Bourne Identical

Was there ever a point in being a spy flick aficionado if you happened to be born after the seventies? Well, unless you count Ronin, not much; until Jason Bourne was translated to the big screen, that is. Bond promptly followed suit and suddenly the genre was brimming with new life.

EXT. NIGHT. HOUSING PROJECTS – MOSCOW

SMASH CUT

MOTION -- flat out -- it's us -- we're running – stumbling

We are JASON BOURNE and we're running down an alley...

That’s how the first lines of the script from The Bourne Ultimatum, by scribe Tony Gilroy et al read. If we are to judge by box office numbers and reviews, the script, which was followed almost verbatim, certainly worked to create an action film which became a bona fide international smash hit.

However, while listening to The Bourne Identity's director commentary on DVD, Doug Liman, director of the first film of the franchise and producer of the sequels, offers, among many insights, how he brought Bourne to life in a way in which seemingly only he could. For one thing, his father worked for the intelligence community and would tell him stories as a child. He set a rule with actor Matt Damon that only every few minutes could Bourne show hints of emotion; he is, after all, what the CIA rightly calls a “hard man;” someone with the training to survive in hostile territory.

He also talks about the degree to which John Powell's music ended up affecting the film's tone. The long-time indie filmmaker knew the music had to become a character onto itself and this was reflected in the fact that the themes, from both film and soundtrack, were repeated in the two sequels; they laid the groundwork.

Franka Potente was cast as love interest Marie and her role extended to the second film, The Bourne Supremacy, now helmed by Paul Greengrass. Granted, the introduction of his shaky cam was a great addition, yet many of the trademarks had already been set in stone by Liman. Consider the Waterloo station scene in Ultimatum, arguably the highlight of the film, and you may come to realise that Liman had gone out with a camera with only Damon and shoot with bystanders long ago.

Yet you can hardly blame Greengrass; he has proven to be most worthy of taking over. The Echelon network (sounds like a phone company) was gratefully treated with a straight face and, while you certainly can’t copy a sim card in ten seconds flat, as shown in Supremacy, the director of United 93, a film I’m sorry to report, does not resonate as much outside the US, did co-author a book with the former assistant director of MI5.

Yet the point remains that Universal must have panicked when the capable Liman, who has proven he can direct action with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, allegedly “left the project.” Greengrass was the right pick, but will I be able to forgive him for those extreme car and bike stunts in Ultimatum? I guess the $95 Million in DVDs sold should prove me wrong.