8 Minutes to Save the World

Rating: 8/10 (6 April 2011)

Capt. Colter Stevens (Jake Gylenhaal) wakes up in a Chicago train, not knowing anyone around him, even the pretty girl (Michelle Monaghan) in front of him who seems to know him. After a few minutes, we are all shocked when this train blows up into flames! Cut to the next scene where we see Capt. Stevens in a cramped little capsule speaking to a controller (Vera Farmiga) on a TV monitor. Then we see the incredible mission that Capt. Stevens was actually on, and from there, we the audience gets a smart, thrilling, dramatic and romantic ride all the way to the end.
OK, at the start, the film was very repetitive (ala "Groundhog Day"). However when the film hits its drift, it doesn't let up. The science fiction aspect is unbelievable, but they make it actually sound plausible. Jake Gylenhaal does it again in creating a character you will definitely root for to complete his unprecedented mission. Stevens' touching phone call towards the end is an acting highlight. The final ten minutes still manages to spin the film around, which can be good or bad depending on the person watching. Thinking about the fate of Vera Farmiga's character can give rise to a lot of plot questions.
When I first saw the poster of "Source Code," it did not make me want to see it. It looked like just another generic explosive summer action film. The title sounded very lame as well. However, when it debuted in theaters last week, the reviews were consistently very good. I am glad that I gave it chance. It was a very good movie indeed.