FAQ for
The Bourne Identity (2002) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for The Bourne Identity can be found here.

Yes. The Bourne Identity (1980) was written by American author Robert Ludlum [1927-2001] and adapted for the screen by writers Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron. It is the first of three movies based on Bourne novels by Robert Ludlum, the second being The Bourne Supremacy (2004) followed by The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).

When Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) hesitated to assassinate Wombosi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), he was chased and jumped from the boat and shot twice in the back. He most likely gained his amnesia from a temporary lack of air, from being shot or being in the water, or it may be hysterical amnesia. In the book, Bourne was injured in the head.

The assumption is that, when he saw Wombosi holding his children, something clicked. Although Bourne was trained to be a cold-hearted assassin, he suddenly regained his humanity. Another explanation is that he realized he would have to kill the children, too, so as to leave no witnesses, and he just couldn't do that. In the novel, it is further explained that Bourne became an operative after his own family, including his young children, was killed, that possibly being the trigger that prevented him from killing Wombosi and his children.

Bourne was shot while he was underwater. Because the water's density is a thousand times greater than air, the bullets slowed considerably so they did not have enough kinetic energy (E=v²*m/2)* when they reached him to penetrate deeper and seriously wound him. The high density of water can also slow fast moving objects such that they do not follow their initial trajectory (path) due to Earth's gravity which pulls them downwards. That's why sometimes bullets appear to move on a curved trajectory in water.

* v = speed (m/s) / m = mass (kg) / E = energy (J).

Bourne put them there himself for safe-keeping so that he could get at them whenever he needs them, since he never knew where his next mission would take him.

He had become a liability to the agency after he failed to kill Wombosi.

Franka Potente is German, and the character she plays -- Marie Kreutz -- is a German gypsy living in Zurich. When they are in Bournes apartment, she is swearing in German.

Bourne first infiltrated the Alliance Security Company as John Micheal Kane in order to learn about the kind of yacht Wombosi bought and its security features. Later, he presumably broke into the office to find out more confidential details. Basically these are all technical details as to how Bourne planned Wombosi's assassination so intricately and are not really important, save to remind viewers that Bourne was a master assassin.

Conklin (Chris Cooper) had the body planted to fool Wombosi. When his plan failed, Conklin presumably had it removed.

Abbott (Brian Cox) had Conklin killed because Conklin was steadily becoming incapable of controlling Treadstone, an unsanctioned program that needed to be kept under wraps. Abbott was already worried when Wombosi told the press that he believed the CIA had sent an assassin to kill him. When Bourne surfaced in Zurich and Paris and started causing damage, Abbott became desperate to stop Treadstone from being exposed. He did not have faith in Conklin's ability to deal with Bourne either, so he sent an asset to have Conklin killed. All this is explained briefly in the sequel.

Marie wanted a student visa, which would require a visit to the local US Embassy or consulate.

Marie wound up running a scooter rental shop on the island of Mykonos (Greece) in the Aegean sea.

The following timeline was established using only what was seen in the film, nothing was used from commentaries or outside sources. There were very few scenes where an actual date was shown or discussed, so many of the dates are approximate.

1939: Albert Hirsch is born on September 1st

1968: Albert Hirsch earns his Ph.D. at Stanford

1970: David Webb is born on September 13th

1999: Treadstone begins with the induction of David Webb on June 1st

2002: Jason Bourne attempts to assassinate Wombosi (possibly in late November or early December)

2002: Bourne spends two weeks recovering aboard a fishing boat

2002: Bourne meets Marie (Christmas lights and presents show up sporadically, so it may only be mid December)

2002: Treadstone is shut down and Blackbriar takes its place either at the end of 2002 or more than likely the beginning of 2003.

2003: Bourne is reunited with Marie in Greece at her scooter rental store (the growth of Marie's hair leads us to believe at least a few months have gone by since we last saw her)

"A skillful action movie about a plot that exists only to support a skillful action movie."-- Roger Ebert

"A first-rate thriller with grit and intrigue to spare." -- Todd McCarthy, Variety

"The Bourne Identity uses the premise, a few character names, and some isolated incidents from the novel, then runs off in its own direction." -- James Berardinelli, reelviews

"The Bourne Identity may be a bloodless piece of thriller craftsmanship, but at a time when craft has become negligible, its efficiency and whipcrack timing are increasingly uncommon virtues." -- Scott Tobias, A.V. Club

"Kudos to Liman for keeping the action taut, the characters believable and the excitement at a high pitch throughout." -- Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide

Of course, see The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatim, the sequels to The Bourne Identity. For other movies that feature other special agents facing deadly complications, try xXx (2002), in which an athlete is recruited by the government to infiltrate an underground Russian crime ring. In The Transporter (2002) , an ex-special forces operator, now working as a goods transporter who asks no questions, breaks the rules and peeks at his latest cargo. There's Three Days of the Condor (1975), in which a CIA researcher must outwit hit men bent on killing him. In The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), lost memories of herself as a top-secret agent begin to surface in an ordinary housewife. In Bullitt (1968), a cop searches for the killers of a witness that he was supposed to be protecting. Two cops attempt to intercept a big heroin shipment coming from France in The French Connection (1971). Also recommended by those who have seen The Bourne Identity are the Jackal movies -- The Day of the Jackal (1973) and The Jackal (1997) -- in which a professional assassin codenamed "Jackal" is sent on secret missions. Also consider the Ocean movies -- Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), and Ocean's Thirteen (2007) -- in which Danny Ocean and his team of gangsters attempt to pull off major heists, and any of the James Bond films. Finally, you can check out Taken (2009), another excellent thriller filmed partially in Paris.