THE BOURNE IDENTITY

I am a big fan of the Bourne movies. They are fast-paced and intriguing as they take you through the trials and tribulations of the character Jason Bourne (Matt Damon). The Bourne Identity is the first of these movies and introduces us to Jason Bourne as he's rescued out of the ocean by fishermen. He doesn't remember his name or how he got in the ocean. He doesn't remember anything about his life.

The ship's surgeon removes bullets from Bourne's riddled body and in the process also removes a microchip that's been implanted in him. This is the beginning of the clues that lead Bourne on a quest to learn his true identity. It's also the beginning of the quest of others to assassinate him.

Bourne finds that somehow he knows martial arts and foreign languages. He doesn't know why or how he learned these things, but they suddenly come into play when they're needed. He meets a woman who becomes the love of his life - Marie (Franka Potente) and together they become embroiled in scene after scene of fighting off assassins and running from the bad guys, who turn out to be the US' CIA.

Bourne is shot, cut, beat up, and wounded to the point that a personal injury lawyer wouldn't want to take on that case! Still, he moves forward in seeking the answers he so desperately needs.

This 2002 movie is rated PG-13 for violence and language.