The man, as we later find out, is Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and his search for his identity forms both the basic conflict and the driving force behind his actions. He is joined in this journey by Marie (Franka Potente) and the search takes them across Switzerland and France in her little red car. The opening of the film itself sets the tone for this action/adventure/mystery and Director Doug Liman keeps his audience on the edge of their seats through the 118 minute run time. The film, based loosely on a novel series by Robert Ludlum, has a tight screenplay. Writers Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron balance a sensitive depiction of Bourne’s identity crisis with the fast paced action of the film deftly so that the final product has not one boring moment.
*TINY TRIVIA THING: The film's title does not appear anywhere in the DVD version (in keeping with the lost identity theme, perhaps?)
The Bourne Identity does not stick exclusively to the action genre. Even though it involves a brilliant car chase sequence, fugitives on the run from cops, an escape from a heavily guarded American consulate that literally puts the hero on a ledge and a climax where he battles deadly CIA assassins, the film does not shy away from tender moments. Take the beautiful circular tracking shot that almost seems to envelop Jason and Marie in a bubble of their own conversation outside Paris. Or the scene outside his house in Paris where Marie worries that he will forget her, to which he eloquently replies, “How could I forget about you? You're the only person I know.”
Liman tackles the question of Bourne’s identity with sensitivity. The film develops gradually till the park scene in Zurich. Here, after he has attacked two cops with their own gun, the film picks up speed as an amnesia-affected Bourne tries to piece together clues to his identity. Liman uses mirror images as a recurring motif through the first half to reiterate the question of his identity. In a spectacular scene where Bourne escapes the American consulate by scaling the building, the precariousness of his situation us amplified by the soft piano music that plays in the background. At the same time, this subtle music also brings attention to the ease with which Bourne pulls off the stunt. In fact, John Powell’s music is minimalist through the film and he often relies on ambient sounds to create the eerie jerkiness of a thriller.
Director of Photography Oliver Wood captures scene after scene with great dexterity. He makes unabashed use of canted frames and handheld style movements where necessary, to give you the feel of being a part of the action. True to any good thriller, he employs covert shot angles that give the constant feeling that Bourne is being watched. During the scenes between Jason and Marie, he often uses extreme close-ups to augment their intimacy.
Editor Saar Klein keeps the pace and flow of the film smooth with parallel editing and unobtrusive cuts. He infuses the film with gorgeous establishing shots of different cities across Northern Europe that the audience follows Bourne to. In one of the Treadstone office scenes, he even employs a daring jump cut on a simple yellow pin. The film ends on a surprising note, leaving us with unsolved mysteries for the sequel.
A highlight of the film is the car chase sequence through the streets of Paris. Quick and smooth inter-cutting, some great point of view shots and a snappy background score, together make the scene an absolute edge-of-the-seat success.
The film is a must watch in its genre. It is exciting and action-packed and yet manages to cater to a cerebral audience that does not want to leave its brains at home.
Director: Doug Liman
Screenplay: Tony Gilroy and W. Blake Herron
Based on a novel by: Robert Ludlum
Director of Photography: Oliver Wood
Editor: Saar Klein
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