The Bourne Identity

Wounded to the brink of death and suffering from amnesia, Jason Bourne is rescued at sea by a fisherman. With nothing to go on but a Swiss bank account number, he starts to reconstruct his life, but finds that many people he encounters want him dead. However, Bourne realizes that he has the combat and mental skills of a world-class spy—but who does he work for?

The Bourne Identity landed as a cut above the summer blockbuster crowd, with most critics appreciating its grounded spy craft, Damon's focused performance, and Liman's handheld energy — but a vocal minority found the whole enterprise too restrained to really ignite, calling it competent but hollow. Audiences have warmed to it considerably more than contemporary critics did, and its reputation has only grown since release.