Movie Review: 'Source Code' is a fun and solid thriller
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 10:40pm
If thrillers are your favorite kind of movie, there's a new one in Carson City that more than beats most of the recent examples; it's "Source Code" and is at the Casino Fandango Galaxy multiplex.
The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal at Capt. Colter Stevens, who wakes up on a Chicago commuter trail sitting opposite Michelle Monaghan as Christina, a friendly woman with a pleasant smile. Stevens fumbles around until suddenly there is an explosion (the only one, although it is repeated again and again as part of the plot) and the train explodes.
Stevens finds himself in a chamber with a TV screen, where he is interrogated by Air Force Capt. Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) and discovers he is part of a source code. (Don't worry about what a source code is, though it is a command that computer programmers use in creating software.)
Seems that by the code the subject (Stevens in this case) can go back to a different body during the last eight minutes of that body's life. So Stevens does so, trying to find the bomb that has been planted on the train. Reason the Air Force is doing this is to find out about a nuke someone is planning to set off in Chicago after the train explosion.
Stevens finally finds the train bomb but only removes one cell phone bomb trigger; he has to do it a second time and gets punched about for his troubles. He finally identifies the bomber and tips off the Army, which stops the nuke and arrests the bad guy.
But it seems that Stevens is really not quite dead in Afghanistan but is kept alive for future events. So how does this leave him with Christina, with whom he has fallen in love? Don't worry, quantum mechanics comes to the rescue, just don't ask questions.
This is a well-done thriller without car chases and, as mentioned, only one explosion, perfectly logical given the plot line. Direction by Duncan Jones is crisp and the cast is just right for the story. Technical execution is dazzling, as we've come to expect from thrillers.
There's a neatness about this one (OK, so the science is kind of wacky and it's best not to think about it all too deeply) that rivals that fine Clooney film "The American." Jake and Michelle touch off sparks and Vera is a fine Air Force captain (spoken by me once upon a time).
And the photography is spectacular, showing Chicago off beautifully, including that city park next to the Art Institute. And and commuter trains were never as nifty back in the days when I was riding them. If you lived or worked in Chicago, these shots make the movie well worthwhile without the actors.
As thrillers go, this one goes well. See and enjoy.
— Sam Bauman
Cast
— Jake Gyllenhaal as Captain Colter Stevens
— Michelle Monaghan as Christina
— Vera Farmiga as Colleen Goodwin
— Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Rutledge
— Cas Anvar as Hazmi
— Russell Peters as Max Denoff
— Michael Arden as Derek Frost
— Scott Bakula as Stevens' father (voice cameo)
Directed by: Duncan Jones
Produced by: Mark Gordon, Jordan Wynn and Philippe Rousselet
Written by: Ben Ripley
Music by: Chris P. Bacon
Cinematography: Don Burgess
Editing by: Paul Hirsch
Rated: PG-13, runs about 97 minutes
