As of late, there has been a resurgence of sorts for the “let’s-mess-with-realities-and-sub-realities” genre that was popularized via The Matrix (1999) over a decade ago. And within this decade, Christopher Nolan has practically owned this category with films such as Memento (2000), The Prestige (2006), and the recently Oscar nominated Inception (2010). Still, it seems evident there are plenty that want to play in this subversive world as well. George Nolfi has done so withThe Adjustment Bureau and Duncan Jones with Source Code – different shorelines, same playing field.
Interesting enough, Source Code writer Ben Ripley likely takes his cues more-so from Groundhog Day than Christopher Nolan and the likes – containing the film’s plot (for the most part) within the same repeated 8 minutes of a particular day. But like Nolan and others, Ripley, alongside Jones, is playing with the notion of manipulating reality. Can it be done? Is there a rabbit hole (a.k.a. Source Code) by which one can enter the space time continuum (think Donnie Darko) and not only obtain information, but adjust it?
While these questions certainly keep your mind working, the film’s true value add (in my opinion) lies in both the narrative and visual exploration of the “now.” Jones/Ripley take a seemingly monotonous scene (the Chicago commuter Metra line) and welcomes the audience to see it a little differently. The question upon the train shifts from What “thing” do I have to be at next? to What do I notice?
Can reality shift when we choose to see a little different?
Read more http://rednow.com/blogs/intothedark/in-theaters/source-code/
