Espionage is a thoroughly explored genre, from Hitchcock's classic North by Northwest, to the James Bond movies, to, more recently, the various installments in the "Mission: Impossible" series. Nevertheless, The Bourne Identity manages to subvert certain clichés, starting from the intriguing premise of an amnesiac protagonist, which causes the viewer to relate to him, as he comes across as far more human than your typical spy.
In short, The Bourne Identity is all about balance, between the protagonist's expertise and his limitations, as well as between romance and action scenes. Ultimately, this movie manages to appeal to a wide audience, by being a smart thriller, an exciting action flick, an intriguing romance and a well-crafted character study.
Maybe the personalities and motivations of the antagonists could have been explored more, but the globally solid screenplay and brilliant acting abundantly make up for it.
In short, The Bourne Identity is all about balance, between the protagonist's expertise and his limitations, as well as between romance and action scenes. Ultimately, this movie manages to appeal to a wide audience, by being a smart thriller, an exciting action flick, an intriguing romance and a well-crafted character study.
Maybe the personalities and motivations of the antagonists could have been explored more, but the globally solid screenplay and brilliant acting abundantly make up for it.