The Bourne Identity | | Cast : | Matt Damon, Franka Potente | | Director : | Doug Liman | | Studio : | Universal Studios Ho | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | June 14, 2002 | | DVD Released Date : | February 08, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 04, 2005 | | Summary | A top notch action thriller | Content
 | In "The Bourne Identity," audience favorite Matt Damon gets his hands dirty in an role that allows him retain all of his nice guy attitude but also kick tail with the best of secret agents ever portrayed on film.
Already having been made into a 1988 TV miniseries, this movie takes some liberies with the cold war plot of the original Ludlum novel but, its still one excellent thriller.
A man (Damon) is found floating more dead than alive in the sea by an Italian fishing crew. The captain, who knows a thing or two about surgery, tends to the man's wounds and removes two bullets and a microchip from his back.
After he recovers, the man realizes he has amnesia, with no clue to his identity other than a Swiss bank account found in the chip.
With no other leads to follow, the man travels to Switzerland and learns that the account is for a safety deposit box. The box contains an exorbitant amount of money, a gun and several passports and identities, one of which is Jason Borne.
Deciding to assume the Borne identity, the man barely has time to ponder his next move before a military squad and policemen ambush him.
As perfectly cast as Damon is for this role, the real star of the film is director Doug Liman, who hits all the right notes in setting up the drama and delivering with "pulse-pounding high-octane action scenes." Now if that isn't on the next run of commercials I don't know what is.
When Bourne begins his escape from his pursuers via a fire escape, Liman doesn't just settle on the quick hop down. Bourne has to scale down the building and Liman pans the camera at just the right angles to show that this isn't something you'd want to try at home...that is, assuming if you lived in a 12-story high-rise.
Since no espionage thriller is complete without a romance no matter how trite it may be, Bourne has to meet some unattached female in some manner.
While on the run, he meets Marie Krutz (Franka Potente), coincidentally enough, an unattached female in need of some cash. Well, cash Bourne has and he offers Marie $10,000 for a ride to Paris. Guess he doesn't trust the Metro either?
Thankfully Marie is not portrayed as the cliched tagalong sidekick and actually significantly helps Bourne in his search for his true identity.
Bourne maps out this exhaustive plan for securing some information from a hotel only to have Marie get it by flirting with the hotel attendant.
It turns out that Bourne's pursuers are none other than the CIA, or rather a CIA division spearheaded by Ted Conklin (Chris Cooper), who wants Bourne dead while keeping his supervisor (Brian Cox) in the dark as to the real reason he wants Bourne out of action.
Rather than prolong the mission any longer than necessary, Cooper sends three assassins to terminate Bourne and tie up the loose ends of the last mission Bourne was sent out to accomplish.
Liman introduces the assassins perfectly, having each of them speak as little as possible, and only putting them on camera enough to remind the audience that they are a prevalent threat ... right until Bourne encounters them, at which point they become as threatening as Freddie Prinze Jr.
Not that Bourne has it easy escaping the local authorities either. In one of the film's best moments, he and Marie race through the streets of Paris in a mind blowing car chase the likes of which haven't been seen on the big screen in quite some time. Meaning it's done in a manner that won't require audiences to suspend their disbelief to enjoy it.
The film's conclusion is a bit unsatisfying but makes sense given the way the story plays out.
Recommended. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | The DVD was defective | Content
| I liked the movie. That's why I ordered it. But when I finally tried to play it, the picture and the sound kept breaking up. I wanted to have it replaced, but I can't find a single way to communicate with anyone who can do anything about it. I can't return in unopened because I had to open it to play it to find out it was defective. It's not the DVD player because I ordered two other DVDs that are just fine.
And yes, I'm over the age of 13. I'm over the age of 65 and can't afford to waste money on a DVD that won't work. You give me no recourse.
Please forward this to a human being who can respond to this. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 26, 2005 | | Summary | gritty realism makes this something unique and new | Content
| This has got to be one of the best action films I have ever seen. Not only does Matt Damon with his superb acting make you believe in the reality of what happens onscreen, but the story is complex and darkly fun.
I think what distinguishes this series is how realistic Damon makes it seem. THere are no techie fixes or superhuman feats, just disciplined improvisation by the ultimate assasin. Then there is his personal crisis, worked out in amnesia and his desire to start a new life, perhaps with a woman that he is endangering. Finally, there are the shenanigans of the CIA, with its covert program gone awry and the brutal power maneuvers of the flacks trying to save the situation and their careers. Very fun and interesting, with a nice space for the viewer's imagination to take hold.
Recommended with enthusiasm. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 16, 2005 | | Summary | Surprise Hit | Content
| Since this movie came out on the same weekend as Minority Report, I really had only time to see one. So I chose Minority Report and subsequently ignored the Bourne Identity for the next year. I finally rented the movie and when I did see it, well I can't describe how surprised I was. From the previews, I thought this would be mainly a drama w/some action, instead it was full of just the right mix of suspense and action to keep the viewer literally (that's right literally) on the edge of their seat. Backed with a great story line, Bourne Identity takes you around the world to view the mysterious life of Jason Bourne. With an even better sequel following this film, I reccommend this movie to EVERYONE. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 08, 2005 | | Summary | My Favorite movie | Content
| That is all I have to say. Matt Damon and Franka Potente are some of the most talented actors and actresses out there. It is a sign of this film's quality that Potente would take part in it. For fans of this movie chack out here excellent Princess and the Warrior and the best german film in the past ten years, Run Lola Run |
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