Source Code reviewed by Mark Kermode

The cast deliver one of their best roles in this Groundhog Day (1993) sci-fi action styled film where the film’s original, effective, terrifically written & is one of the best films I’ve seen. (100%) (5/5 stars) (positive)

Ooof. Kermode’s line about Duncan Jones’ potential for future success being tied to staying at this scale of concepts and not going deep into large CGI spectacle productions is eerily prescient given how much a departure and disappointment Warcraft turned out to be

To think that the guy who directed Moon and Source Code went on to make Warcraft and Mute makes me sad.

Source Code was great until the last few minutes, which completely betrayed the central premise.

Where do they get the Source Code from? Everyone on the train was wasted. Where do they get the data to reconstruct the simulation?

If you’re reading this, everything is going to be okay.

Mark really, really has it in for Michael Bay haha

That Jake Gyllenhaal has got serious acting chops. Incredibly subtle and deeply moving performance in a great film.

I still think that Source Code was pretty dumb. Not nearly the degree of existential drama that Moon proved the director to be capable of.

Kilgore trout

Should've ended on the kiss.

Otherwise a great flick.

The ending was a little too prophetic....
I'm guessing he's not looking forward to World of Warcraft :P

mayo needs to ay more

I don't think it's said enough how articulate and smart Kermode is when analysing film. 

i agree with you about putting you in the character's spot. for me source code is up there with moon, silent running and 2001, amongst others, where you have a central character in a great narative. as far as fx in films, it's when you don't notice them that there at their best, they're just there to help tell the story.

I see what you did there Kermode ;)

I've got the same little netbook as Mr Kermodes got. I now feel included in this society.

If they ever do a proper Alien sequel, Duncan Jones should direct it (and Cillian Murphy should play an android and Andy Serkis should play the titular critters...). He's clearly got the chops for it, and he evidently loves good, smart sci-fi. I'd put plenty of money into a kickstarter for that.

'Moon' was brilliant. If you haven't seen it you're missing a gem. As is 'Source Code'! The best movies have a way of putting you in the characters spot. Jake Gyllenhall is lovable (no, I'm not gay - I'm a man's man! Jake is awesome in this movie.)

It's better the 2nd time you see it. You can appreciate the way the script is structured and it seems like a more fluid story than the first time of viewing. The cast were well chosen and the secondary plot adds a lot of depth. I'll look forward to the next Duncan Jones film.

Very cool, interesting, intriguing, captivating movie with very interesting story & great acting. It has some similarities with Inception, Final Destination, The Butterfly Effect, 12 Monkeys, Vantage Point, Memento, Deja vu....BUT this film is very unique in its own way. Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga did a great job. It's one of my favorite Sci-Fi films of the 2010's (next to Inception, Prometheus, Tron: Legacy, Limitless, Cloud Atlas, Looper....)

looool

Your comments are flat-out hilarious.

If your here all week im affraid the club is going out of business.

parsimonious, pedantic Pachyderm." yah/no? no sense getting to literal with a little bit of alliteration. :O

I AM NOT POOFY!!!

Not quite as difficult as proper spelling and syntax, apparently.

You sure like the phrase well crafted. As far as I can tell you said it had great acting and the action was not over the top. That is unbreakably well crafted. Last time i heard Jake G was nominated for several awards for his perfomance so that bit is sound and the action not being to boring that is high praise. As for D Jones big future he sure has made allot of amazing movies in the last 3-4 years. Being Ironic is so very difficult.

Well you sure make a persuasive argument for your side. I mean, compare what you said in reply to what I had previously said. It's easy to see that one of us knows what he's talking about. I'm sure that your lengthy and well-crafted comment will have a bunch of thumbs up symbols next to it before too long.

I thought it was crap..

fuckin kermode talkin about goddam inception again..get over it. bleck

"Source code" was garbage

"I know what you're thinking! -No you don't!" So true...

"Source Code" is the best film I've seen in a long time. Great acting along with action that's not over the top. Duncan Jones has a big future, that's certain. His previous film, "Moon" was well-crafted but sort of left me disappointed. Can't explain it, but it just left me flat. Perhaps I need to view it again to be sure. Sam Rockwell is one of my favorite actors. He was great in "A Dangerous Mind" -- another film I liked a lot.

Sorry, but the ideas in this film were really silly. The explanation for the mechanism just did not make any sense. I tried to get past that but, the ending directly contradicts the original premise. Surely science fiction should create an internally consistent world and then build on the consequences of it. That was what was so great about 70's sci-fi. Set up a simple premise and then look at the consequences.

I dont think anybody outthere understood the ending. it is just un understandable

Just watched it and when it finished I thought it had only been on half an hour, which means it had taken me in, which doesn't happen often. Very good.

"every thing will be alright" ...haha you cheeky bugger. i got it kermode i got it.

@TheSamuraiGoomba The Matrix is a vastly superior film on many levels.

@JRHartly1984 In what way is unintelligent?

I profoundly disagree that Inception was this incredible cinematic paradigm shifting masterpiece. It's a pretentious film that insists the viewer agree it's deeper and more profound that what it is. To quote Will Self, or at least paraphrase - It's a stupid person conception of a smart person's movie.

@djeremybolton I definitely agree with you about the last minute. I know they had to establish how Goodwin gets the message, but they probably could've cut to that after the final scene on the train. Although they did have to explain why he kept seeing that big dome thing during the flashes, but they could've just left that out. It didn't make the film any worse for me though, I loved it.

There are flaws in the logic but if you looks for every single one you are going to dislike this film and it your own fault that you don't enjoy your expirence. Source Code is a really good film, just enjoy it, don't think about it. Believe it or not Inception is not real!

SPOILER SPOILER!!!. Does anyone think that the ending, that two minute phone segment was basically there to lead on to a sequal? It felt a bit random, unnecassary and asked more questions than answered. I hope so because the source code idea could certainly lead to another movie or two.

i loved source code

@Golem29 I'm yet to see Moon, and this new one, Source Code... but I've only heard good things about both movies, so will give them a go. Finally someone's making films with adults in mind!

@HisLordDudeness I heard it was utter shite. lol

tony scotts de ja vu

@DontTouchMyVicodin Yes I know, but sadly most films are heavily influenced by recent first-person shooters even Avatar.

went to see this yesterday....really enjoyed it