Movie review: The Bourne Identity
Cecillia Fountain
Directed by Doug Liman

A man is pulled from the brink of death by a fishing boat. His back with 2 bullet wounds, and a small laser with coordinates embedded in his thigh. When he regains consciousness, he finds himself a complete mystery—even to himself. With no name, no memory, and no clear sense of his own past. However, he does recall small things. Some of them are that he’s able to speak fluently in all kinds of languages, he can easily disarm anyone who threatens him, and he has the ability to scale a building. Yet no memory of his name. The 2002 explosive action thriller movie known as “The Bourne Identity” takes an interesting approach to the typical spy movie formula.

What sets this spy thriller apart from the usual formula is the way it completely leaves you feeling, “What’s going on?” In most films like this, the setup is clear: a spy is given a mission, there’s a clearly defined villain, and the agent is working to stop some threat or solve a global crisis. The audience knows the stakes, the players, and the path forward. But in this movie, nothing is that simple. From the very beginning, you have no idea what is actually happening. The central character doesn’t even know who he is, and neither do we. There’s no mission briefing, no clear objective—just a man fighting to stay alive while being hunted by people he doesn’t recognize. Instead of being told who the enemy is, the film invites the audience to figure it out along with the protagonist.

One element of the movie that stands out is Matt Damon’s exceptional performance in the lead role. He doesn’t just play the character—he becomes him in a way that draws the audience in completely. From the very first scene, the story is told through his eyes, and because of that, we as viewers experience everything alongside him. Every moment of confusion, fear, tension, and revelation is filtered through his perspective, and Damon delivers each emotion with subtlety and authenticity. His concern, hesitation, and internal conflict are always just beneath the surface, and that emotional depth keeps you hooked.

So if you have 2 hours to spare and want a good movie, I recommend The Bourne Identity.

Sources:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bourne_identity/reviews
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0258463/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-bourne-identity-2002