Step into the thrilling world of Source Code (2011), one of the most original sci-fi thrillers of the last decade. Directed by Duncan Jones and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, this gripping film takes viewers on a relentless, time-twisting journey where nothing is quite what it seems. As Captain Colter Stevens relives the same eight minutes again and again, the lines between reality and simulation blur in a race against time to stop disaster.
Think you’re clever enough to piece together every twist and turn? Take our 10-question trivia challenge and prove you’re a true fan of Source Code. Only those who paid close attention will get a perfect score!
Source Code (2011) Trivia Questions & Answers
Here are the correct answers to each question, along with detailed explanations to enrich your knowledge of Source Code (2011) and its fascinating sci-fi narrative.
1) Who plays the lead role of Captain Colter Stevens in Source Code?
Jake Gyllenhaal
Correct Answer: Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal delivers an intense and emotionally charged performance as Captain Colter Stevens. Known for his versatility in films like Donnie Darko and Nightcrawler, Gyllenhaal perfectly embodies a soldier caught in a time-looping nightmare. His portrayal of Colter’s growing confusion, desperation, and moral conflict anchors the film and keeps audiences invested in the puzzle at its heart.
2) What is the name of the experimental program used to relive the last eight minutes of a person’s life?
Source Code
Correct Answer: Source Code
The Source Code program is a fictional military project designed to place a person’s consciousness inside another person’s final eight minutes of memory. In the film, this technology is used to revisit the last moments of a commuter train bombing in an attempt to discover the identity of the terrorist. The concept is a blend of quantum physics and speculative technology, creating a fresh take on the “time loop” trope.
3) What is Captain Colter Stevens’ mission in the Source Code program?
To find the bomber of a commuter train
Correct Answer: To find the bomber of a commuter train
Colter Stevens is tasked with identifying the bomber responsible for the destruction of a Chicago-bound commuter train. Although he cannot prevent the initial explosion, his mission is to use the Source Code to uncover the bomber’s identity and prevent a much larger attack planned for the city. Each loop in the program allows him to gather new clues and get closer to the truth.
4) Who is the woman that Colter interacts with repeatedly during the Source Code simulations?
Christina Warren
Correct Answer: Christina Warren
Christina Warren, portrayed by Michelle Monaghan, is the kind and intelligent woman seated across from Colter on the train. Throughout the simulations, Colter’s connection to Christina grows, making his mission not just about stopping the bomber but also about saving her, even if only within the simulated reality. Their interactions add a human and emotional layer to the film’s cerebral plot.
5) Which government agency operates the Source Code program in the film?
U.S. Army
Correct Answer: U.S. Army
In the movie, the Source Code project is a secret initiative under the U.S. Army, specifically run by Dr. Rutledge and overseen operationally by Captain Goodwin. Although the technology borders on science fiction, the military’s involvement raises ethical questions about using experimental technology and the limits of government authority over human life.
6) What is the main limitation of the Source Code program?
It can only access the last eight minutes of a person’s life
Correct Answer: It can only access the last eight minutes of a person’s life
The Source Code can only recreate the final eight minutes of a deceased person’s memory based on their residual brain activity and quantum mechanics. This limitation is central to the plot, forcing Colter to act quickly and strategically in each iteration. It also underlines the key tension of the film: while the program can simulate the past, it supposedly cannot change the future.
7) What shocking truth does Captain Colter Stevens discover about his real body?
He is critically injured and kept alive in a pod
Correct Answer: He is critically injured and kept alive in a pod
One of the film’s most emotional reveals is that Colter Stevens is actually severely injured and comatose after a helicopter crash. His body is being kept alive artificially inside a life-support pod, with only his brain functioning and connected to the Source Code system. This revelation raises deep philosophical questions about identity, consciousness, and autonomy.
8) What is the name of the Source Code project’s lead scientist?
Dr. Rutledge
Correct Answer: Dr. Rutledge
Dr. Rutledge, played by Jeffrey Wright, is the cerebral and morally ambiguous creator of the Source Code program. Throughout the film, Rutledge is portrayed as coldly pragmatic, more concerned with the success of his technology than with the well-being of Colter Stevens. His character embodies the ethical dilemmas of scientific progress at the cost of human dignity.
9) How does Captain Colter Stevens communicate with Goodwin in the real world?
Through a video monitor
Correct Answer: Through a video monitor
Between each Source Code simulation, Colter communicates with Captain Colleen Goodwin via a video monitor. These brief, sterile conversations provide crucial exposition and insight into the real-world implications of the program. Goodwin becomes Colter’s only connection to reality, and their evolving relationship highlights themes of duty, compassion, and ethical responsibility.
10) What is Captain Colter’s final wish at the end of the movie?
To be disconnected from life support after the mission
Correct Answer: To be disconnected from life support after the mission
After completing his mission and preventing the larger attack, Colter requests that Goodwin let him die, as he no longer wants to live in a broken, comatose body. However, the film’s ending introduces ambiguity: Colter successfully creates an alternate timeline within the Source Code simulation where he survives and starts a new life with Christina. This ending leaves viewers debating whether reality can be altered or whether the simulation simply gave Colter closure.
