"Source Code" is a science fiction thriller directed by Duncan Jones and released in 2011. Captain Colter Stevens, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, wakes up disoriented on this train, in the body of a man named Sean Fentress. He soon discovers he's part of an experimental government program called Source Code.
Every eight minutes, Stevens is transported back to relive the final moments on the train before it explodes, effectively placing him in a time loop. With each iteration, Stevens gathers more clues about the bomber's identity, the dynamics between the passengers, and the nature of his existence within the source code. The train becomes a microcosm of the larger world, where actions have significant consequences and every interaction holds the potential for vital information.
The train's role extends beyond its physical boundaries, representing a bridge between life and death, the known and the unknown, and challenging the very concept of reality. It's a battleground for Stevens, where he struggles not only to save the passengers and the city from impending doom but also to understand his reality and purpose.
Behind-the-scenes facts:
- While the concept of the Source Code, a program that allows someone to enter another person's consciousness for the last eight minutes of their life, is purely fictional, the film delves into theoretical physics ideas.
- The train route map displayed in the car is an actual map of the Chicago transit system. Only the colors of the routes have been changed.
- During the train sequences, Jake Gyllenhaal wore an earpiece into which the director would play music at any given moment to make Gyllenhaal's character look disoriented. The director played random songs as well as "static buzz" at times.
