Strong minded intense mystery

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2008)

Jason Bourne (Damon) is suffering from amnesia. He finds a bullet in his back with a bank code and sets on a journey to find his identity.
When you see a body lying in the middle of the sea, completely motionless you know you're in for something special. This opening shot uses a great mix of colour and direction, with a sweet silence to create a sombre mood that will instantly engross you.
Matt Damon (The Departed) is Jason Bourne, the man lying in the middle of the sea. As a boat picks Bourne up we feel his memory loss and what follows is a flowing narrative filled with an intensity and interest.
Damon's depiction of Robert Ludlum's character is wonderful. Silent and professional, everything that was intended.
There have been many debates over Bourne and Bond. The British franchise is light hearted, has gadgets and has an overwhelming use of action encoded. Bourne however is more serious, professional and realistic. This first instalment of the series for example has realism down to the ground. There are consequences to actions, there isn't much action and there are no clichés. Not to mention this 2002 hit climaxes with so many unanswered questions you will be ripping The Bourne Supremacy out of its case without a second thought. Recent Bonds Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace have been compared to the Bourne series as they are darker and more serious, but these 3 films are much more sophisticated than Bond will ever be.
This is by far more realistic than any Bond. Though the Bond films are funnier and have cool gadgets, the Bourne's have more realism, carefully choosing the action sequences and giving a highly intriguing portrayal of the American government and CIA.
The narrative is consistent and justifies the genre beautifully. The film dives into genres of mystery, crime, thriller and drama, giving a wide perspective of realism of its own.
The whole concept of finding his true identity invites viewers into the narrative and will leave you shocked come the chilling end. The dealings with the police fall into the crime area, and the dramatic turn of events involving beautifully directed memory flashbacks give this film a high dramatic turn.
The music score is wonderful. Playing softly in the background it gives the film a strong intensity feeling and Moby's Extreme Ways finishes the film off beautifully