MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence, disturbing images, and language
Appropriate for: Ages 13+
Genre: Sci-Fi Action Thriller
Length: 93 minutes
Year of Release: 2011
On what seems to be an ordinary day in Illinois, Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) suddenly wakes up in a train heading towards downtown Chicago. Colter has no idea where he is or what he is doing in the train. He becomes even more confused when the young lady sitting across from him begins to call him Sean and starts talking to him as if she knows him. But almost as soon as Colter discovers that he is, in fact, in the body of another man, the entire train explodes, and he awakens yet again, this time strapped into a harness at a top secret military base.
After several minutes of frantic confusion, Colter is told by a woman named Goodwin – who seems to be his commander, but whom he doesn’t remember ever meeting before – that he is part of an anti-terrorist mission to track down the bomber of the train he had, seconds before, been riding in. He also discovers that his confused experience in the train had been a re-living of the memory of one of the explosion’s victims. Goodwin tells Colter that he will continually be sent back into the 8-minute memory of this victim until he discovers who the bomber is. According to Goodwin and an elderly man who seems to be her boss, he won’t be able to save the people on the train who died in the explosion, since the event had already occurred. However, he will prevent the bomber from later bombing a larger section of Chicago, saving thousands of lives in the process. Still very confused and disgruntled, Colter is sent back into the short-term memory of the dead man to find the bomber. But soon, Colter begins to sense that something isn’t quite right. Before long, he will have to face the gruesome and uncanny fact looming behind the already-bizarre mission.
If you liked Inception or The Adjustment Bureau, you will probably like Source Code. This movie is another one of those great, out of the ordinary, sci-fi action movies that keeps you on the edge of your seat and your brain spinning as you are plunged into a score of obscure events and ideas. Even as the credits roll, the viewer is left with numerous questions regarding the previous 93 minutes of the movie. Along with its exciting and original plot, this movie encourages the audience to make the most of your life. It also champions the values of living in harmony with each other and giving of your self for the sake of others.
Unfortunately, as is the case with the movies Inception, The Adjustment Bureau, and most other sci-fi films, Source Code presents several off-tune theological ideas, having to do mostly with the condition of man after death. Also, since this film is not a Christian film, the idea of “making every second count” had more to do with “eat, drink, and be merry” than it did with fulfilling our true purpose in life, which is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This movie also contains quite a bit of foul language and a few rather disturbing images, not to mention a lot of blood, violence, and a few explosions.
Although the violence and profanity in this movie are rather heavy, this movie’s originality and the several good messages it presents definitely outweigh any negatives this movie may have. Just for that, I’m giving Source Code an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Still, this movie is only suitable for more mature viewers and is definitely out of the question for any child below 13. As always, this movie can be the perfect discussion starter on topics such as the meaning of life and life after death, so make the most of this opportunity and “make every second count!”
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