The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

In order to prevent a commuter train from exploding, army
helicopter pilot Captain Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) must be sent back in time on
that train to try and locate the bomb and its bomber.

Colter wakes up to find that he’s part of an
experimental military program called Source
Code, which takes his mind and projects it back in time into another man’s
body. Under the guidance of Colleen Goodwin (Farmiga), the official in charge
of the operation, and Dr. Rutledge (Wright), the program’s creator, Colter must
find the bomber with a time limit of eight minutes. As he is repeatedly
projected back in time to try to stop these explosions, he starts to fall for
Christina Warren (Monaghan), a young woman who’s accompanied by the man whose
body Colter ended up in.

The plot works perfectly since this is more of a
humane thriller than your typical box office blow-em-up films. The film has
obviously borrowed various elements from films like Vantage Point, Déjà Vu, The Matrix, which follow the very similar
plot of a lead character being sent back in time to prevent an act or to perform
a necessary task. However, Source Code’s unique formula saves the film;
there aren’t any missing details or plot holes, repeated tricks or twists, and its
creative ending could be honestly considered original – a term that Hollywood
has been missing lately.

Source Code’s strength is that it plays mainly on emotions, which
is further emphasized by the cast’s excellent performances. Usually, directors of
such films would put most of their focus on the action scenes; but director
Duncan Jones concentrated more on the story and the acting.

Gyllenhaal is
surprisingly relatable as the film’s lead and his chemistry with Monaghan works
just fine; showing an excellent choice of casting. Farmiga had a challenging
role in balancing between being the official following strict government
orders and the charming, honest character who feels bad about the injustice taking
place. Despite his minor part, Wright also gives a solid performance.

The film’s special effects scenes are brief but
well-executed. Other than the standard explosion scenes, there is one scene
where Gyllenhaal jumps out from a speeding train face down onto the hard
pavement, which uses advanced and very clever CGI and will have audiences on
the edge of their seats.

Source Code is a winning thriller guaranteed to maintain your
attention and live up to your expectations of a substantial, solid film. If
Alfred Hitchcock were alive today, he may have directed Source Code. Yes, it’s that good!