An Exciting Thriller with Bits of Science Fiction

Rating: 8/10 (5 September 2011)

We need more filmmakers like Duncan Jones with a passion for great science fiction. His first film, MOON in 2009, was one of the best in years and his second while his second, SOURCE CODE, isn't as thought-provoking, it's still better than the majority of recent science fiction. SOURCE CODE feels a bit more mainstream than MOON, but it still focuses on an interesting story without relying on action to keep the viewer engaged. Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a helicopter pilot for the US military who unknowingly becomes a part of an experimental program called Source Code. He awakens on a Chicago commuter train with no memory of how he arrived, and he soon discovers that he's inhabiting the body and mind of a school teacher. Eight minutes later, the train explodes and Stevens is informed of his mission. The train had exploded in Chicago earlier that morning as a warning of future attacks to come and Stevens has been given the chance to relive the final eight minutes leading up to the attack and discover the identity of the bomber before he can strike again. Still, his commanding officers are being sketchy with the details of the project and Stevens begins to suspect there's something they're not telling him...
Modern science fiction in the mainstream is pretty much limited to comic book movies and big-budget blockbuster fare (e.g. Abrams' STAR TREK reboot or Michael Bay's TRANSFORMERS series). Every so often, a shining gem emerges that reminds us that science fiction was once a great genre used as a means of getting the audience contemplating mankind's flaws and where they might lead us. In recent years, DISTRICT 9 reminded us of the horrors of apartheid and applied them to our first contact with an alien species. Jones' own MOON contemplated how human rights might (or might not) apply to clones. SOURCE CODE doesn't focus as much on big questions, though it does pose the moral question as to whether it was all right to force one man's constant suffering/repeated death if it means saving millions more. The movie does touch on Stevens' predicament and whether the program is justifiable but it focuses more on the mystery element as Stevens is given multiple chances to try and identify the train bomber. You would think watching him relive the same eight minutes over and over again would become dull, but Jones and writer Ben Ripley keep it fresh each time with new information and new strategies.
Jones is displaying a knack for great casting. Gyllenhaal does an excellent job here as Stevens. He's confused, frightened, and dropped into the middle of a situation where he has no control. He skillfully relates with the audience, and it was the little things that hit me as his best moments. I loved his reaction to the news of his fate from the last mission he remember in Afghanistan. Little bits like that and his dedication to saving a woman he's been repeatedly reminded already died. Michelle Monaghan is adorable as Stevens' only "friend" on the train and growing love interest, and Vera Farmiga was a great choice as his military point-of-contact Goodwin. Honestly, I envy Stevens in a sense. Who wouldn't want to spend the rest of their lives with Farmiga's beautiful face staring down. Jeffrey Wright is the project's creator and an antagonist in his own way, valuing his project over Stevens life and rights.
It doesn't feel as rich in content as MOON, but SOURCE CODE is still a strong second film for director Duncan Jones. It's enough to place him among the new era of emerging directors that I'm excited to see what they do next.