Reel Critics

Dennis Piszkiewicz

“The Bourne Identity” is an old-fashionedthriller.

Robert Ludlum wrote the book on that it is based in the late 1970s,

and the villain of the movie is the boogeyman of that era, the CIA. There

are, mercifully, no terrorists in sight and no nuclear weapons that have

found their way into malicious hands, just the old, familiar presence of

the CIA plotting to assassinate anybody who gets in the way of it

building a better world.

The movie begins as Jason Bourne, played by Matt Damon, is pulled out

of the Mediterranean by the crew of a fishing boat. He has two bullets in

his back, but he doesn’t remember how they got there or who he is. Bourne

also has this cute little electronic gizmo implanted in his hip that

holds the number of a Swiss bank account. It is his only clue to learning

his identity.

As Bourne follows this lead from the Mediterranean to Zurich to Paris,

he discovers that somebody is trying to kill him. Fortunately for him and

the moviegoer, he has the expertise and fast reflexes he needs to deal

with assassins and misguided police who pop up as regularly as targets in

a shooting gallery.

As he tracks down his identity, Bourne picks up a traveling companion

named Maria Kreutz, played by Franka Potente. Maria has problems of her

own, having lost the lease on her apartment while waiting for the U.S.

embassy to approve her visa application. Bourne and Maria develop an edgy

relationship that helps Bourne transform from a cipher with amnesia into

a human being.

Damon, as the operative who has spun out of control, shows martial

arts skills that match his acting ability. Potente puts in a fine

performance as Maria. The drab bureaucrats of the CIA, played by Chris

Cooper and Brian Cox, show all of the paranoid amorality we expect of

them as they try to cover up a big blunder by eliminating Bourne.

Director Doug Liman, when faced with a choice between credibility and

action, always goes with the latter -- probably a wise decision.

If you enjoy thrillers, see “The Bourne Identity.” Don’t worry about

the loose ends in the story, and suspend your disbelief. Enjoy the car

chase; you will be amazed by what a stunt driver can do with an ancient

Mini Cooper. And hang on to your popcorn; it’s a bumpy ride.