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The Bourne Identity

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Lacking in the way of plot or characters, but fun.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    All major characters are white.
  • Violence:

    A lot of peril and violence, some graphic, characters killed.
  • Sex:

    Mild sexual situation.
  • Language:

    Some strong language.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Character responds to stress by getting a drink, smoking.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Bourne Identity was written by Nell Minow

Parents need to know that this movie has lots of cartoonish but sometimes graphic violence and some bad language in English and German. There is a mild and non-explicit sexual situation.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about how we can ensure accountability for covert operations and how Jason and Marie decided to trust each other.
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More on The Bourne Identity

What’s the Story?

This action-packed thriller gets moving when a cargo ship pulls an unconscious man (Matt Damon) from the sea. The ship's medic removes bullets and a strange information capsule from the man's back. When he awakes, he is angry, desperate, and doesn't know who he is. He's dropped off in Europe and tries to work his way to finding his identity, only to be suddenly attacked by people from his past life. He successfully fights them off and pays a woman (Franka Potente) to drive him to safety, but at every angle there's another danger, and the film picks up as the plot unravels, with Damon eventually discovering his name (or one of his names) is be Jason Bourne and researching his past to find out why people are trying to kill him.

Is It Any Good?

The Bourne Identity does not have much in the way of plot or characters, but it is a better-than-average guns, gadgets, and chases in interesting locations movie. It's formulaic but stylish, clever, and fun. Franka Potente is always fun to watch, and bad guy Chris Cooper remains one of Hollywood's finest character actors, but as credible an actor as Matt Damon is, he makes a rather unconvincing action hero. His boyish looks don't help him when he's beating people up or jumping off buildings, and his ability to stay clean and perfectly shaven after days without having any chance to wash himself is pretty questionable.

One can't help but think that Hugh Jackman or Pierce Brosnan would have flawlessly executed the role, and seeing the terrific Clive Owen shine in a small role only makes you see how perfect he'd be in the title role. But I guess they needed an American hero.

Movie Details

Studio: Universal Pictures, Director: Doug Liman
Run time: 116 minutes
Theatrical release: 06/14/2002, DVD release: 01/21/2003
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, peril and some language.

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Fantastic but proceed with caution

    I have seen all of the bourne movies and i think they are amazing ( violent) (very tense) bourne is a person who really does not remember the person who he once was. He does not go after people they come after him (the scariest thing about this movie is the flash backs of what he has previously done this is most true in the bourne ultimatum) i would suggest that someone older than 13 watch this first to skip the more graphic parts

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Fantastic but proceed with caution

    I have seen all of the bourne movies and i think they are amazing ( violent) (very tense) bourne is a person who really does not remember the person who he once was. He does not go after people they come after him (the scariest thing about this movie is the flash backs of what he has previously done this is most true in the bourne ultimatum) i would suggest that someone older than 13 watch this first to skip the more graphic parts

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    A great movie, but intense action scenes

    This movie is really well done. Matt Damon is a really great and convincing actor. The first part is really pretty grapic, and it really looks real. My brother had to cover his eyes. Matt Damon (A.K.A Jason Bourne) is a "Bad Mother" and is very good at his job, and he doesn't even know why he is, for that matter because he got amnesia. There are 2 cases of madmen with machine guns, and the first guy just comes out of nowhere, even though it gets all quiet right before it happens. The guy also commits suicide. The fights are pretty intense, and my brother couldn't watch it. I was able to watch it, though. It is really good for older kids though.

  4. I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    awesome

    This was an awesome movie.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Great movie, but it's way to violent for anyone under 14.

    Wonderful movie! It just contains a lot of violence that would probably disturb anyone under 14, and a s*xual scene.

  6. I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0

    very good 11 and over

    veryyyyyyyy good action movie watch it 11 and over some violece and mild sex matt damon is agreat actor

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    Sweet Flick.

    Great show, instense but not full of suspense. The only thing parents need to know, is that when characters shoot in this, its to kill. Other than that nothing, film's aimed at older kids.

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    Wow, I loved this movie.

    This is such a great action movie! It is violent, and has a fair deal of language though. Characters are shot, stabbed, exploded, you name it. Most of it isn't graphic, but some is. The language consists of just about everything, including one f-word. (unfortunately) Know your kid, it may be too violent for them.

  9. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

    An Enjoyable Thriller for Teens and Up, But No One Younger...

    Jason is found by fishermen in the water with a microchip in his hip and two bullets in his back. He can't remember his past. It's revealed that the microchip contains the number of a Bank Account, Jason goes to learn more. He finds multiple identities, money in every currency, and a loaded gun. He finds clues to learn about himself. There's just one problem: people are following him. And they're trying to kill him. Violence is your biggest issue. Kids will see gunfights, fistfights, knife fights, and every other kind of fight. The good news: it's not very graphic. Jason and Marie, his girlfriend, see the body of a woman who's been shot in the head (briefly a hole is seen). The killer jumps out a window, and you (briefly) see blood around his body. Jason gets cuts, but there's no gore. People are shot and you see the bullet fire, the person fall, and occasionally a scream. Jason and Marie spend the night in a run-down motel, they kiss passionately and, somewhere in the middle, Jason's shirt comes off. You don’t see anything graphic. Language is a “f**k” and some “bastard”s.

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0

    GREAT SERIES!

    this is a great series! thers alot of action and som shooting!

  11. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title pause for age 14 and give it 5.0

    Wow, just wow...

    Parents should know that though this is an extremely enjoyable movie, it is both intense and graphic. (And in the explosive extended edition gory in parts) There is one f**k, and some less strong language also. I don't remember if the same is true in the theatrical version, but the explosive extended edition is too much for a PG-13. Parents, this movie is not for all teens. Some thirteen and fourteen year olds will be fine, but not all. Know your kid...

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 4.0

    An AWESOME movie!

    Parents should know that though this is an extremely enjoyable movie, it is both intense and graphic. (And in the explosive extended edition gory in parts) There is one f**k, and some less strong language also. I don't remember if the same is true in the theatrical version, but the explosive extended edition is too much for a PG-13. Parents, this movie is not for all teens. Some thirteen and fourteen year olds will be fine, but not all. Know your kid...

  13. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 5.0

    great movie

    really good movie a few violent scenes blood not that gory but someone does break through a window with an automatic gun later jumps out the window and is stabbed by a pen, later a dicktater is sniped in the head but overall good movie in the beginning he is found floating in the water unconscious

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    Very Good!

    Violent! Good, but violent! For example, one of the more violent scenes shows Bourne fight with a guy, brief shots of blood, often splattering on the floor, the guy gets stabbed in the hand with a pen, and later, cornered inevitably, throws himself out the window. Bourne takes his girl downstairs, where they see a woman who's been shot in the head. And finally, as they exit the building, there's a brief shot of the dead guy's head splattered on the ground. I'm only saying this to warn parents who want to let their kids watch! Otherwise, REALLY good!

  15. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    The best "Spy" movie in years

    This is a movie that has all the dialog of a great drama, but also has room for the best car chase since Ronin.

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 5.0

  17. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 5.0

    Totally Awesome!!

    It was an awesome movie that was complicated but very gripping. There was a lot of fighting and guns but that made it more exciting. I liked how you found out everything about Jason Bourne while he was finding out who he was for himself. I really like the plot and actors. An overall excellent movie!

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 4.0

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Rhode Island
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

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