SOURCE CODE

Director Duncan Jones spent his early adulthood deliberating over the route his life should take. Shying away from the media attention afforded his rock star father David Bowie, Jones flirted with philosophy, dabbled in the music video & commercials business, and after much soul-searching realised his natural affinity for cinema. Fittingly then, Source Code, like Jones’ accomplished debut Moon, tells the story of a man in the midst of an existential crisis. Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is startled when he wakes aboard a speeding commuter train seated across from a beautiful woman (Michelle Monaghan) who thinks he’s someone else. Stevens, whose last memory is of flying a helicopter mission in Iraq, soon learns that he’s been unwittingly recruited to a top secret military operation that sends operatives back in time for eight-minute bursts to help avert large-scale terrorist threats. Gyllenhaal is a lively hero; imbuing his role with intensity, intuition and audacity. Meanwhile, Monaghan’s infectious optimism is heart-melting even if her character feels underwritten. Co-stars include Vera Farmiga as a sympathetic military-type, and Jeffrey Wright as a myopic scientist. Source Code delights in technobabble (‘time reassignment’, ‘parallel universes’) and its non-linear premise, whilst captivating, is well-worn (think Groundhog Day, 12 Monkeys or Deja Vu). Nevertheless, Jones has crafted a cerebral, emotionally-charged sci-fi thriller that brims with suspense and human intrigue. A popcorn flick with brains and heart. (JH) ****