Source Code
Army Captain Colter Stevens finds himself working on a special program where his consciousness can be inserted into another human being. The only catch is can only be there for 8 minutes at any given time. That morning, a bomb exploded on a commuter train just outside Chicago. He occupies the body of teacher going to work on that train and is confused as to what he is doing or why he is there as his last memory is of flying his helicopter on a combat mission in Afghanistan. Those in charge of the program explain to him that there is a bomb on the train, and that he must locate it. More importantly, he must identify the bomber as another bombing is expected later that day. He is also told however that he cannot change the past and can only gather information. As he develops a liking for his traveling companion Christina, he sets out to test that theory.
Despite a respectable budget of $32.0M, Source Code became a solid performer, earning $147.3M worldwide—a 360% return.
1 win & 8 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Source Code (2011) demonstrates meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Duncan Jones's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 33 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Colter Stevens wakes up confused on a commuter train, disoriented and in someone else's body, establishing his fragmented reality before the train explodes.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Colter learns he's not in a simulation but in the last eight minutes of a dead man's memory, and a dirty bomb will destroy Chicago unless he identifies the bomber.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Colter commits fully to the mission, actively investigating passengers and searching for clues, shifting from resistance to engagement with the Source Code protocol., moving from reaction to action.
The Collapse moment at 69 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Colter learns the full truth: his body was destroyed in Afghanistan, only his brain stem remains, and he's been kept in permanent limbo against his will. He begs Goodwin to terminate him after one final mission., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 74 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Colter stops the bomber, saves all passengers, prevents the Chicago attack, and creates a timeline where he lives on in Sean Fentress's body with Christina, while his original body is terminated., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Source Code's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Source Code against these established plot points, we can identify how Duncan Jones utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Source Code within the action genre.
Duncan Jones's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Duncan Jones films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Source Code takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Duncan Jones filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Duncan Jones analyses, see Moon.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Colter Stevens wakes up confused on a commuter train, disoriented and in someone else's body, establishing his fragmented reality before the train explodes.
Theme
Christina Warren tells Colter "Everything's gonna be okay" moments before the explosion, introducing the theme of hope and second chances in the face of inevitable death.
Worldbuilding
Colter experiences his first loop on the train, dies in the explosion, then awakens in the Source Code chamber where Goodwin explains he's on a mission to find the bomber before a larger attack.
Disruption
Colter learns he's not in a simulation but in the last eight minutes of a dead man's memory, and a dirty bomb will destroy Chicago unless he identifies the bomber.
Resistance
Colter resists the mission, demanding answers about his own identity and situation, while Goodwin insists he focus on finding the bomber through repeated loops.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Colter commits fully to the mission, actively investigating passengers and searching for clues, shifting from resistance to engagement with the Source Code protocol.
Premise
Colter explores the train repeatedly, investigating suspects, gathering evidence, and growing closer to Christina while uncovering clues about the bomber's identity.
Opposition
Colter discovers he's been lied to about his own status—he's not a pilot on assignment but brain-dead, kept alive only for Source Code missions. He demands to save everyone on the train, not just stop the bomber.
Collapse
Colter learns the full truth: his body was destroyed in Afghanistan, only his brain stem remains, and he's been kept in permanent limbo against his will. He begs Goodwin to terminate him after one final mission.
Crisis
Colter processes his fate while Goodwin grapples with the morality of keeping him alive. He prepares for one last attempt, accepting his death but determined to save the train passengers.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Colter stops the bomber, saves all passengers, prevents the Chicago attack, and creates a timeline where he lives on in Sean Fentress's body with Christina, while his original body is terminated.