The Bourne Identity (2002)
91%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 6 nominations
Expertly blending genre formula with bursts of unexpected wit, The Bourne Identity is an action thriller that delivers — and then some.
The Bourne Identity is like a rollercoaster ride that you can’t get enough of. It’s got action, suspense, and a whole lot of heart. Sure, there are some plot holes, but who cares when you’re watching Matt Damon kick butt and take names? Plus, the chemistry between him and Franka Potente is off the charts. If you’re looking for a fun and thrilling movie night, this one’s a no-brainer.
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Mykonos, Greece
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for violence and some language
Year of Release
2002
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 53m
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Language(s):English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Yoruba
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 14, 2002 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2003
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, directed by Doug Liman, written by William Blake Herron, Tony Gilroy, David Self, Robert Ludlum, action, thriller, amnesia, assassins, CIA, fighting, linguistic skills, self-defense, mystery, identity, dangerous past, Italian fishing boat, total amnesia, expertly blending genre formula, bursts of unexpected wit, box office performance, $121.5M, budget, PG-13, reviewed by Namrata Joshi, Todd McCarthy, Emma Cochrane, Xan Brooks, Neil Smith, Andrew Sarris, Richard Crouse, Film Companion Staff, Mike Massie, Leigh Paatsch, Tim Brayton, Jess Lomas, 84% Tomatometer, 193 Reviews, 93% Audience Score, 250,000+ Ratings, produced by Richard N Gladstein, Patrick Crowley, Doug Liman, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, SDDS, Dolby Stereo, DTS, Surround, Dolby A, Scope (2.35:1), Universal Pictures
Worldwide gross: $214,034,224
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $354,989,155
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 431
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 38,712,013
US/Canada gross: $121,661,683
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $201,783,515
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 342
US/Canada opening weekend: $27,118,640
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $44,977,962
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 266
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $60,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $99,513,755
Production budget ranking: 410
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $53,588,157
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $201,887,243
ROI to date (est.): 132%
ROI ranking: 821
Franka Potente – Marie Helena Kreutz
Chris Cooper – Alexander Conklin
Clive Owen – The Professor
Brian Cox – Ward Abbott
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje – Nykwana Wombosi
Director(s)
Doug Liman
Writer(s)
William Blake Herron, Tony Gilroy, David Self, Robert Ludlum
Producer(s)
Richard N. Gladstein, Patrick Crowley, Doug Liman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (193) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (162) | Rotten (31)
The body language and personality that Damon invests in Bourne creates an impression of intelligence and depth, however specious these qualities may ultimately be.
January 3, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Namrata Joshi
Outlook
TOP CRITIC
A first-rate thriller with grit and intrigue to spare.
June 12, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
For once, a sequel would be welcome.
December 30, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Emma Cochrane
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The Bourne Identity is a blockbuster without a point… Despite its good-looking veneer, its breakneck pace, its daisy-chain of expert set-pieces, some crucial logic or motive appears to have been junked along the way.
October 2, 2002 | Rating: 2/5
Xan Brooks
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
A fast-paced, unpredictable and edgy yarn that breathes new life into the espionage thriller genre.
August 20, 2002 | Rating: 3/5
Neil Smith
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
A rollicking adventure yarn.
July 25, 2002
Andrew Sarris
Observer
TOP CRITIC
Equal parts brains and brawn.
January 31, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
One man’s heart-pounding crusade to tear down the crooked system that created him…
October 27, 2020
Film Companion Staff
Film Companion
Although the basic amnesia plot sets up a potential for excitement, the editing immediately becomes the most detrimental component in the action-packed world of Jason Bourne.
September 29, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The franchise took a marked upturn in later instalments, but a fair first entry nonetheless.
April 30, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Breathtakingly, beautifully simple.
December 5, 2016 | Rating: 8/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
Whether you consider it a smart thriller or a paint-by-numbers spy caper, The Bourne Identity is a dynamic interpretation of Robert Ludlum’s bestselling novel.
July 7, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jess Lomas
Quickflix…
Plot
When a body is recovered at sea still alive, the mystery man (Damon) seems to have forgotten everything in life, including who he was. Eventually he begins to remember smaller facts in life and soon finds out that his name was Jason Bourne. What he doesn’t like is the gun and fake passports belonging to him. Now Bourne, and his new friend, Marie Helena Kreutz (Potente) travel from country to country in search of his new identity. But someone is not happy to see him alive, and is frantically trying to track him down.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Clive Owen’s character in The Bourne Identity is only referred to as “The Professor.”
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