Source Code is fantastic! (boxed spoilers)

[RandMcnally]

@MaxTheVool

Just rented this, I agree with the general comments here, but there’s one thing that bugs me. In the “original” timeline, where Jake is able to get the message out of Source Code what the name of the bomber is, we then instantly cut to a scene of the white van being arrested, with voice over talking about a manhunt that’s been going on since this morning, and the news reports already have the name of the suspect and are already talking about how he’s been posting stuff on his website, etc.

To me, this very strongly implied an interesting twist, which was that the cops already knew who the bomber was, but they decided to use the incident as a proving ground for Source Code by sending him back anyhow to see if he could independently get the same information. Which would be interesting, and would make all the pathos he went through all the more ironic, but then later dialog in that same timeline seems to indicate that was not the case.

Anyone remember what I’m talking about? (Obviously a bit late in the game to be bringing up details like this…)

In the Original Timeline the train blew up in the morning so everyone was looking for the bomber. In the final timeline, where he completely takes over the other guy’s life, the would-be bomber is just a briefing for the Source Code manager.

[MaxTheVool]

@RandMcnally

In the Original Timeline the train blew up in the morning so everyone was looking for the bomber.

That doesn’t really hold up. In the original timeline, the authorities seemed to think it had been a suicide bomber, so they would be looking for his accomplices. Also, how in the original timeline did the authorities know that there was a dirty bomb heading for Chicago? As far as I can tell, those are left as loose ends… and I rewatched the scene with the swat team manhunt on TV twice, and it does seem to very strongly imply that the information concerning the suspect’s identity has been known for some time, although of course it might just be the editing.

[AlsoNamedBort]

@MaxTheVool

That doesn’t really hold up. In the original timeline, the authorities seemed to think it had been a suicide bomber, so they would be looking for his accomplices. Also, how in the original timeline did the authorities know that there was a dirty bomb heading for Chicago? As far as I can tell, those are left as loose ends… and I rewatched the scene with the swat team manhunt on TV twice, and it does seem to very strongly imply that the information concerning the suspect’s identity has been known for some time, although of course it might just be the editing.

I think they mentioned getting a tip after the train blew up that a dirty bomb was going to blow up in Chicago.

As for all the stuff on the news, that’s just Hollywood. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a trope page for “The news knows everything.”