Imagine repeatedly waking up beside someone you don’t know, knowing that they’ll never understand you and that you’ll both die having never experienced a fulfilling relationship or accomplished anything you wanted to do. But despite the depressing, futile nature of every single one of your living moments, the government prevents you from escaping your empty routine, “for the sake of society.” For some, that’s marriage. For others, that’s just Source Code.
Jake Gyllenhaall stars as Colter Stevens, a soldier who finds himself in the body of a teacher travelling on a Chicago train. Before he can figure out what’s going on, the train explodes, and Colter is transported back into his own body. It’s revealed that he’s the subject of a Matrix-y government programme and will be repeatedly inserted into this alternate train-based reality, where he’ll have eight minutes to find the bomber and stop him before he detonates a more destructive nuclear device downtown.
Like Duncan Jones’ debut Moon, Source Code tries to merge intelligent sci-fi with a character study, but Ben Ripley’s script raises more questions than it answers. Trying to explain itself using overly scientific techno-babble, it merely exposes all of its obvious internal contradictions and gaping plot-holes. And an inherent problem with Groundhog Day conceits is not only can they become a little dull, which Source Code does, but any problems with the screenplay - no matter how nit-picky - are repeatedly seared into your brain.
At least Jones has enough directorial savvy to keep the pace from lagging, and his frenetic action sequences punch through the less effective expository sequences with a nice jolt. Similarly, Gyllenhaal, fellow passenger Michelle Monaghan and officer Vera Farmiga are all so likeable that they transcend their somewhat one-dimensional characters.
Slick, cerebral but flawed, this popcorn thriller is overwhelmingly fine, and sees Duncan Jones moving steadily into mainstream cinema. For better or for worse.