The Bourne Identity (2002) Film Review: A Unique Identity For The Action/Spy Genre.

When a man is rescued by an Italian fishing crew stranded out in sea, he recovers to learn that he can't remember anything about himself, not even his name. All he knows is that he found with two bullets in his back and a laser projector that details a deposit box in Switzerland. Accessing the deposit box, he finds a gun, money, and several passports, with him utilizing the American passport for his name, Jason Bourne. Bourne suddenly learns that he is a wanted man by both local authorities and the CIA who are trying to kill him due to a mistake he made in the past. Now accompanying himself with a women named Marie, the two are on the run as Bourne has to piece together who he is and why are assassins trying to kill him. Based on the acclaimed novel by the late Robert Ludlum, the first entry in the "Jason Bourne" franchise is widely regarded as the best film of the respective series, and for good reason. While all of the films have twists and turns and conspiracies involved, the first film has the best mystery and journey in terms of the characters and viewer. We want to know who Bourne is and how he got himself stranded at sea and why, but the film makes sure that we learn information piece by piece. Even when the story focuses on the characters in the CIA headquarters, they talk in a way that's both realistic and also makes sure that the audience gets any information that they can use. The story is always a few steps ahead of the viewer, making sure that they will learn just as Bourne himself learns the truth. Not only does the film have a great mystery and hook attached, but the pacing is pitch perfect. The movie is only under two hours, but it makes sure that there's no filler involved and there's a balance for the film pushing scenes of dialogue and action or suspense when the viewer may start losing attention. This isn't an action-filled spectacle compared to most films of its genre, but it's more of a thriller with action involved with a spy-themed backdrop.

Matt Damon marks his defining role as Jason Bourne, a performance that was initially backlashed due to the actor's lack of action roles and the novel portraying the character as much older than the thirty-year old Damon. However, Damon's experience in dramatic roles and his dedication to the stunts and action made him one of the most best modern action heroes as Bourne. Not only does Bourne knows how to take control of a situation with his combat skills, but Damon pushes some depth into the character that makes him more relatable or human. Damon made sure that Bourne is both a badass protagonist, but also a lost soul trying to know who he is or was. Franka Potente plays Marie Kreutz, a German-American women who is paid $20,000 to drive Bourne to Paris, only for the two to be both running on the lam as well as falling in love with one another. While Marie is basically the love interest for the story, the chemistry between her and Bourne is so good, which is mainly thanks in part by Potente's performance. It's kind of sweet seeing these two drafters who have nothing entitled to their lives in various ways getting attached to each other due to them only being able to talk to one another as the world seems to suddenly chase after them. The side characters, while not particularly memorable, are given fantastic actors to play them. There's Chris Coopers's Alexander Conklin, the man behind the Treadstone program and wants Bourne dead or alive to keep the operation afloat, Brian Cox's Ward Abbott, the Deputy Director of the CIA who is planning to shut down Treadstone due to its unreliability regarding Bourne's actions, Julia Stiles's Nicky Parsons, a CIA technician who monitors the Paris police force to try and track Bourne for the agency, Tim Dutton's Eamon, a father and friend of Marie who grants her and Bourne a place to stay unaware of the people after them, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's Wombosi, an exiled dictator from Africa who plans to expose the CIA after a failed assassination attempt on his life. While these characters, along with a few assassins, are not particularly deep personality-wise, are just acted really well to keep them almost on the same level as the two leads. It helps that they take the role seriously much like the film itself. However, Bourne is clearly the best character of the film performed by the exceptional Damon.

While director Paul Greenglass is mainly known for his contributions in the franchise, it's easily mistakable that he had no part in this first film. Instead, Doug Liman is responsible for directing the first installment to the successful franchise, which offers said installment a different perspective compared to the sequels. Liman has a methodical, calculated approach to the film not only from the pacing allowing the characters to breathe, but the settings of the film to pop out. When a city is shown onscreen, it was shot on location, despite the studio demanding to shot in far cheaper cities as substitutes. Paris, Zurich, Mykonos, Rome and Imperia all look nice alongside the European countryside as a backdrop during the road-trips in-between. Even the set that serves as the CIA headquarters looks very realistic and grounded, going for a more chaotic office layout with workers scrambling to track Bourne rather than a slick, ultra-modern facility. The cinematography by Oliver Wood is good as usual, considering that I have been acquainted to his work in previous reviews. They fit the intensity and mystery of the film as multiple shots are compiled as the situation gets more unstable. His work becomes notable when he establishes the setting or environment, especially during the action sequences. The editing by Saar Klein is notable for quick and sporadic cuts in the film that will become a staple in the rest of the franchise. While I can see some people being turned off by the editing, I actually think that it works perfectly for the film as Bourne as a character is scattered-minded when it comes to piecing back the person he once was and it makes the viewer feel as disorganized or confused as him. John Powell becomes the composer associated with this franchise as he take part in all of the films, aside from "The Bourne Legacy". While his work gets better in the later films, his contributions for the first film are not a great first impression. The more dramatic and suspenseful music works whenever it's tied to a revelation of Bourne's character, but the action cues reek of early 2000's style and norm. At the very least, the film introduces the iconic theme song for the franchise, "Extreme Ways" by Moby. The action scenes are spread out, but they are great to watch. The fight between Castel and Bourne in his Paris apartment is fantastic and offers one of the most grossest things associated with a pen. The car chase as Bourne outdrives the French police force is riveting with the stunts and in-camera, on-location action. The showdown between Bourne and the Professor is a clever cat-and-mouse game as the former must find a way to move close enough to take out the latter. The final sequence where Bourne is in a shootout Conklin's guards is epic in its own right, offering a heck of a conclusion that pays off the film's steady pace and story. I have always wondered what could have been if Liman were involved with the sequels compared to Greenglass, as the first film is perhaps the most well-made of the franchise.

"The Bourne Identity" remains as one of the best modern action films to date. Outside of the original music by Powell being typical of the early 2000's, the film has a timeless feel to it. From the amazing story, tight pace, serious tone that matches the mystery and journey of the character, Damon's star performance as Bourne, Potente being a nice love interest as Marie, the side characters given great actors to make up for lack of personality, Wood's wonderful cinematography, Klein's editing that keeps in perspective of Bourne's mindset, the use of "Extreme Ways" being the main theme song for the franchise, really solid action scenes, and Liman's directing that allows a cross-continent adventure with real locations, stunts and grittiness that does Ludlam's work justice. Whether or not it's the best film of the franchise is up to you, but it's responsible for making the character of Bourne an icon of the genre and Damon an all-star actor.

Verdict: 9.5/10. Practically perfect if the music was better. Experience or re-enter the journey of "The Bourne Identity."