Source Code (2010)

Following up a surprise cult hit is never an easy task, let alone moving into the relatively big budget, mainstream space, but it is something Duncan Jones has made look easy. His first film, Moon, was a terrific little sci-fi fable, which was smart and nicely low key. In contrast his follow up, Source Code, is much more in the mould of other brain twisting sci-fi fare but still shot through with supreme confidence and again features a great central performance, this time from Jake Gyllenhaal.
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Jake plays Colter Stevens, a soldier who wakes up to find himself in the body of another man, on a train. Before he has much time to investigate exactly what is happening the train explodes and he finds himself in a strange test chamber. He discovers that his mission is to go back and re-live the last eight minutes of this man's life in order to find out who bombed the train, so that they can be caught in the present before any more attacks can happen. It is a neat premise, deftly handled and the opening of the film in particular is a great example of a film drip feeding you information and keeping you guessing as to what is actually going on. Wisely the film, for the most part, avoids too much detail of the scientific process, it is a means to an end and works as such (in a similar way to the sleep technology used in Inception). The premise of reliving the same period of time over and over is one that has been explored before (Groundhog day immediately sprang to mind when watching the film) but the combination of this with the mystery makes the film become a strange sort of whodunnit with Stevens eliminating people on each visit, getting closer to the truth.
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Throughout the film Gyllenhaal anchors the film, his mix of roguish charm and physicality make it very hard to imagine anyone else in the role. After a few recent disappointments (Prince of Persia anyone?) this feels like the movie star turn he has been always capable of making. Between him and Duncan Moon the film manages to tread a very neat line between action, drama and entertainment, there is plenty of comedy in the film, but it never takes away from the characters or the situation. It would be easy for a film like this to become weighed down by it's ideas, or too flippant but somehow, for the most part, Source Code avoids these pitfalls and is just a blast to sit down and enjoy.
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The film also benefits from the strong supporting cast, I have always liked Michelle Monaghan and she brings a warmth to Christina, the passenger Stevens finds himself sitting next to every time he jumps. The relationship that the two build is sweet and nicely underplayed. On the military side Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright both impress as the military personnel running the program, and having to coax Stevens into helping them out.
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It is disappointing then that the film, which is strong throughout, botches the ending somewhat, carrying on for a good 10 minutes too long and muddying the waters of what has come before. It is a shame as the actual climax of the film is executed well, but is then almost spoiled by the extended epilogue. Still Source Code as a whole remains a remarkably achievement, it is a smart and enjoyable original sci-fi film that has enough to chew on for more thoughtful viewers and plenty of mainstream appeal as well. From this evidence Moon was no fluke and I am fully on board with whatever Duncan Jones decides to do next.