A New Identity
Damon Tries The Spy Game

At the start of The Bourne Identity a man is found floating in the sea off the coast of France. He is pulled aboard a fishing trawler where the crew finds the man has been shot twice in the back. The man's identity, and the circumstances that led him to such a fate, are unknown.

Matt Damon plays the amnesiac spy Jason Bourne, who must follow a trail of clues to discover who he is, who he works for, and what happened to him. Along the way, Bourne hooks up with a fellow American abroad, played by Franka Potente. As they begin to unravel the mystery behind Bourne's past, the duo run afoul of Bourne's quondam employers who have put out a contract on him. The result is like a "Mission: Impossible" scenario combined with The Magnificent Seven, as various spies are called in one by one to join the hunt for Jason Bourne.

The sparse casting is one downfall to the film. Other than Damon, American audiences may have trouble recognizing the cast members. Julia Stiles appears in a small role as Nicollete, the network agent in Paris who coordinates the manhunt for Bourne. How she was convinced to take such a unimportant role is anyone's guess.

Of course, as with any good summer movie, there is less intrigue and more action. Between the car chases, the hand-to-hand combat, and the gun fights, there is plenty of bang for your buck. Unfortunately, the story moves at a plodding pace that seems contrary to a life-or-death struggle. Likewise, the ending seems a bit anticlimactic.

With such an interesting premise, it is little surprise that this story comes from the pen of novelist Robert Ludlum, who's best-selling novels have enthralled fans for thirty years. Ludlum, who died in March of last year, never saw this version make it to the screen. (There was a made-for-TV version staring Richard Chamberlain in 1988.)

While Jason Bourne may not be the next James Bond, Damon does play a convincing spy. The mediocre action and thrills aren't Bond-worthy, but Bourne is a fun summer diversion.

MY RATING: 5 out of 10.

RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 118 min.