Remember when Sci Fi movies were smart AND fun? Duncan Jones does, and he reminds you with Source Code.
Remember when Sci Fi movies were smart AND fun? Duncan Jones does, and he reminds you with Source Code.
So David Bowie’s son can direct low to moderate budget science fiction. It’s weird how things line up sometimes. Like when Rob Zombie started making horror… okay it’s not like that at all.
Source Code is a sort of “12 Monkeys time travel go back in time to prevent a disaster” type movie and that’s fine if it’s done well, and it is.
Source Code is a much smaller movie than I thought it would be. From the trailer and our big budget mindset I thought it would be a team of source coders traveling through time to fix the past and at some point, someone would yell “We’re running out of time!” The movie isn’t that at all, and that’s why it’s so great. At every turn, Jones plays with your expectations. Jones knows what you’re expecting and lets you know that he knows. He did the same thing with Moon.
The performances were sold as well. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Colter Stevens and he is layered and interesting. Michelle Monaghan plays the love interest but she’s also an actual person and feels understated and real. Jones learned how to direct actors from directing Moon where he directed Sam Rockwell and.. .Sam Rockwell.
The pacing is well thought out. Clues and story points are revealed at regular intervals and never feel forced. Which is tough to do when you’re dealing with Sci Fi and creating a whole world. Or you could just make mountains float (except for their water) and have space marines fight giant blue Indians. I suppose you could do that as well.
Are there some plot holes in Source Code? Sure. Did the movie end and then go on for a few more scenes? Absolutely. But this is nitpicky and forgivable. I was along for the ride and the overall experience was even greater than the sum of its parts.
Everyone from Zack Snyder to James Cameron should watch this movie to see actual character development. Also sloppier filmmakers can get schooled on how action and character are actually related to one another. One organically flows into the other, and visa versa. I know, crazy.
There’s always that trap of “I wonder what he could do with a 200 million dollar budget”. I don’t know and I don’t care. That’s not what he does. Plus, he’s David Bowie’s son. I’m sure he already has 200 million dollars, or at least he knows where it is.
I’m on board with Duncan Jones and can’t wait for his next film. As long as it doesn’t have the word “Transformers” in it.
–Chris Mancini
