Movies are a revelation , and are fuelled by many thoughts , imaginations , other movies, incidents, social issues and … .Books . From the time the eyes have been accustomed to seeing moving images all have carefully noted the “inspirations” the movie makers derive from Books. Being an avid reader , one of my earliest books was Guns of Navarone by Alistair Mclean. I then got hooked on to the writer and the book that I got a video cassette of the movie. I was not entirely glad with the outcome as I was wondering from where did the presence of the lovely ladies came from !!! , the book had no female characters !!!. Similarly on a recent note John Garland’s The Beach is a masterpiece of a book but the movie is so-so.
Robert Ludlum has been credited with some brilliant books like the Bourne series, Acquintine Progression and so on. When I saw the mention of the movie The Bourne Identity I was jumping with glee and at the same time wondering whether the film maker would do justice to it.
What’s it all about
A stormy night off Marseilles , France. A floating body on the grey seas is seen by a group of fisherman and the man who has a few gunshots to his credit is rescued. But alas he wakes to forget who he is and then begins the Hunt … to find about himself. And what does our friend have here to help himself .. just a small laser display which was embedded in his hip which has a Swiss account number. As he tries to discover himself he is hounded by some men who want him dead. Along with this he discovers he has extreme dexterity in fighting and semantic capabilities.
Why are they behind him , Who is he ? what does the various currencies and Six passports in different names with a Gun do in the Swiss account in Zurich in the name of a Jason Bourne. He then bumps into a wayward Girl , short of money .. ( Don’t they all finally find women out of the blue !!! ). She then agrees to take him to Paris for a fee .. and then there is MAYHEM.
Car Chases , Snipers , an eccentric African Leader , the CIA this flick has it all
Performances
Doug Liman is the man who has got this movie to the screen , the Director. Matt Damon plays Jason Bourne the protagonist and Franka Potente plays Marie the girl who ends up helping him. Chris Cooper plays the CIA man behind Jason Bourne ..
Matt Damon has come with a brilliant performance , frustrated and anxious to know who he is , the expressions he gives are great. Franka Potente renders good support to him. Chris Cooper is snarling and has a deadpan expression Typical CIA …
Feel and Look
The Greying European Locations shrouded with snow i.e Prague in Czech Republic and Paris give a great backdrop for the movie. The pace is maddening .. things move at breakneck speed and you cant bat an eyelid. Screenplay and cinematography is good and so is the photography.The music here is marvellous , techno types which keep you rivetted along with the visuals.
Flipsides
Every movie has its flipsides and that’s why movie critics are in demand. The Story is adapted from the novel and is narrated quite well but there are too many loose ends. At the end you are not sure of many things and the ending is abrupt … a blink of the eye and you realize that the movie is over. You keep wondering what was the operation all about and on and on …
Verdict
Its one of those movies wherein you feel something is amiss even though technically and performance wise its great. But its not the kind you would wanna see again and again , though certainly worth a watch once. Keeping all these factors I give the movie 3.5 , in the absence of such a rating at mouthshut , me being a finance person I round it off to the nearest digit i.e 4.
Keep the comments flowing like good wine !!!