Espionage thriller has a murky, far-fetched plot...

Rating: Null/10 (28 April 2003)

As spy thrillers go, this one has handsome location scenery, car chases, narrow escapes and enough implausible fistfights and killings to keep any plot spinning until the happy ending fadeout. It's all done in a brisk, stylish, no-nonsense manner and played believably by Matt Damon (his escape from the top floor of a building would make Spiderman proud), Franka Potente as "the girl", and Chris Cooper who tends to overplay the role of a CIA man obsessed with capturing and killing the amnesiac-ridden hero. Matt Damon's fans will be impressed by his judo and action stunts that appear to be his own, not a double's. His overall performance, however, is a bit on the bland side and lacking in the urgency his character should be displaying.
The plot is never given anything but a sketchy viewpoint so that the viewer is just as baffled all the way through as the hero is. This can become a bit unsettling as we go into the second hour of the movie still not knowing why his life is in such constant danger from the CIA operatives trying to kill him. The ending leaves too many questions unanswered with less than satisfying results.
But for those who like spy thrillers, this one might be just what you're looking for--as long as you don't want to know all the answers.