Movie Review; Source Code

What if you could relive a moment in time, where you had a chance to make a different choice, create a different outcome, and experience a new reality?

With source code, you can.

Intro Captain Stevens, a soldier in the Iraq war who has been forced to enter this "Source Code". His mission? He has eight minutes to find and disable a bomb in a train. Here's the catch; the bomb has already exploded.  Confused?
   Good.

You want an explanation?

Keep reading. ;)
   Through source code a doctor was able to capture eight minutes of a person's life before the train exploded. Stevens is sent into that memory to find and destroy the bomb, so they can predict where the next one is going to be...

Eight minutes, one man, two realities, and and infinite number of possible outcomes...

Things I liked 
Stevens is a true soldier, upon waking from the source code his first question is "where are my men?" There are times throughout the movie where he thinks about himself, but ultimately, he sacrifices many comforts (and dies many times) in order to find the bomb.

   It is made clear throughout the movie his relationship with his father has been a hard one, while in the source code he goes out of his way to remedy the relationship with a very heartfelt phone call. It was quite moving.

   The man who created source code is not honorable. The woman who talks to Stevens is quite honorable and fulfills Stevens last requests. She knew she would be fired because of it, but does what he asks willingly.

  I loved the story. This is an action film, but also makes you think. a lot. Your brain will be churning after watching the movie, and is no mindless blow up film. It will leave you thinking.

Things I didn't like
   Stevens is pretty violent towards the passengers on the train, because talking to one; "you aren't real". It pained me to see him carelessly punching, throwing, and attacking seemingly innocent civilians to fufill his mission. There is a lot of punching, smacking, and gun pointing in the movie. People "Die" every time the eight minutes is up, and it is quite vivid at times. Two people get shot and die in one source code. blood is minimal, showing up around the mouth when punched. It is definitely not a light violence at all.  It also was painful to watch how many times one could be destroyed in a train explosion.

   There is a girl on the train, and she is the first person he sees coming into the source code. While he seems to have a genuine care for her, it is always with the fact that she isn't real and is just a stimulation of the program. While later it does change into something more, it begins in way I didn't like and he made advances that were inappropriate. Stevens and the girl (catherine I think) talk inappropriately once implying something that isn't. They kiss multiple times. (once a zoom in and still frame). There is a comedian who jokes about a girl inappropriately.

  There is a lot of swearing in this movie. They are even able to squeeze in a full F word. the H---, S---, and God's name is taken in vain many many times. 

Closing thoughts 
There are definite moral, ethical, and spiritual questions raised in this movie... and none of which are answered.

   While the ending to this movie is one of the best I have seen in a long time, the lack of any moral resolution leaves a puzzled feeling inside. This movie is a brain bender, and honestly, I do recommend it.

    Yes, the violence is intense, and I dislike the unacceptable amount of language in the movie. But I also can appreciate seeing a soldier shown in glory again, and the pure joy of wondering "What if?". What if I had done this? What if I had done that?

This movie will really make you think about your actions, and how they will not only affect this life, but also the next. It shows each choice you make has sweeping effects on not only your life, but also on those around you. 

And unlike Mr. Stevens who has many lives to get things right, we only have one life...

It was good to be reminded we need to make the most of this life in bringing God glory.