Compilation Thriller

Rating: Null/10 (20 March 2004)

Matt Damon's character here seems to be built a bit upon both his earlier Will Hunting and Tom Ripley personas. Talented, clever, skillful and adaptable, Damon's hero manages to glide with ease through this rather elaborate action yarn.
However, there's sneaky suspicion that a lot of this has been seen before. It plays like a compilation of bits and pieces from other scenarios, without having either a distinctive point of view or making an original statement.
Thus we have a great car chase through the city, various assassins and kickass encounters popping up periodically to shake things a bit and, of course, an inevitable romance in the midst of such hair-raising happenings.
We also have a lead actor who, despite his still somewhat unformed, sqeaky clean image, manages to invest such commitment to his work that we tend to go along with him. It's partly natural charisma and partly strong dedication to his projects that project into the theater.
With deficits detracting from assets, we end with a plus/minus drama of lost identity amidst strategic unfoldment. Viewers' responses will probably likewise tend toward wide division with "The Bourne Identity."