Tags:
Journalism of Courage
A well made sci-fi
Producers:
Mark Gordon,Philippe Rousselet,Jordan Wynn
Director:
Duncan Jones
Writer:
Ben Ripley
Cast:
Jake Gyllenhaal,Michelle Monaghan,Vera Farmiga,Jeffrey Wright
The last thing the Air Force Captain Colter Stevens remembers,he was flying a plane in Afghanistan. The film gradually reveals the heros true situation: His mind is in the control of a government project dubbed Source Code,which allows him to relive the last eight minutes in the life of a man who died on that commuter train,as did all passengers,when a bomb exploded. His mission is to continue to relive those eight minutes until he can identify the bomber and prevent a much greater attack threatened against the city later that day. Putting him through these minutes over and over again is a slightly cold and cerebral scientist Dr Rutledge,and his assistant Coleen Goodwin,who is much better at empathising with the poor captain than her boss.
Duncan Jones,whose feature debut,2009s Moon,was about identity in the vast loneliness of outer space. His career is only two movies old,but director Duncan Jones son of pop icon David Bowie seems to have a yen for science fiction. Ben Ripleys tense screenplay helps Jones throw in aerial shots of the train and a few exterior scenes in train stations to relieve the audience from the tedium of the three sets the train,control station and a claustrophobic capsule where Colter retreats between episodes aboard the train. A sense of claustrophobia and an intriguing race against time is,thus,well played out.
Cast superbly,each of the four main actors play sharply delineated characters. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan showcase their individual adeptness at playing variations on their character in each of the eight minutes.
Duncan Jones continues his quest into identity; he ventures into more ambitious territory,with traditional action,tangible villainy,and CGI explosions. But the heart of the story remains of a man whose ultimate mission is to discover the true nature of his existence.
Yes,sci-fi fans will enjoy this well made gem and it just might appeal to general audiences.
RATING:
One each for script,direction and production design
