Principal Cast Jake Gyllenhaal -- Colter Stevens Michelle Monaghan -- Christina Warren Vera Farmiga -- Colleen Goodwin Jeffrey Wright -- Dr. Rutledge Michael Arden -- Derek Frost Ratings Ratings are based on Rick's four star system. One star - the commercials are more entertaining than the viewing. Two stars - watch if you have nothing better to do. Three stars - good solid entertainment. Four stars - you never dreamed viewing could be this good.

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An intelligent script can turn an old idea into an entertaining film. Source Code is that old chestnut about reliving the same experience over and over in the hope that, this time, it will not end badly. The filmmakers tacitly acknowledge that the idea is unoriginal by casting Quantum Leap's Scott Bakula in the voice role of the hero's father. But they manage to pull it off without any time travel, and with enough variety to hold the viewer's interest. It's no Groundhog Day, but it's worth seeing.

The story mostly makes sense. There are a few plot holes, as there always are in this rather fragile genre, but you don't notice them while you're watching the movie, only later, when you discuss the film with your date over coffee.

My only real gripe is that it would be nice to see Hollywood invest the same big bucks in new ideas, or at least in ideas that are new to movies. Wouldn't it be nice to see a major motion picture version of The Stars My Destination or Stranger in a Strange Land? Or even something from the 21st century, like Rainbows End or Anathem?

Ben Ripley's previous work has been writing for tv movies, notably for the Species franchise, but with the success of this film he's clearly made the big time.

Rick Norwood is a mathematician and writer whose small press publishing house, Manuscript Press, has published books by Hal Clement, R.A. Lafferty, and Hal Foster. He is also the editor of Comics Revue Monthly, which publishes such classic comic strips as Flash Gordon, Sky Masters, Modesty Blaise, Tarzan, Odd Bodkins, Casey Ruggles, The Phantom, Gasoline Alley, Krazy Kat, Alley Oop, Little Orphan Annie, Barnaby, Buz Sawyer, and Steve Canyon.