THIS MOVIE IS NOT A REMAKE OF DEJA VU. Yes, the concept might seem similar and the plot might seem similar and the everything else about it might seem similar, but it is a new movie based on an original script that just happened to be written after Deja Vu came out and has no real similarities other than being incredibly similar in every way. But not as good.
The story stars Jake Gyllenhaal and was directed by Duncan Jones (Moon).
The story: a man becomes aware on a train that he is in someone else's body. Then the train explodes. He wakes up in a science lab where he is informed he is to go back and repeat the last eight minutes before the explosion and find out who the bomber is so they can stop a second, more devestating bomb from exploding.
Was it good?
Sure. It was good...okay-ish. It's a fun movie and just for entertainment it's entertainmenting enough. It's got a nifty concept of sending the guy back to repeat the last eight minutes, a clear goal in finding the bomber to prevent a second attack, lots of explosions (though technically it is just one explosion happening again and again).
But honestly, it's just okay. The movie never really become very exiciting. Part of the problem is the concept. He is trying to stop a second bomb but he can never really stop the first bomb. So no matter what he does all the people you meet die and we never really meet the people he does save, so instead of a personal/emotional goal it's very abstract. (There is some gobbledygook about alternate realities and so maybe he save the train in some other dimension, but all that sounded like BS to me as they tried to find a happier ending then the obvious one.)
Now honestly, I don't know how you solve that problem for the concept without radically changing the concept. However, there were a few other problems that could have been better. The most obvious is that this is a detective story (find the bomber) and yet the actual steps he goes through to find the bomber are pretty boring. He looks around, accused a few people and then stumbles on the right guy who basically admits to everything and gives him all info he needs. So basically, it's a detective movie where the detective element is boring. That's not good.
The second is the emotional element. Now the movie has one aspect of the character trying to connect again to his father that I liked a lot and thought worked and wish they had had more of. However, the big emotional element seems to be the girl on the train whom he falls for (and who falls for him) who he tries to save even though he is told that he cannot change the past. However, I never really felt anything between them. There just wasn't that moment when you want -- desperately -- for them to be together. So the idea that he will go to extremes to save her just didn't click for me.
It's also worth noting that while it might be billed as an action/sci-fi movie, there aren't really any action scenes of note. If you are expecting exciting chase scenes, they ain't there.
Again, the movie isn't bad. But it's more of an empty popcorn flick instead of a classic. Too bad they thought they were making a classic and didn't embrace the popcorn movie feel more -- it would have made for a more entertaining film. Because of that I don't feel like giving it a full recommend -- no reason to blow theater money on it. It will play just fine on cable.
**** RENTAL ****
Watch instead: DEJA VU, the similar action/sci-fi movie starring Denzel Washington. This movie is also flawed but I liked it more. It's biggest problem is the relationship between Denzel and the woman he tries to save. In the original script, you understood that Denzel's character was alone and isolated and in the act of watching this girl he falls in love with her, which makes it understandable that he would go to extremes to try to save her. In the movie, however, this never quite works. Denzel is just too charismatic and likable; he doesn't project the kind of loneliness needed to make that element work. Still, overall a good movie and better action scenes than SOURCE CODE.
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