My rating ****
Imdb link
This is an excellent character driven action spy thriller which races across Europe but spends most of its time in Paris. Although those involved in the production keep repeating in the DVD extras what a new kind of film this is, it actually harks back to the style of 1960s European co-productions set during World War II or during the Cold War. These kinds of films not only have great European settings but also feature coolly composed characters and complex double crosses and plot twists. Of course, it must be said that the martial arts style action and the high tech immediately distinguishes The Bourne Identity from its earlier counterparts. The car chase through Paris is fabulous. Another fantastic – and even better – car chase through Paris comes to mind, namely the one in Ronin (1998), an earlier high quality uber cool Euro spy action thriller not a million miles away in style from this film.
