The Bourne Identity

A great spy action movie with very nice atmosphere and likeable heroes. I don’t know if I have anything to complain about, everything works as it should. It was of course close to five stars, but the overall impression is not strong enough, maybe next time… I’m already looking forward to the sequel. (27/08/2008)

An agent without a past... and without balls. Matt Damon is fine, and I'm not saying I don't like this concept of a "man of the people," who turns into a killing machine in a crisis, and the master of an ingenious escape strategy. But I enjoyed the character of Jason during action scenes rather than outside them, where he lacks charisma and is not all that convincing. Doug Liman has spawned a couple of very solid action scenes that are great. Then there are a few passages where the film tries to look cool and like a spy film, and it somehow just doesn't work. But despite all the shallowness and Damon's wooden acting, the civilian level of the "agent without a past" is truly fine, and certainly not without influence regarding the future of Agent 007. I didn't quite understand the magic tricks with the alternative ending, which the creators were planning after 9/11. It's so stupidly correct that I'm honestly glad it didn't make it into the serious version of the film. After all, even the statement of one of the creators that after 9/11, it looked like there would be no more explosions in films is sufficiently telling. Times change, while Agent Bourne and explosions remain. After the first part of the trilogy, I would say: it's pretty good. (14/02/2008)

So I guess I got a taste for it the second time around. It's awesome, there's nothing else to say. Matt Damon is incredibly cool as an agent and above all, it's the realism that emanates from him that people like the most. The music adds incredible nuances, the cold atmosphere is more than good. For my taste, maybe not the most precise action, which is occasionally spoiled by a few sloppy cuts, but in terms of content, it's a ride. Maybe even better than The Bourne Supremacy. (26/10/2003)

Matt Damon, with his boyish appearance, doesn't fit into the super agent type, at first glance he looks like an ordinary dude, but when he reveals his fighting skills, you can see what a mistake that impression is. It makes you root for him all the more and relate to him. A superb thriller that does without exploding cars and piled-up corpses. The hand-to-hand fight in Bourne's apartment is one of the best I've seen so far. And not to mention John Powell's great soundtrack would be an unforgivable sin. PS: After a repeat viewing I am forced to throw in the fifth star, this likeable "action flick" has everything such a film requires. And to top it off with a polished script, with some interesting original moments. (02/03/2003)

Action movies aren't usually my cup of tea, but this one is really worth it. It primarily relies on a well-developed script that isn't aimed at viewers with the mentality of an overgrown ten-year-old, and on the unconventional, more civilian portrayal of the main character. Matt Damon fits perfectly in the role of the disoriented agent and is in excellent physical shape. The film maintains a high pace, sustained tension, and an atmosphere of unpredictability. After watching it a second time, I'm raising my rating to 90% and adding a fifth star. (18/05/2007)