i loved source code, easily top 5 movies of all time in my book. it was concise, smart, and had some mind blowing surprises. this was what inception should have been.
What was mind blowing about it?
spoiler alert
the first was when he realized he was dead. the second was when they were kissing and the moment froze, then unfroze and continued, proving that he in fact traveled to a parallel universe as opposed to being terminated from source code.
Why 8 minutes? How could they talk to him in a parallel universe? How could he e-mail Goodwin (is that right?) from a parallel universe? Etc. Etc.
It was just OK... I found the whole movie contrived. It was like they set out to make a "mind blowing" movie and started working different angles, as opposed to having a great idea and fleshing it out.
Why 8 minutes? How could they talk to him in a parallel universe? How could he e-mail Goodwin (is that right?) from a parallel universe? Etc. Etc.
*SPOILERS*
The 8 minutes was explained. It is the average length of memory stored as short term memory in the hypothalamus of the brain. Whether that is a true or not, in regards to the amount of time, I do not know. I do know the hypothalamus is where short term memories are stored before being moved off to long term storage. It is also a mechanism we do not fully understand either.
Basically they hooked the main character's brain up to the hypothalamus of the dead guy off the train. The main character was not "dead" but basically in a vegetable state from his injuries. They were having him go through the 8 minutes stored in the brain of this other guy's hypothalamus over and over to solve the mystery of the terrorist act.
The "parallel" universe bit may have been real or not. We don't know. After 8 minutes, the main character has the plugged pulled on him and he literally dies finally. From his vantage though, he still lives in a "parallel" world. Maybe this was a "heaven" for him or some sortof afterlife phenomena. Maybe it really is a parallel universe his consciousness was transferred into via the "source code" procedure. Who knows? It is meant to be a little though provoking and I think it did a good job at that.
I personally liked the plot twists they put in the movie. The main character being a vegetable for one. The using of the dead man's hypothalamus to go through his memories of an experience to solve a crime for another. The ending could of been done without the existential crap, but it is what it is.
Did you watch the movie?
I understand what they were getting at... but here is the problem: what the fuck does memory have to do with going into a parallel universe? He didn't live the 8 minutes over and over from the perspective of the dude in the train. If he is experiencing memories then he shouldn't have any control. He should basically be able to watch it, as if it were on a DVD, and play/pause as he chooses. No, instead he does crazy shit like chasing down the sick dude in the bathroom...
Again, I am confused as to why they found it necessary to tie "last 8 minutes of memory" to "parallel universe." I can suspend disbelief just fine...but details often make me go WTF? Just say "We have come up with a way for you to exist in the parallel universe for 8 minutes. Do what you can."
I understand what they were getting at... but here is the problem: what the fuck does memory have to do with going into a parallel universe? He didn't live the 8 minutes over and over from the perspective of the dude in the train. If he is experiencing memories then he shouldn't have any control. He should basically be able to watch it, as if it were on a DVD, and play/pause as he chooses. No, instead he does crazy shit like chasing down the sick dude in the bathroom...
Again, I am confused as to why they found it necessary to tie "last 8 minutes of memory" to "parallel universe." I can suspend disbelief just fine...but details often make me go WTF? Just say "We have come up with a way for you to exist in the parallel universe for 8 minutes. Do what you can."
2) Oh, yah, I got your e-mail from the parallel universe. Strong work.
They never said it was a parallel universe at all. The scientist guy said his experiences may have been him seeing into a parallel universe. However, it was an existential ending as I stated. Look up the word. As far as we know he's dead and gone to "heaven" or whatever. The moment they pulled the plug on him that was the end. He's Dead Jim!
What ever happened from "his" perspective after that is an "after life" scenario. Maybe it was a parallel universe. Maybe it was some part of his brain that didn't die. Who knows and who cares. The ending wasn't suppose to be definitive. It was meant to provoke a thought that maybe when we die we have our minds/souls/consciousness transferred immediately to a parallel universe. Maybe this was what reincarnation is. Not that I believe in any of that crap, but that is not the point.
He sent the email to alternate Goodwin in that parallel universe. The Goodwin that the mail was sent to is living in this alternate reality too just like Stevens(In Sean Fortress's body), Christina.. etc.
I'm pretty sure they actually used the words "parallel universe" in the movie and that is how they explained him being able to do whatever he needed to do.
And to that end... in the alternate universe Stevens' mind remains in Fentress' body...correct? So how is that even fair to Fentress? And in that alternate universe where the train doesn't explode they wouldn't need Stevens for Source Code anyway so Fentress remains Fentress...but if Fentress doesn't become Stevens then they WILL need Source Code...
Oh shit, it is a paradox!!!!oneone1
*head asplodes*
Meh. Contrived.
Main character in a vegetable state has his brain hooked into the brain of a dead guy so that he may "relive" the memories of the dead guy. Since the memories are not his, then his brain does their own interpretation of the memories.
How does the dead guy have any memory of Frost getting into his van?
I understand what is happening. It just seems like the writers were playing fast and loose. I'm down for Sci-Fi and suspension of disbelief most of the time. "This is just the way it is" should be how it is explained. Once you start trying to tell the audience how you made time travel real or alternate universes exist etc etc it opens the audience up to asking questions about inconsistencies.
Just my opinion, of course. I'm sure not everyone likes being told stories in the same fashion. But to me it was just too distracting. They should have just said "We have a way for you to go to an alternate universe and interact with it..." They add in memories and hooking up to some dude's hypothalamus (how was it intact after such a large explosion?) Imagine how lame Bill and Ted would be if they spent half the movie trying to justify how a phone booth can time travel.