It's okay, different, a bit dull

Rating: 6/10 (3 June 2011)

Lots of people seem to think this was a great film, given that it's scored 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. I disagree. It was okay, but not great. Different, but a tad convoluted. Formulaic and a little dry. Here's why:
Plot: Not a bad idea at all. However, the writer tried overload what is a simple story with a little too much heavy-handedness. For instance: Jake G (whatever his character's name is) wakes up from an apparent dream, and doesn't know where he is. Fair enough. So he asks "Where am I?" Also fair enough. But then it's case a case of him not being given enough information, as if trying to keep something hidden. Well, something is being kept hidden, but it all goes on a little too long. He could have just been told what the source code idea is etc etc, but instead this atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust is rather artificially forced.
The focus is misdirected. Rather than hiding what "source code" is, it's easier to just tell the audience, get them into the basic concept, and save your energy for the more important twists.
The big "reveals" in the plot are okay, but they lack narrative strength. The storytelling is a little muddled and formulaic. By creating this artificial atmosphere (undoubtedly to try to keep the audience guessing), it takes something away from the simple storytelling aspect. That makes the twists have less impact, I found. My attention was diverted by the faked tension, and so I couldn't settle into the basic plot premise as much.
Characters: Pretty bland. Michelle Monaghan is very cute, although her role was pretty limited. Jake Gyllenhaal is okay, but he's not given much to work with. The others are average as well, for the most part.
SFX: Nothing much. It's a relatively non-SFX film, for the most part. I did actually see a trailer that had a bus or something explode, but that didn't make it into the film. Maybe the story changed midway or something. Maybe I'm off my head and saw some different movie's trailer.
Overall, it's okay and forgettable. The ending is weak, and lacks any emotional punch. It's too unbelievable. The big screen doesn't do much for it, so look to catch this one on DVD. 6 out of 10.