Movie Review: Source Code

It's such a shame that this film also got an awful advertising - just like Limitless - as there were absolutely no buzz going into it's premiere. It's so unfortunate because Source Code, I dare say, will go down as one of the more underrated films this side of the summer blockbusters. Seriously.

It was clever, oddly engaging and surprisingly focused. Possibly the first movie this year where I felt so compelled to give my full attention to. I got shockingly hooked and was overly interested in every moment of it. And yes, it actually gave me a good adrenalin rush, which recent action/thriller films failed to do so. Who knew?

Frankly, the cleverly crafted storyline was what separated this film from its contemporaries. Sure, the science behind this was a bit confusing and very far-fetched - contrived even - but the premise in itself was interesting and the script was well written and sharp that the story mainly succeeded not because of the science but on the excellent execution of the concept. I liked how the plot was set up quickly and how everything moved at a brisk pace. It also had enough twist and turns that successfully sustained my interest for the whole duration of it.

I was also pretty impressed with how solid the film was on a technical standpoint. I thought the cinematography was stunning, the editing and camera work were often disorienting but in a good way, the scoring had an unsettling tone that clearly fit the situation and the visual effects that were used in some scenes were fantastic. I also found the direction to be outstanding. I mean, everything could have easily been an incoherent mess if things weren't controlled carefully. So, good job!

Now, I also have to give credit to all three principal actors who did amazingly well with their roles. I thought Jake Gyllenhaal carried the plot forward extremely well. He actually gave a pretty convincing performance. Michelle Monaghan was a bit underwritten, but I thought she brought that sense of humanity into the film. Vera Farmiga also did amazing.

Overall, I thoroughly recommend this film. No, the film wasn't perfect as it definitely had a couple of plot holes here and there, but it's safe to say that the film succeeded in almost everything. Plus, the ending surely brought up more questions than answers, which, on my end, felt right. Haha. One of the craftiest and satisfying thrillers this year by leaps and bounds! Enough said.