129: The Bourne Identity

"Everything I found out, I want to forget."

The first of the "Bourne" film series, The Bourne Identity is an action packed conspiracy thriller staring Matt Damon, Franka Potente and Chris Cooper. Released in 2002, I'd have to say that this is my favorite of the current three "Bourne" films, with the fourth set to hit theaters in July of 2012. The film is based off of Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel, which hoists the same name as the movie, along with the other two in the series.

Doug Liman, director of the film, was able to put himself on the map with this movie. Although he doesn't boast a high profile film catalog like other big name directors, he did a very nice job with "The Bourne Identity" especially considering his lack of prior experience. Before this film, Liman was most widely know for his popular commercial starring Tiger Woods, where he debuted his famous trick of continuously bouncing a ball on his club without letting it touch the ground. Unfortunately, Liman was only able to put out two other well know movies up to this point with "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Jumper."

Now before I get to far off topic, let's jump into the movie. Found by a fishing boat after unconsciously floating in the Mediterranean, Jason Bourne awakes on the boat with amnesia along with suffering extreme memory loss. With two bullet wounds, Bourne's only other clue to find his identity is a code to a safety deposit box which is displayed by a small laser projector implanted in his hip. His current state of amnesia and memory loss came after a failed assassination attempt during his mission for the CIA, to terminate Dictator Nykwana Wombosi. With Bourne still unaware of his true identity, his situation rapidly becomes worse. Back on land, Bourne finds that he is wanted for death, and the CIA will stop at nothing to erase him and the secrets behind his failed mission.

What I really like about this movie is the plot. Now, its not just the plot in general that I enjoyed, but it's the way that it was presented. When dealing with a conspiracy story, particularly when it's about the government, things can get a tad bit confusing, which will lead to disinterest in the movie. While the plot in "The Bourne Identity" does have it's complexities, it keeps the viewers attention by staying inside of their mental boundaries. The twists within Bourne's character are fun and exciting to follow, while at the same time it provides the action and loud explosions that men love. This is definitely the movie you turn up the surround sound for as you watch the story unfold.

As stated earlier, this is my favorite of the current three films, but that's not to say the last two were bad. I enjoyed all three and am looking forward to the release of the fourth film. Sometimes you will find mixed review with these movies, but I tend to think they are a bit underrated. In the future, I plan to review each piece if the ongoing story of Jason Bourne, but for now, take the time to watch "The Bourne Identity" and see for yourself whether or not you want to jump into the action.