Source Code /Code Source by / par Duncan Jones

{This posting includes a review by Nancy Snipper (in English only and posted April 1st 2011, followed by mine (in English and French and posted April 9th 2011}

{Cette affectation comprend un critique par Nancy Snipper (en anglais seulement et affiché avril 1er 2011, suivie du mien (en anglais et en français et affiché le 09 avril 2011 }

This niche film might attract an audience who has an interest in quantum physics, but hard core scientists might take umbrage to seeing a pop screen version on the esoteric subject.  Bending the laws of quantum physics, Source Code plays on the idea of time travel as it replays eight times a singular event that changes in content each time it is relived (reshown on the screen). The premise pushes the supposed truth that after we die, the brain lives on another eight minutes storing events that occurred during that time.  Enter, Captain Colter Stevens who is inside a small helicopter capsule looking at a woman who is demanding he locate in his time travel the bomb that blew up the train (the main star in the film) and the bomber who did it. Throughout a series of highly confusing events, we learn Colter assumes the identity of a man who had been on the doomed train. Indeed, that man is dead, and guess what - Colter is too. But that doesn’t matter until the end of the film, when in fact, we find out that being dead or alive doesn’t make a difference if you are able to time travel into the past to revisit events, change them to your liking and live a little bit longer to see the fruits of your labour. Sauce Code is painfully stagnant despite the train crash and the special effects; most of the action takes place in two places: a dark, dank claustrophobic capsule, and a train. Your really have to like the faces of the characters to enjoy this film; the constant close-ups seem to compensate for the lack of credibility and plot progression in this otherwise noble attempt to illustrate rudimentary quantum physics in an inventive way: Hollywood style. Actors, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan – who played the girl on the train he wishes to save from the train crash, were miscast. Vera Farmiga as the US video screen interrogator of Colter was the only bright light in this film. Too bad the film’s train of thought veered off track from the get-go.

Does an effective weapon against terrorism exist? What if one can go back in time to just prior to an incident, and with his knowledge, alter events? This would ultimately result in preventing it entirely, thus saving many lives. With a similar concept as the 2004 film “Butterfly Effect”, 2011’s “Source Code” attempts to do just that.

The last thing that Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) remembers was flying his helicopter on a top-secret mission in Afghanistan. He awakens on the morning rush hour commuter train is Chicago. Across from him is a woman he doesn’t know, Christina (Michelle Monaghan), yet she clearly knows him.  Seeking refuge in the washroom, he sees another man’s reflection in the mirror. He takes out his wallet and notices that the ID cards belong to a schoolteacher named Sean Fentress. Soon after he returns to his seat, a bomb rips through the train, leaving no survivors.

Colter awakes in an isolated chamber. On the screen in front of him is a uniformed woman, Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) who demands to know what he saw. Colter is briefed as to his mission named “Source Code.” Each time he is sent to this parallel reality he has eight minutes to discover the identity of the bomber.

A mind-boggling and suspenseful action thriller whereby the viewer, as with the characters, learn progressively and a knowledge of quantum theory and the effects of altering timelines will greatly enhance ones understanding of this film.

Est-ce qu’il existe une arme efficace contre le terrorisme ? Que si l’on pouvait remonter dans le temps, juste avant un incident, et avec ses connaissances modifier l’événement? Cela devrait finalement aboutir à l'empêcher tout à fait ainsi sauver de nombreuses vies. Avec un concept similaire au  film «  Butterfly Effect 2004 », «Code de Source 2011» tente de faire exactement cela.

 La dernière chose que le capitaine Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) se souvient était aux commandes de son hélicoptère sur une top-secret mission en Afghanistan. Il se réveille train de banlieue à Chicago, à l'heure de pointe matinale. Face à lui, est une femme, qui ne connait pas, Christina (Michelle Monaghan), mais elle lui connait. En cherchent refuge dans les toilettes, il voit la réflexion d'un autre homme dans le miroir. Il sort son portefeuille et s’aperçoit que les cartes d'identité appartiennent à un instituteur nommé Sean Fentress. Peu après qu'il retourne à son siège, une bombe déchire le train, ne laissant aucun survivant.

 Colter se réveille dans une chambre isolée. Sur l'écran en face de lui, est une femme en uniforme, Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), qui exige de savoir ce qu'il a vue. Colter est informé quant à sa mission nommé « Code de Source ». Chaque fois qu'il est envoyé à cette réalité parallèle, il a huit minutes pour découvrir l'identité du plastiqueur.

 Un thriller d’action époustouflante et  plaine de suspense par lequel le téléspectateur, comme   les personnages apprendre progressivement et une connaissance de la théorie quantique et les effets de la modification aux lignes du temps améliorera grandement le compréhension de ce film.