All eye-candy with little substance

Rating: 7/10 (17 June 2002)

Most film adaptations of popular novels thrill the casual viewer, but end up disappointing readers. The Bourne Identity is no different. This version, while featuring action sequences galore, fluffs over the plot. The storyline feels contrived, deliberate, and conventional. Matt Damon and Franka Potente both give solid - but unspectacular - performances. As a summer movie, Bourne Identity is enjoyable, but don't go expecting the next Femme Nikita or French Connection. (6/10)