Source Code [2011]

I loved Duncan Jones’s directorial debut “Moon”, so I was more than willing to accept the premise of his latest movie, about a former pilot (Jake Gyllenhaal)  who finds himself involved in a government program that requires him to travel repeatedly back to the same moment in time, searching for clues in a train in order to discover the location of a bomb before it explodes. Along the ride are Michelle Monaghan (“Mission Impossible 3″, Eagle Eye”) as Gyllenhaal’s love interest, and Jeffrey Wright as an enigmatic scientist. Call it “Groundhog Day” meets “Inception”. This however, is only 50 % of what the movie’s actually about. The remaining part of the story dabbles in physics and metaphysics, enough to make you question the possibility of an alternate universe. Yet unlike “Moon”, I felt that something was missing. It could be the lack of suspense, I’m not really sure. All I know is that I left the theatre with mixed feelings, and that’s always a bad sign.

This could have easily been an instant sci-fi classic, so imagine my frustration when I realised that it wasn’t as good as I expected it to be.  Take “Moon” for instance, which became sort of an “instant favorite” to us genre folks. And the reason why so many of us fell in love with “Moon” so quickly is because of its originality. It’s fresh, entertaining, clever, and deep all at the same time. “Source Code” however, is not nearly as original as Jones’s first film, and I think it’s a damn shame. I guess I was asking too much from it, and got very little in return. Yet technically, the film still delivers. With top notch effects and some nail biting scenes, this is solid entertainement. So let’s just say that on a basic level, “Source Code” will definitely appeal to an audience seeking a quick ride, but in case you’re looking for something more profound, then you’ve come to the wrong place.

Rating: 2.5/4