Just seen @ the cinema: The Bourne Identity

[Reiner]

Starring Jason Bourne as Matt Damon (or was it the other way around?) and Franka Potente ("Run, Lola, run") as lead actors in a solid thriller with some action thrown in.
Though Matt played quite well the man without memory I am not sure if he was the right cast, seemed to young for this role.
The good news is there isn't any CGI involved but rather traditional film making and it must be the first Hollywood movie where cars don't explode on impact.
Perhaps to do with the European setting, the car chase and most of the story happens to be in Paris and is a bit "Ronin-style".
Not much to tell you about the story as you can see pretty much everything from the trailer, the end has a small twist but of course it's # ##### ### (spoiler censor activated).

Franka teams up with Matt while he kicks some ass and kills a few "bad boys" but I am not sure how I should rate her performance in her first Hollywood movie. Average perhaps.

Ok, nothing really new, nothing special but quite watchable nevertheless:

* * * * out of 5

[dfield2000]

I got the impression from the TV trailer that the plot was about some secret agent type of chap who had his memory 'erased' and discovers that he's capable of all sort of James Bond/Karate/kick-ass stuff.

That sounds a rip-off of 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' and 'Total Recall'. I'm sure there have been other films with this same sort of plot, but I can't remeber what they're called.

Totally agree with Reiner, this was good solid entertainment which didn't rely on sfx to help the plot. I thought Doug Liman (Swingers,Go) did a great job with direction, giving the film pace
and some quality set pieces.

There are lots of films revolving around memory loss but don't
let that put you off. In any case the film is based on the late Robert Ludlum's novel from the 80's which is much better than the
movie.

If you want over the top stunts and sfx wait for Vin Diesel in XXX but I think you'd be passing up on a good film.

Mieville

[Garrett]

Originally posted by dfield2000
I got the impression from the TV trailer that the plot was about some secret agent type of chap who had his memory 'erased' and discovers that he's capable of all sort of James Bond/Karate/kick-ass stuff.

That sounds a rip-off of 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' and 'Total Recall'. I'm sure there have been other films with this same sort of plot, but I can't remeber what they're called.

I would not say it was a rip-off of the films you mention rather the other way round, it was a TV movie http://us.imdb.com/Title?0094791 back in 1988, Total Recall was 1990 and Long Kiss Goodnight was 1996.
On the other hand Bourne and Total where both books before the films which I’m pretty sure nether ripped the other off.

[lechacal]

Robert Ludlum wrote the Bourne Identity in 1980. I'll be surprised if the film is very close to the book though.

[mjn]

surely they could of found a better person than Matt Damon.

[Mr.D]

Well judging by the involvement of Industrial Light and Magic and Pac Title there will be at the very least some rig and wire removal on the stunt work. There may well be things like muzzle flash additions. High work and fire work with the main talent obviously in shot will likely be bluescreen composites and or head replacements for stunt doubles and there is bound to be the odd monitor insert if there is any high tech readout /displays knocking about.

CGI is everywhere these days. Its not all spaceships and dinosaurs.

[Reiner]

You actually mean CGI or SFX? When you say CGI I think of things added by means of computer graphics.
Of course most movies can't live without SFX but IMHO they don't have to be CGIs ... or am I mistaken here? (No expert in the movie business and thus may not no the correct defintions)

[Mr.D]

CGI : Computer Generated Imagery encompasses everything you subsequently do to alter an image in digital land: be it addition of 3d rendered elements or 2d composite work: or scratch/rig removal fixups etc. Basically its work done after the material has been shot ( or not if its totally CGI) VFX is the broad term (visual effects ) but also encompasses optical work (old style vfx involving optical printing , even transitions and fades could be classed as visual effects )

SFX: Special Effects... encompasses anything that has to be created to do a specific task in a film eg: flippy up dashboard in James Bonds car , motion detector in aliens even sliding doors on fake elevator in set. These days its common for them to do a lash up and then expect a VFX ( visual effects the guys above) geezer to massage the rough edges in post. Basically SFX is anything that needs to work ( or at least do something) in front of the camera: encompasses a lot of other disciplines: fire work , stunt work , prosthetics , modelwork . Even something like a sink with a working tap.

[Gambit]

Agree with everyone on this, I thought it was a great movie. Matt Damon wasn't too bad, some one a bit more serious would have helped (watched Dogma the other night so had that vision of him in my head). One question, how did they get Matt Damon in a film without Ben Afleck at least making a cameo?

"(watched Dogma the other night so had that vision of him in my head). "

DONT RUN!!

One question, how did they get Matt Damon in a film without Ben Afleck at least making a cameo?

He was way to busy starting work on the screenplay for
Good Will Hunting 2:The Hunting Season.

[john87]

Can't wait! I'm off to see it in an hour or so...

[Stuart Wright]

I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Because films' plots seem to be familiar, it doesn't mean they aren't going to be good.
I mean how many films before the Matrix were based around computers (read machines) taking over the world?

I thought Matt Damon was good in the lead role-the fight scences were quite brutal though-especially the biro scene!

Didnt like the "shakey" camera work though..

2.5/5.
Doug

[Gambit]

The biro scene was good, but the other guy had a knife and he had a biro... come on