The Bourne Identity

An agent without a past... and without balls. Matt Damon is fine, and I'm not saying I don't like this concept of a "man of the people," who turns into a killing machine in a crisis, and the master of an ingenious escape strategy. But I enjoyed the character of Jason during action scenes rather than outside them, where he lacks charisma and is not all that convincing. Doug Liman has spawned a couple of very solid action scenes that are great. Then there are a few passages where the film tries to look cool and like a spy film, and it somehow just doesn't work. But despite all the shallowness and Damon's wooden acting, the civilian level of the "agent without a past" is truly fine, and certainly not without influence regarding the future of Agent 007. I didn't quite understand the magic tricks with the alternative ending, which the creators were planning after 9/11. It's so stupidly correct that I'm honestly glad it didn't make it into the serious version of the film. After all, even the statement of one of the creators that after 9/11, it looked like there would be no more explosions in films is sufficiently telling. Times change, while Agent Bourne and explosions remain. After the first part of the trilogy, I would say: it's pretty good. (15/02/2008)

In general terms it’s totally fine. It's got plenty of action, drama, and ambition. But what bothers me here is the rather unappealing atmosphere. It's like a mock-up or a set-up for something big that's not so big after all. I don't think Matt Damon was fully baked at that point. The same old pace can get boring after a while. 3.5 stars. (22/07/2011)

Action movies aren't usually my cup of tea, but this one is really worth it. It primarily relies on a well-developed script that isn't aimed at viewers with the mentality of an overgrown ten-year-old, and on the unconventional, more civilian portrayal of the main character. Matt Damon fits perfectly in the role of the disoriented agent and is in excellent physical shape. The film maintains a high pace, sustained tension, and an atmosphere of unpredictability. After watching it a second time, I'm raising my rating to 90% and adding a fifth star. (19/05/2007)

So I guess I got a taste for it the second time around. It's awesome, there's nothing else to say. Matt Damon is incredibly cool as an agent and above all, it's the realism that emanates from him that people like the most. The music adds incredible nuances, the cold atmosphere is more than good. For my taste, maybe not the most precise action, which is occasionally spoiled by a few sloppy cuts, but in terms of content, it's a ride. Maybe even better than The Bourne Supremacy. (26/10/2003)

I've been waiting long enough, and I got even more. Specifically, a perfectly intimate action drive, which has no equal in its genre. And even though the viewer knows well where the plot is heading, they gladly follow the path of agents, bosses, assassinations, and betrayals. The secret of the main character works superbly. And despite all the admiration, I have to admit that at that time, I didn't even hope that Jason could become the most impressive killer of the 2000s and that the adaptations of Ludlum's books would become almost artistically popular affairs loved by both perfectionists and ordinary viewers. (12/02/2005)