame and confusing explanation.
Then the film suffers from a terrible supporting cast. The cardboard cutout characters that communicate with the main character have as much depth and value as... cardboard. The lead scientist is a stereotype guy rummaging around in his lab coat being indifferent to his 'subject', while the military liaison that is the prime communicator with the main character is dealt a very poor script and no depth. By the time she does her "save-the-hero" act near the end, who cares.... there's been no establishment of character other than a face on a video monitor with no backstory (except a crumb near the end).
Don't get me started on the CGI... the train explosions and other effects --- which were minimal. A trained eye will quickly identify the CGI effects as being... budget oriented. Nuff said.
Honestly, I'd save my $15 that it'll cost at the theater and wait for DVD or Netflix. Despite a good performance by Jake G., Source Code is a lame film, poorly written and directed without inspiration.