It's the little things that make this film work

Rating: 8/10 (14 June 2002)

While the action genre is as believable and formulaic as an NSync song, The Bourne Identity takes a much needed step to the side to watch oncoming traffic. Subtle, yet still holding true to multiple action formulas (lots of fighting, cool weaponry, and chase scenes), this film presents a new era of action film making which could be all the wave. Matt Damon, who has the unfortunate nature of watching his less talented friend Ben Affleck gain notoriety for trash movies, is an excellent choice as the CIA operative turned amnesiac Jason Bourne.
His presence is both believable and realistic, like he is some guy who looks like a bookworm. While the film's cinematography was rather average, there are moments in the film which presents actual anxiety. The viewer knows something is coming, yet the genuine far exhibited by the characters makes those moments so interesting. I thought this would be some average action, but I walked away amazed. Franka Potente played the role of Marie perfectly, even though some prettier and less talented actress could have been placed in this film. Kudos to the producers for the casting choice. 7.4/10