Good....but lacks the Greengrassian touch

Rating: 7/10 (1 May 2012)

The Bourne Identity is a good action film. The action scenes' were fast paced and gripping; the love interest which develops as the film progresses was well done; Brian Cox and the other CIA men were wonderfully shady and full of the wrong intentions.
The problem is that it lacks the Greengrassian touch. It is quite difficult to put your finger on it, but The Bourne Identity lacks something that the Greengrass films have. Perhaps it's the more defined use of hand-held camera in The Bourne Supremacy/Ultimatium; perhaps it's the fast paced soundtrack. I feel that, at certain points in the film, it loses momentum. It is probably about 20 minutes too long and I could have done without all of the shots of him walking down streets and close ups of his face when he's driving et al. The remarkable thing about the Greengrass films is that they are so crisp and tight; it keeps the movie flowing at a good pace and keeps the viewer interested in the narrative. Somewhere along the line, you just feel The Bourne Identity lacks this.
It is a good film and sets up the other sequels nicely, but it lacks something that the other films have - the Greengrassian touch.