Source Code
An army captain trapped in an eight-minute simulation races through a doomed commuter train to uncover a bomber and reclaim control of his fractured reality.
Overview
A soldier's mind races against time to prevent disaster, but can he change fate?
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- propulsive
- mysterious
- science fiction movie night
- thriller night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a cleverly constructed, crisply directed science fiction thriller that combines ingenious puzzle mechanics with a compelling human story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Colter Stevens repeatedly enters the same commuter-train scenario for an eight-minute investigative window.
Colter's consciousness is inserted into the body of a commuter while he tries to understand his own condition.
The program sends Colter into the train scenario to identify the bomber and prevent a later attack.
The commuter train is repeatedly searched for the bomb, bomber, and relevant clues among its passengers.
Films like Source Code, and why
Déjà Vu
shared high-concept science fiction thriller structure, repeated attempts to prevent a disaster, and emotional investment in changing an apparently fixed outcome
Groundhog Day
shared time-loop premise, escalating puzzle mechanics, and a balance of suspense with a humanizing romantic subplot
Murder on the Orient Express
shared enclosed-location investigation, suspicion among passengers, and a search for a hidden perpetrator
Memento
shared fractured storytelling, identity uncertainty, and a protagonist assembling reality through repeated or disrupted information
Movie Details
- Director
- Duncan Jones
- Release Date
- 2011-03-30
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (9441)
Cast
- Jake Gyllenhaal
- Michelle Monaghan
- Vera Farmiga
- Jeffrey Wright
- Michael Arden
- Cas Anvar
- Russell Peters
- Brent Skagford
- Craig Thomas
- Gordon Masten
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Source Code about?
- An army captain trapped in an eight-minute simulation races through a doomed commuter train to uncover a bomber and reclaim control of his fractured reality.
- What is Source Code like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Source Code as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Source Code violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Source Code as mild.
- What did critics think of Source Code?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a cleverly constructed, crisply directed science fiction thriller that combines ingenious puzzle mechanics with a compelling human story.
- Which films are like Source Code?
- Films with a similar feel include Déjà Vu, Groundhog Day, Murder on the Orient Express, and Memento.
- How long is Source Code?
- Source Code runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Source Code?
- In United States, Source Code streams on MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.
