Sunday, May 8, 2011

MOVIE REVIEW …SOURCE CODE

 

Establishing his credentials with debut feature Moon, Director Duncan Jones kept audiences guessing what he would do next.  Source Code provides the answer with a twist driven plot reminiscent of Memento and Inception.  That you have to think about what’s going on in this age of frothy blockbusters is no bad thing.  Ably fine tuning his gritty story-telling style enhances the reputation Duncan has gained with a solid feature commanding attention.

Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an army pilot using a computer program called ‘The Source Code’.  Having the ability to re-live the last 8 minutes of someone’s life his mission requires him to find a bomb-maker.  Responsible for destroying a train full of passengers, the elusive target has plans to detonate a second and more deadly explosion.   Helped by Capt. Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) and train passenger Christina (Michelle Monaghan), Colt discovers all is not what it seems where reality and fantasy dangerously blur.

Amounting to his first crack at a commercial film, Jones equips himself quite well.  The mind games and mystical intrigue which categorized his first movie are in evidence while the emerging mystery of the doomed train adds a fair element of thrills.  Although these are not mixed together as well as hoped, the visual flair and stylish direction makes up for any tepid pacing.  Headed by a fine cast giving fine performances with Gyllenhaal displaying the appropriate amount of nervous energy his role requires.

Source Code can almost be seen as two films. While Colter hunts for the bomb-maker he also has to discover the Source Code’s secret.  This strand allows several ethical questions to arise for audiences to ponder whilst delivering the action such a film demands.  The best aspect of the enterprise is Jones’ ability to maintain his unique vision without compromising what made him originally stand out.  It makes for a mostly satisfying ride where unpredictability is its main modus operandi.

Maximizing the concept’s potential within its short running time, Jones ensures Source Code is a worthy successor to Moon.  Now the ‘difficult second feature’ is out of the way, what will he do next is a question his fans will eagerly be awaiting answers.

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Movie Review Rating 7 / 10

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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