A Swiss Observation

Rating: Null/10 (30 September 2002)

I live in Zurich, Switzerland... and I've just seen the movie. Dear guys in Hollywood, I mean it's really funny what you expect Switzerland to be, but for the next time make a better research and make your movies at the original spots...
First of all, in Switzerland we understand it, yet we DON'T SPEAK GERMAN, Swissgerman is a language at its own. The police never behaves like that (that was closer to the 2nd worldwar gestapo), we don't have french ambulances, the central station is not the same as "Paris Gare de Nord" shown in the movie, and the tramways look completly different (although congratulations for getting the right color and destination for the tramway No.10, but just mentionning the fact, that No.10 doesn't pass near any bank in Zurich - they are all located in the Bahnhofstrasse). And if you wanna get to Paris, you don't need to cross the Alps, as shown.
So the movie turned to be sort of a sad comedy for the first half an hour, and we made a lot of jokes throughout the whole audience. I know all other peole around the world don't give a damn about any of these points above. Yet no one would ever have the idea to shoot a film about New York in Los Angeles, that would be a hell of a scandal in the US.
Last but not least, it's not a bad movie. I've seen worse, and it's very positive to see just a normal spy thriller without any Bond-like impossible gadget-bull****. Yet after reading the book, the story is really shallow.
I understand, that reading today is out. But if you wanna have a really good thrill by "The Bourne Identity" with ten times more chases and a much better and challenging story, it's absolutely worth to read the book. I guarantee that.