Review of Source Code (2011) by Andy B — 14 Apr 2013

Source Code is a sort of Quantum Leap for the big screen... and a bit of a cross between Groundhog day, The Matrix and Final Destination...

Jake Gyllenhaal is an air force pilot who wakes up on a train to Chicago in another man's body... he has 8 minutes familiarising himself with where he is before the train suddenly blows up.. whereupon he regains consciousness and finds himself in a decaying yet futuristic capsule, where he is debriefed by some unknown agency via a videolink... he is asked about the bombing and whether he identified the bomber, and when he is unable to provide the information he is sent back to the train to re-live those same 8 minutes again.

As the movie progresses we find out that by some "Hollywood Science" this agency is able to create a simulation using the last 8 minutes of memories from one of the victims on the train and use it to explore the events further.

It's an interesting concept, reusing ideas that have cropped up particularly in Quantum Leap, but also in episodes of shows like Stargate and in other movies too.

There's plenty of action, and some decent character development too, as we get to know the girlfriend (Monaghan) and the other passengers on the train. While Gyllenhaal does a good job portraying the confused airman forced on a mission that he does not understand for an agency he neither knows nor trusts.

Overall a good movie worthy of a 4 with a decent ending... that unfortunately comes about 20 minutes before the end of the movie! And for me that coda, which presumably is necessary to provide the requisite Hollywood Happy Ending, spoilt the movie, and is the reason I'm only rating it 3.