BOURNE SEARCHES FOR HIS IDENTITY

"It's Bourne, isn't it?"

A young man is fished out of the Mediterranean Sea with 2 bullet holes in his back. He awakens with no memory of his past or who he is. Plagued by throbbing headaches, he eventually finds out his name is Jason Bourne, as well as discovering he has an impressive yet deadly and interesting set of skills. He sets out for Paris (where most of the film is set) and embarks on a quest to discover who he is, as well as his past. Little does he know, his search for answers and meaning will lead him into deadly, dangerous territory. Bourne will have to go on the run and fight to stay alive if he is to survive long enough to find any form of resolution.

Doug Liman directs this first entry in the Bourne franchise, and it's much better than I was expecting.
Matt Damon fits into the role of Bourne like a glove (He also did a lot of his own stunts as well, so props!). He is very likable and believable as a man with a dark past that now only wants to do good and is well-intentioned. Franka Potente is fine as Bourne's right-hand gal, Marie. Her and Bourne do share some chemistry in their scenes together. Chris Cooper is great as Alexander Conklin, the head of a mysterious secret CIA organization named Treadstone that might hold the answers Bourne is searching for. He is clearly a villain, but a likable one. Brian Cox is quite good as well as Ward Abbott, a CIA high-up that is involved with Treadstone.

Doug Liman does a great job at directing. The film is consistently tense and the action scenes are all pretty great (with the standouts being Bourne's first run-in with a Treadstone agent, the mini-cooper chase, and the final stairway fight). The action scenes are edited a bit fast and choppy, but you can still make out what's going on for the most part. The cinematography by Oliver Wood and editing by Saar Klein are great and clever as well. The film was made for $60 mill, and the whole thing feels like an independent movie (a good thing, imo).

The Bourne Identity is an action/mystery/thriller with most of the focus being on the mystery at the heart of the film. There is action throughout the film, but the flick is more-so interested in Bourne's search for answers than anything else. It's a nice twist that is very appreciated and comes as a breath of fresh air. What's also interesting is that The Bourne Identity is very much so an anti-Government film. It seems to be suspicious of the U.S. Govt. (The CIA in particular). This helps to set it apart from the James Bond films (which it is clearly influenced by).

Treadstone itself is one of the most interesting aspects of Identity. It seems to be a secretive, small, but mostly effective hidden agency inside the CIA that might be tasked with taking care of the dirty work for the CIA. It is a large focus of the film, and, while we don't get full answers, the answers we do receive involving the organization are still cool and satisfying. Chris Cooper and Brian Cox as dueling CIA higher-ups work off of each other well, and the twist involving them is surprising and tasty. I'm looking forward to getting to explore Treadstone more in the sequels.

In the end, The Bourne Identity is nice twist on the action/spy film (though Bourne is revealed to be more of a super well-trained thug than a spy). With thrilling action scenes, a refreshing focus on story, character, and mystery, and a charismatic and likable lead, The Bourne Identity emerges as a film to remember.

4.5 STARS