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Colter Stevens wakes up on a train, sitting across from a woman he has never met before. She claims to know him, but he has no idea what is happening. He races around the train, looking at himself in the mirror and seeing a different face. After 8 minutes the train explodes, sending Colter back to a capsule in which he is greeted by Colleen Goodwin. She tells him that he inhabits the last 8 minutes of someone else’s existence. She also explains to him that the train exploded early that morning and his job is to find out information to stop a terrorist attack that will be happening later that day.
Colter is left baffled like most people would be. He tries desperately to find the bomber amidst a mass of people. He then tries to alter reality by getting off the train, but each time the train explodes or he is killed. As he goes back and forth from the train to Source Code he retains the info he learned. The more he visits the train, the more he falls for Christina ultimately wishing he could save her, much to the chagrin of Sources Code’s creator and operator Dr. Rutledge.
Source Code is essentially a pulse pounding race to beat the clock and save the city of Chicago from impending doom. Colter Stevens must piece together the mysteries of the train as well as the mystery of Source Code and why everyone on that train must be subjected to death. Gyllenhaal is fantastic in the lead role. He is very good at showing the desperation and confusion of Colter Stevens, as well as making Stevens an interesting lead character, and one that audiences can indentify with. Monaghan does a good job in her simple role as well, Christina has no idea what is happening and Monaghan does a great job of portraying her innocence. The rest of the cast does a good job, Jeffrey Wright as the bitter Dr. Rutledge is a fantastic role. There are many secrets behind Dr. Rutledge it seemed which go way beyond where the story went (or so it seemed anyway, would love to have seen some backstory on this guy). Also I must mention this specifically because many people failed to grab it in my theatre, but it was awesome to see Canadian comedian Russell Peters have a role in this film. He played a very sarcastic stand up comedian and at a later point in the film we get a glimpse of what his humour is all about. Russell is one of the top comedians here in Canada and it was awesome to see him grab some great screen time.
This movie becomes much more then what seemed possible. With pulse pounding action all the way through and twists involving Colter Stevens, it becomes a very honest and engaging thriller from start to finish. You will be amazed by the secret that accompanies Colter Stevens and the reason he is in Source Code to begin with. It added a complexity far beyond what originally Souce Code was all about. For a film that ran at only 1 hr and 34 mins it packs a serious punch and leaves you guessing right up until the end.
It ultimately questions changing fate and dealing with alternate realities. It brings the old adage of time travel back, and that is if you go back in time you must be careful not to alter the events of history.
What was so engaging about Source Code and elevates it beyond the status of other films of the same nature is the inclusion of not just the sci-fi plot line but a love story as well. Colter Stevens falls in love with Christina, but unless he can change the course of history he will only ever have 8 minutes to spend with her. A very interesting plot device is to keep the audience hoping that he can change the fate of the Commuter train heading towards the city of Chicago, not just to prevent a future attack but to save many lives.
Source Code is a very fun movie to watch, certainly better then what I expected. So far Source Code is one of the better releases from 2011 that I have seen.
9/10
