The Bourne Identity

Cast, Etc.
Dir. Doug Liman, Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, score by John Powell, rated PG-13, 2002

Synopsis
A CIA operative gets amnesia.

Review
There have been many films about amnesia. Unfortunately, I can't remember any of them right now . . . Anyway, it's not usually that bad when a normal person forgets who they are. But when that person is a highly-trained, lethal CIA undercover operative . . . watch out. That is the premise of The Bourne Identity, based on the popular novels by Robert Ludlum. The movie begins with an Italian fishing vessel pulling a body out of the ocean. Turns out the body is alive and in pretty bad shape. The doctor of the ship goes about mending the person (Damon), who awakes and has no idea who he is, although he can write, do math, read maps, and a bunch of other things. He gets dropped off and heads for Switzerland as the doctor found an item that contained a string of numbers (possibly a bank account) imbedded in his hip. The person finds the bank and account and discovers a cache of cash, passports, and a gun. He finds out his name is Jason Bourne, but that doesn't help him much. What follows is an exciting ride through a person trying to find out who he is while also coming to grips with what the person may turn out to be. Along the way, Bourne hooks up with Marie (Potenta), a German who wishes to get an American VISA, whom he offers mucho money for a ride to Paris. The two get placed on the CIA's watch list and people try to kill them along the way. Damon is adequate as an action star, bringing a good sense of automoton to the character, since that is what Bourne turns out to be: a "programmed" operative. Potenta is wonderful as Marie, giving the viewers a good way to watch what is unfolding through normal eyes. Those are the two main characters and the action revolves around them. The build-up and pacing is quite good, allowing us to discover along with Bourne what is going on. Unfortunately, the ending is a bit disappointing and not climactic enough for all the intensity of the movie to that point.

Highlights
Paris car chase; "You just asked him for it?"; "We've got a bump coming up."

Rating
I give this film a liquor rating; it's intense and hard-edged. As an action film, it's very good; as a spy thriller, it's also very good, updating the novels to current technology which gives the hero more to overcome. The villain is adequate for the movie. The score by Powell is average techno-thriller music and forgettable.