Review of Source Code (2011) by Baltimorebrian — 30 Sep 2011

A parable reflecting Americans' desperate desire to find a means to neutralize the threat of terrorism. Tellingly, the technical mechanics of counterterrorism are left vague: "its parabolic calculus ... very complicated"--an imprecision reflecting the actual (and necessary) shortcomings/limitations of counterterrorism. No real referent is available to the film makers; instead, the mythology (and latent desperation) of late cold war era "Star Wars" is a closer referent.

Not surprisingly, dispare resolves into its opposite: hope. And yet, rather than adopting a resolute patriotism, the firm's anti-terrorism sentiment is grounded in the reverence of human life. Thus, while addressing a pervasive and distinctly American, post-9/11 sense of dispare, the strength of the films lies in its resolving upon a universal valuation of life--"Look at all this life," Gyllenhaal remarks in a final scene. In confronting the specter of terrorism, the film (wisely/refreshingly) affirms life rather than patriotism.