Jake Gyllenhaal's 2011 Sci-Fi Movie Hit Is All But Forgotten, And That's A Shame

Some science fiction movies have no right to be as good as they are, which makes it all the more frustrating when they disappear into the pile of forgotten films that deserve to be remembered. Unfortunately, that seems to have been the case when it came to director Duncan Jones' 2011 time-looping, high-pressured Jake Gyllenhaal thriller, "Source Code." 

Parked somewhere between "Speed," "Groundhog Day," and "Quantum Leap," the film follows Colter Stevens, a U.S. Army pilot who wakes up on a train heading for Chicago and looking like a totally different person. Before he can gather himself, a bomb explodes, killing him and everyone else on board. Not to worry, though, because after waking up in a mysterious capsule monitored by scientists and military folk, he's informed that his mission is to continue reliving the final eight minutes of this train's journey in order to locate the bomber on board and stop a batch of other coordinated attacks taking place.

With a story like that, Gyllenhaal backed by supporting talent composed of Michelle Monaghan ("Mission: Impossible 3"), Vera Farmiga ("Five Days at Memorial"), and Jeffrey Wright ("The Batman"), you'd hope that "Source Code" would've earned a decent reaction from critics. Well, it turned out it did. In fact, the film was such a hit with critics that it earned a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Racking up an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Source Code" got a hefty number of thumbs-ups and still stands above Jones' other critical hit "Moon," starring Sam Rockwell, and earned 90% RT. Una LaMarche of The Observer assured that "'Source Code' makes good on its Hitchcockian opening sequence — it may pale in comparison to the master, but it's a fun, puzzle-filled ride, with excellent pacing and a mounting uneasiness that recalls the best episodes of The Twilight Zone."

Peter Howell of the Toronto Star couldn't help but love the movie, either, writing, "'Source Code' is a sci-fi thriller that simply shouldn't work as well as it does," while Philip French from The Guardian said, "This is a classic film noir amnesia plot, brilliantly handled." Even with the 'classic' traits the film apparently had, "Source Code" remains one of the many that are misunderstood, as well. The film grossed $147 million on a $32 million budget, which might look like a hit, but it wasn't for Jones.

In an X thread (via Yahoo), the director wrote, "Each time I see 'Source Code' playing on TV, and continue to still not receive $50k of deferred payment, I marvel how it made $150m in box office alone, on a $30m budget & still never made a profit." After almost 14 years, the terrific time-loop movie remains an underrated watch, and arguably his best work. It's also the kind of bold and bonkers vibe that he might be replicating in his next movie set for a 2026 release.

Following "Source Code," Jones hit a bit of a slump with not one but two films that didn't reach the standard of the Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle. In 2016, the director dared to take "Warcraft," adapting the much-loved RPG franchise into a fully fledged CGI movie. While a box-office success at the time, the movie was panned by critics, and the chances of a sequel were swiftly squashed following its release. His next film, "Mute," was released on Netflix and earned a woeful 20% on Rotten Tomatoes.

As for Jones' future, he's heading into the world of 2000 A.D. with his long-anticipated "Rogue Trooper," which will be fully animated and is set for release in late 2026. Set somewhere between "Dora the Explorer" and "The Dirty Dozen," "Rogue Trooper" follows 19 (Aneurin Barnard), a genetic infantryman who, after being the only survivor of a bloodbath, sets out on a mission to avenge his team.

Thankfully, he's not alone, as he's accompanied by his former dead brothers-in-arms, whose personalities have been stored in a gun (Jack Lowden), his helmet (Daryl McCormack) and a rucksack (Reece Shearsmith). Described by Deadline as a "fast, funny, visually mind-blowing old-school war movie" when it premiered at the Annecy Festival, this could be the same kind of under-the-radar sci-fi hit that Jones does best.