The Bourne Identity [HD DVD] [2002] [US Import]

Average customer rating:

All action, less cliche.

An terrific and intense piece of cinema.

Damn Fine Thriller

Interesting plot potential, poor execution

A realistic Bond

The Bourne Identity [HD DVD] [2002] [US Import]
Starring: Matt Damon , Franka Potente , Chris Cooper , Clive Owen , and Brian Cox
Director: Doug Liman
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

All Action & Adventure | Action & Adventure | Categories | DVD | Video
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All Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Categories | DVD | Video
Thrillers | Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Categories | DVD | Video
HD DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000QEIOTO
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Amazon.co.uk Review

After years of increasingly farcical action movies, the old-school of espionage thriller makes a welcome return in The Bourne Identity, director Doug Liman's take on Robert Ludlum's bestseller. Though this story of a US government assassin with amnesia on the run across Europe has previously been filmed as a Richard Chamberlain mini-series, this version is much more in the spirit of John Frankenheimer's ice cool nail-bitters (indeed, Frankenheimer made the previous Ludlum cinema adaptation, The Holocroft Covenant back in 1985). The plot here more reflects Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate (1962), while the Paris setting and superb car chase evoke, though not quite surpass, Ronin (1998).

It's a great pleasure to find a blockbuster that's intent on real suspense; and while The Bourne Identity has plentiful action, the set-pieces are played straight to tellingly tense effect. Damon is compelling and there's excellent support from Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Brian Cox and Clive Owen. If a couple of questions are left unanswered, there are no gaping plot holes to destroy credibility, and the merciless, cold-blooded battle for survival delivers a chilling, gripping two-hour ride. Oddly enough, Damon's buddy, Ben Affleck, simultaneously starred in The Sum of All Fears, a virtual remake of Frankenheimer's electrifying Black Sunday (1977).

On the DVD: The Bourne Identity is presented in anamorphic 2.35:1 in a near flawless transfer that perfectly captures the bleak, wintry look of Oliver Wood's cinematography and there are DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. Extras include an alternative ending and one extended scene, all in poor non-anamorphic 2.35:1, which add little or nothing. A Moby video is strictly for fans, and a 14-minute featurette is a shallow MTV-style promotional piece. Also included is the theatrical trailer and sneaks for The Hulk and Johnny English, as well as a section of DVD-ROM material. The only extra of substance is Doug Liman's commentary; fortunately the director proves a great host, packing his track with fascinating information. --Gary S Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

All action, less cliche........2007-10-27

As the previous reviewer points out, The Bourne Identity avoids the obvious jokes which pepper films such as Casino Royale. Whilst he feels this is a bad thing, personally I found the lack of lame, witless one liners lifted the film and the trilogy in general above francises such as Bond and Die Hard, which tend to rely on both ridiculous stunts and the afformentioned gags to fill the voids left by the acting and plot.

Bourne Identity is a superior action thriller with a tight twisting story and great acting and fantastic fight scenes. aimed at people who like their heroes gritty and real, rather than smarmy and idiotic.

An terrific and intense piece of cinema........2007-10-25

Much like many people i know, I heard good things about it when it was on the cinema but didn't go and see it. That was a mistake.

This is a magnificent spy-thriller. Matt Damon can be slightly hit and miss on occasion, but was perfectly cast as was the leading lady who played Marie (his companion). She was terrific.

The story has a good level of detail and complexity without getting too bogged down in itself - a common problem for many recent US films in this genre.

There was more realism in this film as well. The hero was not invincible. He was injured at several points and his battle scars didn't magically disappear two minutes later. On a more subtle level: I noticed that the weather was terrible the whole way through. It was overcast, snowing, wet, you name it: just about anything other than sunny. For some reason, I liked that a lot. It gave a good atmosphere and gritty realism to the film . Small point, big difference.

The supporting cast were great without being too over stated. Chris Cooper in particular impressed me and is sorely missed in the sequel.

All in all, a very well made spy film with a good balance between action and plot.

The DVD has very good picture and sound quality and features some good menu design, all in all a very well chosen 'blind purchase.'

Damn Fine Thriller.......2007-09-29

It was really good to see a good old fashioned quality Euro-thriller after watching so many boring US locations on film time after time. Paris provides a great backdrop to the excellent story and action, with Matt Damon doing a fine job in an action role firing guns and kicking ass in superb (albeit speeded up) fight scenes.
Along with a uniformly strong cast this all adds up to one of the better thrillers of recent years.

Interesting plot potential, poor execution.......2007-09-07

I was disappointed with what this film delivered. I found Damon's acting unconvincing and added little to his potentially exhilarating role in the film. "Wooden" as another reviewer described hit the nail on the head. I thought a lot more could have been made of Bourne tracing his identity but instead all the hard work seemed to fall into his path with little effort. Some of the action seemed unnecessary when more could have been added to connections between characters. Top marks though for car chase and shots on european location. Worth seeing the sequels? I don't know..

A realistic Bond.......2007-09-02

Matt Damon is nothing like the Bourne I imagined from the Ludlum books, but he is none the worse for it. His normality makes him realistic and the quick editing style of the film gives us no time to breathe whilst he starts off on a jounrey to discover who he is and why he can disarm policemen in seconds, and not just with his smile.

The use of real locations as opposed to studio settings makes it even more realistic, and I think that if you like gutsy action thrillers with a bit of intelligence thrown in, then you could do a lot worse than buy this. The things Matt does with a Mini are quite extraordinary and it makes the Italian Job look very tame by comparison.

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