Source Code *** (2011, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright) – Classic Movie Review 703

Jake Gyllenhaal makes every second count as Colter Stevens, a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and finds he’s in a sci-fi spin on Groundhog Day. He has eight minutes to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train, then when the bomb goes off he gets another eight minutes and so on till he gets it right.

This extremely slick and smartly made action thriller may be silly and baffling, but it sure does entertain. What does it all mean? Does it make any sense at all? Only writer Ben Ripley (Species 3 and 4) and director Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie) could really tell us. Try explaining away the ending for us, please!

Most of its success is down to Gyllenhaal’s commanding star presence. But Michelle Monaghan makes an unusual, effective love interest, while Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright are sparky as the folks at control.

Jones is also known for Moon (2009) and Warcraft: The Beginning (2016).

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 703 derekwinnert.com