The Bourne Identity Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)June 15th, 2002
THE BOURNE IDENTITY
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In rough weather, a body is pulled from the sea by French fishermen. Amazingly
the man is still alive, although two bullets are extracted from his back. A third foreign object, that looks like another bullet but projects a Swiss bank account number in infra-red, is removed from his hip. The young man, who has no memory, makes his way to that bank where he finds himself the owner of assorted passports, large sums of cash, a gun and "The Bourne Identity."
Two weeks after Ben Affleck joined an ensemble as CIA agent Jack Ryan in the Tom Clancy tale "The Sum of All Fears," his good Canterbridgian buddy Matt Damon stars front and center as Jason Bourne, a man victimized by that agency, in a Robert Ludlum adaptation. Director Doug Liman ("Swingers") proved
he could follow several fast-paced threads with "Go." Here the young indie director gathers a cast of indie actors and delivers a commercial thriller that's also a dark and compelling character study.
When deposed African leader Wombosi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, "The Mummy Returns") gives a press conference, CIA boss Ted Conklin (Chris Cooper, "October Sky") tells his staff 'Call them all in - I want Bourne in a body bag by sundown.' Conklin assures his distressed boss (Brian Cox, "L.I.E."), who reports on their Treadstone project to Congress, that they'll have the situation in hand shortly.
Bourne is spotted at the American Embassy, but escapes, using some daring wall-scaling skills. Outside, he approaches a woman who was having red tape and monetary difficulties inside, with an offer of $10,000 for a ride to Paris (the address in the Bourne passport). Marie (Franka Potente, "Run Lola Run") needs the money and Lola's on the run with a man who doesn't know who he's on the lam from.
Liman and screenwriters Tony Gilroy and W. Blake Herron balance the action with quieter moments between Jason and Marie. After escaping a relentless assassin and evading the Paris police, Marie throws her lot in with Jason. He colors and cuts her hair (stylishly, of course - all movie hack haircuts end up divine) and she tentatively invites a kiss. Damon and Potente have terrific chemistry and play this scene with just the right amount of hesitation
to make the payoff steamy. After staging a wild car chase through the streets (and stairs) of Paris, Jason and Marie pull her beat up mini Cooper into a garage. Liman holds the shot of the two, sitting silently in the car, and the actors make this scene the best in the film.
Liman keeps things lively as the duo are pursued across Europe, but some questionable plot devices (a missing dog is a warning, but the dog couldn't have been a threat to a sniper a great distance from it; Gilroy's recollection of Bourne's mission is at cross purposes with Bourne's flashback to it) may nag at the attentive viewer.
Damon's fabulous as the unlikely action hero, bulked up and up to the many stunts required of him. While he's convincing killing a man with well placed jabs or eluding sniper fire running through a field, he also gets the subtle moments, such as the look of surprise that crosses his face when he finds himself replying to Zurich police in German, right. He's a man to root for, which Potente clearly does in character as Marie. Initially nervous,
then terrified, Potente downshifts into admiration for, then attraction to, the dangerous stranger. She's forced to regroup once more when Bourne discovers he was an assassin himself, but Potente's up to the nimble footwork. While the supporting cast includes the likes of Cox, Cooper, Clive Owen (as another assassin) and most oddly, Julia Stiles as a field CIA operative, none of them make a strong impression - the film rightly belongs to its two stars.
Cinematographer Oliver Wood ("Face/Off") serves up a cool Euro look while composer John Powell ("I Am Sam") delivers a classy genre score. Costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud uses subtle touches, such as Bourne's loaned fisherman's sweater sporting holes in the back, a visual reminder of his shooting.
"The Bourne Identity" creates its own new coherence of indie arthouse and commercial thriller.
B+
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