This Film Doesn't Deserve to be Identified.

Rating: 4/10 (24 June 2015)

The Bourne Identity (2002): Dir: Doug Liman / Cast: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Julia Stiles, Clive Owen: Exhilarating remake about self discovery that hardly translates as decent entertainment. A wounded body is found at sea but he isn't aware of who he is so he assumes the identity of Jason Bourne. He can also speak several languages and beat the tar out of people. He pays a woman a sum of money to drive him from danger. Interesting setup becomes one violent scene after another. Director Doug Liman proves that he can handle action right down to the corrupt conclusion. He previously made a much better film in Go. Matt Damon mirrors Bourne's amnesia and paranoia but he is reduced to constant combat. Franka Potente serves no purpose other than to be a potential sex partner. Chris Cooper is also reduced to a standard role and Julia Stiles are wasted. Clive Owen would go on to become a rather successful action star but here he basically plays a role billed as the professor. The film exists as entertainment but as such it substitutes intelligence for numerous violent encounters and variations of martial arts fights that seem to go on forever. This is the first of several books surrounding the Bourne character but hopefully all of them won't be translated to screen this poorly. Themes of identity and ability overshadowed by pointless violence in this overrated dog show. Score: 4 / 10