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| The
Bourne Identity
Directed By: Doug
Liman Plot
Summary - Review 1 - Review
2 - CURRENT REVIEWS
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| Jason Bourne. He has no past. And he may have no future. His memory is blank. He only knows that he was flushed out of the Mediterranean Sea, his body riddled with bullets. There are a few clues. A frame of microfilm surgically implanted beneath the flesh of his hip. Evidence that plastic surgery has altered his face. Strange things that he says in his delirium maybe code words. Initial: "J.B." And a number on the film negative that leads to a Swiss bank account, a fortune of four million dollars, and, at last, a name: Jason Bourne. But now he is marked for death, caught in a maddening puzzle, racing for survival through the deep layers of his buried past into a bizarre world of murderous conspirators led by Carlos, the world's most dangerous assassin. And no one can help Jason Bourne but the woman who once wanted to escape him.[TRAILER] Every summer I am blindsided by one film I expect to hate. You know the type of blockbuster I'm talking about…loaded with special effects, fraught with errors, catering to a common denominator, but damn entertaining nonetheless. In 2001, it was the surprisingly intense "The Fast and the Furious.' 2002's nominee is "The Bourne Identity," an action/thriller so well-paced and aware of its intentions that it entertains on a lower level without insulting the audience-an unusual accomplishment in a time when movies seem unable to free action of idiocy. The film's formula may be the brilliant brainchild of director Doug Liman, or a fluke accomplishment. Either way, it won me over. Thinking more about it, "The Bourne Identity's" success hinged on excitement-an excitement generated by three factors: a sense of momentum that kept me engaged, unique action set pieces that did not overstay their welcome, and filmmakers who seemed just as interested in making this adventure fun as they did in making it believable. Let's face it, most action films are fairly similar: There is a mission that needs to be accomplished, the film's hero is the only one that can do it, he is able to shoot most of the bad guys in elaborate ways and none of the bad guys can seem to hit him. "The Bourne Identity" would be included in this generalization. The hook in this instance though is better than most. A man is found floating in the ocean, shot twice in the back, with a microchip embedded in his hip. The microchip has the number of a Swiss banking account. To make matters worse, he cannot remember anything. The man uses the only information at his disposal and reaches the bank. There, he finds an assortment of supplies in a safety deposit box: numerous passports, one with the name Jason Bourne, tens of thousands of dollars and a weapon. Suddenly the film cuts to C.I.A. headquarters in America. A mysterious high-ranking official knows about this missing man, was informed when he walked into the Swiss bank, and dispatches meatheads to go kill him. The excitement ensues. Damon as Bourne is very successful hero, perhaps because this is the most unlikely action hero one could imagine. He knows nothing about his past, except that when he walks into a room he immediately scouts for sight lines, imprints every image in his memory and plans escape routes. When he is followed out of the bank, his C.I.A.-trained instincts take over. The result is a hero stuck in either first or tenth gear. He is either unsure of his environment and his purpose, incredible vulnerable, or an unstoppable fighting machine who warts off oncoming attackers. In any other film, I would have grimaced. But in this film, it is appropriate. As he is attacked, Damon smoothly casts off his innocence and reverts to his character's combat expertise. It also helps that Liman does not spend too much time on these scenes. They are not dazzlingly elaborate, but rather bursts of excitement. Man enters room, Bourne kicks his ass, moves on. As such, Bourne does not come off looking like an implausible superman, but a skillful soldier who doesn't waste time. And there is uniqueness in every encounter that creates anticipation. My favorite surprise occurs as Bourne uses a corpse to break his fall from a four-story jump. And the film remains fresh thanks to fascinating locales and a constant sense of momentum. The attacks are not all the same, as they are in some films, but vary from sniper fire in a cornfield to an intense car chase to a clever scene were Bourne scales down the side of a building to safety. Thanks to Liman, repetition is not a concern. Neither is boredom. Days are skipped in a glance to keep the story moving and a groovy soundtrack gives every action scene an added crackle it might otherwise miss. But this film's success may be a fluke. In any other story, Bourne's sudden bursts of power would be laughably bad. The nameless goons would make us roll our eyes in disbelief. It may be that this film's story excuses its style. But looking at Liman's other works, including the great "Go" and "Swinger," I think the answer is likelier found in directorial talent than dumb luck. Some critics have complained that "The Bourne Identity" is the same old film about the mysterious and evil C.I.A. I disagree. This film does not take itself as seriously as they claim, but is fun from the first frame to the last, employing a paper thin story to hold it all together. While Bourne's ultimate identity is not as surprising as we might like, enough fun has been generated in the journey itself. I was reminded of one of my favorite modern action films, "Die Hard." In that film, an innocent man must find a way to kill terrorists who have overtaken a L.A. high-rise. In "The Bourne Identity," Bourne seems to be a similar innocent man chased by superior forces, unsure of how he will get out of his next mess. Maybe films like these come down to the reality of this hero figure. I could buy into Bourne's plight as he is chased and was always excited to see what miraculous abilities he would recall at the last second to save his sorry butt.  
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