Wednesday, May 18, 2011

SOURCE CODE



Directed by: Duncan Jones

The 'what if' question is getting a science fiction (and repetition) in the second film of Duncan Jones. His first movie, Moon is amazing, so I have a bit of expectation for him.

Bringing science fiction to the table with not so glittering special effect requires a solid story and in this field Jones did it well.

In this mind bending virtual reality, the viewer is challenged to question whether existence is the state of being or state of mind by opening the story from the middle of the action as Sean (Jake Gyllenhaal) awakens from a nap on a train bound to Chicago. Sitting across from him is, Christina (Michelle Monaghan). Sean is disoriented and doesn't know why he's there. Then he said his name is Colter Stevens, a US Soldier serving in Afghanistan. Eight minutes later the train blows up and Colter awaken in a capsule, listening to the voice of Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), who gives a very small briefing about what happened.

It appears that there is this military program called Source Code and Coulter has to be send into the last eight minutes before the train exploded to find out where the bomb and the bomber is.

Is it a time travel? A new universe from the 'after glow' of people who had just died or just an illusion? A life inside another life? Some secret simulation? I will not spoil you the fun here.

The fun part is actually how viewers with limited knowledge of physics can digest this straightforward story telling, although for some of you who knows too much about quantum physics, some of the science here is just a bit ridiculous.

However the film has successfully bring memories of almost but not similar movie, Inception, about the nature of reality and a high pacing thriller. It will also remind you of Groundhog Day, a movie about one same incident being told several time. Here, Jones managed to repeat the last eight minutes without make everyone bores. Although I do hope that Jones added another layer to make the story more complicated.

As for me, I like this film, it is engaging and has amazing twists. The opening itself even reminded me of Hitchcock films. In the future Jones is a director to watch, since he can make a story without wasting too much on effects.