Review - The Bourne Identity (2002)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. And, I am really excited for today's review, as it's for a movie I've wanted to review for a while now. This is my review of The Bourne Identity, based characters created by author Robert Ludlum. This movie was released by Universal Pictures, stars Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, Franka Potente, Clive Owen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Julia Stiles, and Brian Cox. 

       So, the movie opens with a crew of Italian fishermen pulling the seemingly dead body of a man out of the Mediterranean. The crew's medic, Giancarlo, pulls bullets from the man's back, as well as a laser projector in his hip. The man wakes up, but has no memory of who he is. However, he can perform several cognitive functions, such as reading, writing, and knot tying. Some days later, the boat lands in Zurich, where the man goes to a bank identified by the laser projector. In a safety deposit box, also identified by the laser projector, the man finds an American passport, and from it learns that his name is Jason Bourne. Also in the box is a ton of cash, several more passports with other identities, and a gun. Jason takes the passports and cash, but leaves the gun behind. 

      Back in the United States, several CIA analysts have gathered after a mission to end the life of a radical named Wombosi went south. Alexander Conklin, who runs operations for a CIA program called Treadstone, activates three Treadstone agents, including an agent called The Professor, with two objectives: kill Wombosi, and the agent that failed to do so in the first place. Meanwhile, Jason is wandering around, in the hopes of making his way to Paris. And, it's here where he meets a young woman named Marie Kreutz, who is attempting to get a visa to the United States, but is unsuccessful. Jason offers Marie a lot of money to drive him to Paris, where he reaches his apartment, only to be ambushed by a Treadstone agent named Castel. 

       Limited on options, Jason and Marie follow a trail that reveals that Jason used the name "John Michael Kane" as an alias, and they learn that Jason, as Kane, failed to assassinate Wombosi, who is killed by the Professor. Jason and Marie then flee into the countryside, where Marie's half-brother Eamon lives with his family. The Professor eventually catches up with Jason, and attempts to kill him. Jason fatally disables the Professor, who reveals that Jason, like the Professor himself, is a Treadstone agent. Jason sends Marie and Eamon away for their safety, and reaches out to Conklin, who arranges a meeting. 

       The first attempt goes sideways, and Conklin didn't come alone, as per Jason's instructions. Jason and Conklin eventually do meet, and we learn what happened on the yacht the night Jason failed to kill Wombosi. Apparently, Wombosi was surrounded by his children when Jason, as Kane, attempted to assassinate him, and couldn't bring himself to kill a man in front of his children. Jason ran, was shot in the back, and floated in the Mediterranean until he was picked up. Jason walks away, killing several agents on the way out, and Conklin is killed on the orders of Ward Abbott, a higher ranking CIA deputy director, who shuts down Treadstone. Later, Abbott presents a proposal for a new program called Blackbriar, which will replace Treadstone. Jason, meanwhile, ends up in Mykonos, where he reunites with Marie, and the two start a new quiet life together. 

        The Bourne Identity is an absolutely awesome movie. Everything that director Doug Liman brought to the table was an absolute thrill ride that pretty much put that year's James Bond film, Die Another Day, to shame before it even hit theaters. That's what I call crazy. The performances across the board were fantastic, with Chris Cooper, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, and Clive Owen being the real standouts. Julia Stiles, despite having not much to do, was pretty well cast as Nicky. But, the big star here was Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. He brings a grounded visceral nature to this character that is absolutely amazing. I have nothing negative to say about The Bourne Identity, and I am going to rate it a 5/5. 

       Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time.