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From Amazon.co.uk
Freely adapted from Robert Ludlum's 1980 bestseller, The Bourne Identity starts fast and never slows down. The twisting plot revs up in Zurich, where amnesiac CIA assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), with no memory of his name, profession, or recent activities, recruits a penniless German traveler (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) to assist in solving the puzzle of his missing identity. While his CIA superior (Chris Cooper) dispatches assassins to kill Bourne and thus cover up his failed mission, Bourne exercises his lethal training to leave a trail of bodies from Switzerland to Paris. Director Doug Liman (Go) infuses Ludlum's intricate plotting with a maverick's eye for character detail, matching breathtaking action with the humourous, thrill-seeking chemistry of Damon and Potente. Previously made as a 1988 TV movie starring Richard Chamberlain, The Bourne Identity benefits from the sharp talent of rising stars, offering intelligent, crowd-pleasing excitement from start to finish. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
Badly wounded and suffering from amnesia, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is pulled out of the Mediterranean by fishermen, and is able to recall neither who he is nor what happened to him. His only clue to his identity is the number of a Swiss bank account which has been etched into a device implanted in his body. Following the lead to Zurich, he discovers money, passports and a gun waiting for him, but also earns the attention of the security services and has to leave in a hurry. He then persuades a young woman named Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) to drive him to Paris, where he hopes to find out his true identity and discover the reason why the CIA are taking such an interest in him. Directed by Doug Liman ('Swingers', 'Go').
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Steve
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you have read the book, the film is a shock as the story line has little resemblance. Although the stories start the same, the book and the film soon diverge. Gone are the clever twists and turns, gone is the mystery and bournes feeling of utter dispair as sinister events emerge around him. Gone is the core of the original story, the international terrorist Carlos the Jackal and the complex intrigue around him, the international conspiracies, the betrayals and gone is the crucial leading lady (replaced by a much weaker character). The eighties version, with Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith was much truer to the book.
Having said all that, this film is very good. You become sympathetic to Bourne (well played by Matt Damon) who struggles as the wounded amnesiac who discovers his mulitple identities, that everyone he meets either wants to arrest him or kill him and his ability to disarm and disable police, soldiers and assasins alike. He slowly works out who is behind his problems, his true identity and role in the dangerous world he finds himself in. His leading lady doesn't need to be the strong willed doctor of the book, because there is less for her to contend with in this simplified plot.
The car chase is good, the martial arts are good and the modified story, despite some obvious flaws is good enough.
Having said all that, this film is very good. You become sympathetic to Bourne (well played by Matt Damon) who struggles as the wounded amnesiac who discovers his mulitple identities, that everyone he meets either wants to arrest him or kill him and his ability to disarm and disable police, soldiers and assasins alike. He slowly works out who is behind his problems, his true identity and role in the dangerous world he finds himself in. His leading lady doesn't need to be the strong willed doctor of the book, because there is less for her to contend with in this simplified plot.
The car chase is good, the martial arts are good and the modified story, despite some obvious flaws is good enough.
This is worth watching if the proper tale of Bourne and his complex Identity doesn't bother you.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By "realdealmc"
Format:DVD
Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum, the Bourne Identity is a great example of the genre, quick, stylish and sharp. The action sequences, whilst not ground breaking, are classy and realistic, never giving the viewer the feeling that the hero (matt Damon) is invincible (like many other modern action films). The car chase however shines out, maybe one of the best ever, rivaling classics such as the italian job and ressembling that of Ronin. The direction and acting does a superb job of making the story believable when it could easily have been farsicle. If your looking for an entertaining 2 hours of fast paced action and stylish espionage then this film's for you.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By "watson5921"
Format:VHS Tape
A man presumed dead is discovered near the coast of France by a group of fishermen. He is suffering from amnesia and, having discovered the number to a Swiss bank account embedded into his hip, travels to Zurich in the hopes of discovering his true identity. His life is further complicated upon arriving in Switzerland, where he discovers a safety deposit box containing passports - each of which his and yet each of which for a different country of citizenship – along with a linguistic ability he didn’t know he had, and an exceptional knowledge of martial arts.
