THE BOURNE IDENTITY [2002] review

This was my second viewing of THE BOURNE IDENTITY, having first seen it when it came out in 1992, and immediately liking it for it’s hardcore low-tech fighting, intimate and gritty car chase, and in general watching Matt Damon outwit and out kick ass everyone on screen. The movie held up very well on its second viewing. I found that I had forgotten much, even some twists in the story!

I wanted to re-watch BOURNE IDENTITY in preparation for the release (finally) of THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM in Japan. I’ll soon re-watch the second movie in this series as well.

I like the BOURNE IDENTITY for its lack of gimmicks and minimal reliance on high tech for the protagonist to accomplish hard as hell tasks. Damon and co-star Franka Potente pull off several schemes just using the knowledge from Damon’s intense CIA training and her natural spunk. I like movies that use various European locales as backdrops. The oldness of these places lends itself to the mystery of the story. You can feel the secrets those old cobblestone streets hold.

Likewise, the finale of the movie is not some super over the top action set piece, but rather a satisfying mix of action and plot reveal and resolution. This is a great action movie that I’m sure I’ll watch again in the future.

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