Sci-Fi Thriller

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2013)

Source Code is a grabber of a premise, and Gyllenhaal is well cast as the unprepared observer trying to understand what's happened to him (the last thing he knew, he was flying a helicopter in Afghanistan) while being forced to repeat those same eight minutes over and over. Eventually, he decides to deviate from the program and try to save the life of a fellow passenger (Michelle Monaghan), even though she's already died in the bombing.
Source Code's themes are similar to those in director Duncan Jones's previous film, Moon, and it has many of the same flaws: once again, he lays out the clues to key plot points so laboriously that we can figure them out ahead of the characters, and the naive existentialism falls apart if you think about it for any length of time. It is a film in which you must pay attention to properly understand the concept.
It's watchable in spite of itself, and Gyllenhaal and Monaghan are great together. Source Code delivers the necessary thrills and suspense one would look to enjoy in a thriller. Although the film moves pretty quickly making the time go by rapid. It could have been a little longer in length. ==================================================================== ======
After a rewatch (03/01/17'), this film is more than great this time around. There are more subliminals and I had a better understanding of the film's concept in whole this time around. Source Code is a well crafted thriller and the short runtime (1hr, 33mins) works quite well in its favor. It allows every moment to be crucial and everything happening is quite important as the film doesn't drag or include any unnecessary or unwanted subplots that we are used to seeing in other films like this. The cast is great and everything is well connected in the end. Source Code reminded more of Edge of Tomorrow in a sense, as well as Unknown with Liam Neeson. Overall, this film is one of the greatest sci-fi films of this decade and is highly recommended, rating change to 9/10. On another rewatch 09/02/18' Source Code remains fresh and intriguing on multiple watches. Highly recommend for those still in the dark having not seen this film.