And so Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) embarks on a pan-European trip, in the search for his true identity, whilst at the same time avoiding those he had previously worked for, picking up German-born Marie (Franke Potenta) along the way, who of course complicates his life even more.
The Bourne Identity is a more unconventional action film than you will have seen up to now, but what it lacks in audacity it makes up for in ingenuity. Director Doug Liman (Swingers, Go) once again shows his ability to make films that quite simply look pretty damn cool – the pace of the film is great fun for the audience to watch – and he manages to extract some great performances from his cast.
Matt Damon is, admittedly, a somewhat unlikely action hero, but he manages to pull the role of Bourne off with a great deal of panache. The fighting scenes are interestingly conceived, and the lack of formulaic action sequences is a breath of fresh air. Potenta, Cooper and Owen, all of whom match Damon in terms of enthusiasm and energy, also seem to be enjoying the ride.
... Read more ›4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This was a well made film, very suspenseful, very fast-paced. It made me want to read the book - right away - which turned out to be very different in details, as most books are that have been made into films. Nonetheless, the screen version of this story is every bit as exciting as the book. Made me want to have the film at home. Plus, Matt Damon does a really good job as this character.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Bourne Identity is an excellent, believable action adventure. It is tightly scripted, very well acted, tautly directed and packed with realistic action (including some very good car chases) and genuine tension. I suspect that one of the reasons that I (and others) like this film so much is that I stumbled across it by chance, watched it with no real expectations and was blown away by how good it was.
The plot is decent with some interesting twists. Jason Bourne is an assassin who fails on a mission, the film begins with him being rescued from the ocean. The rest of the film follows him as he attempts to discover who he is while avoiding the multitude of people trying to kill him.
Matt Damon (much to my surprise) is excellent as the amnesiac Jason Bourne and the supporting cast, particularly Franka Potente, Chris Cooper and Brian Cox, are very good.
Excellent entertainment
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
DVD was exactly what it said new and unused in perfect condition. The film was great even if we have seen it before
Published 1 month ago by Peter Hughes
4.0 out of 5 stars
DVD
I bought this film as it is the only one I don't have in my opinion this is definately the best
Published 4 months ago by Mr. M. J. Brownhill
5.0 out of 5 stars
Always entertaining
The dvd works OK and I enjoyed the contents even after watching it several times. The film is well put together and convincing if slightly worrying. Read more
Published 4 months ago by P. C. Cartledge
5.0 out of 5 stars
irish eyes
outstanding & brilliant film,from start to finish twists & turns fight scenes xcellant,you don,t know where the the next attack comes from,i watched this film when it came out on... Read more
Published 5 months ago by sammartino
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bourne 1
Got this as a gift for someone so have not viewed it! (Seen film on tv) But from what it says on the case it has some
short features & also an alternative ending? Read more
short features & also an alternative ending? Read more
Published 6 months ago by Steve123
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great film
I love matt damon and I love this film! Bought for my fiance as a birthday pressent and he really enjoyed it too!
Published 6 months ago by Katherine.g
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great - more plausible than 007
This is a great, fast-moving yarn that makes Bond look stale. You need to buy the entire Trilogy for the whole thing to be a satisfying whole but each episode is a cracker in its... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Dr. B. A. Juby
3.0 out of 5 stars
I want Bourne in a body bag by sundown!
The Bourne Identity is directed by Doug Liman and adapted to screenplay by Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron from the Robert Ludlum novel of the same name. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Spike Owen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Transfer. A Brand New Experience!
I read plenty of reviews of this on this site before making the jump to Blu Ray with this film. One reviewer helped me quite wonderfully; he suggested that I buy this and discard... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Fox in the Box
3.0 out of 5 stars
did I get wat I paid for?
well, it plays, but the film is much duller, darker?, than as ive seen it on the same telly when broadcast from itv, but the sounds ok, so if im goin blind, at least im not deaf!! Read more
Published 13 months ago by oldgit
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