The Bourne Identity is a 2002 action-thriller film directed by Doug Liman and written by Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron.

Based on Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel of the same name, it is the first installment in the Bourne franchise, and the film stars Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

In the film, Jason Bourne (Damon) suffers from psychogenic amnesia and is forced to fight to unlock his identity and his mysterious connection to the CIA.

After Damon and Potente were cast, principal photography began in October 2000 and lasted until February 2001, with filming taking place in Paris, Prague, Imperia, Rome, Mykonos, and Zürich.

A tiny laser projector found implanted in his hip gives the number of a safe deposit box in Zurich, so he goes to investigate.

Its head, Alexander Conklin, issues alerts to police to capture Bourne and assigns three agents – codenamed Castel, Manheim, and the Professor – to kill him.

He reports to an oversight committee that Treadstone is a "decommissioned" former program of theoretical game-scenario exercises before discussion turns to a new project codenamed "Blackbriar".

In addition, Julia Stiles appears as Nicolette (Nicky Parsons), in a role that would be elevated to main cast billing in three later films of the Bourne franchise.

Morrison left the company shortly afterwards, and Lazzarino optioned the film to Orion Pictures in exchange for a 3.75 percent interest and a presentation credit.

This option was eventually acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures, which intended to make a film adaptation directed by Jack Clayton and starring Burt Reynolds.

Warner Bros. produced a television adaptation of the novel for ABC in 1988, but otherwise did nothing with its option and allowed the rights to revert back to the Ludlum estate in 1999.

"[9] Ludlum approved of the adaptation after befriending Liman, who repeatedly visited the author's home in Glacier National Park, Montana, to consult him.

[10] Unlike Liman, Gilroy disliked Ludlum's novels and considered them poorly suited to a film adaptation, calling Self's original script "a huge fifteen-gunmen-on-the-Metro-blowing-the-fuck-out-of-everything kind of movie."

However, Gilroy agreed to write a new screenplay for the film after Liman took his advice to abandon everything from the original novel except for the basic plot involving "a guy who finds the only thing he knows how to do is kill people."

Gilroy also abandoned the novel's original backstory for Bourne as a former Foreign Service officer recruited to the United States Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War after his family had been killed in the secret bombing of Cambodia and posing as an assassin named "Cain" to lure "Carlos" out of hiding.

[11] Liman admitted that he jettisoned much of the content of the novel beyond the central premise, in order to modernize the material and to conform it to his own beliefs regarding United States foreign policy.

[8] As a result, producer Frank Marshall reshot a new ending in which Ward Abbott offers to recruit Bourne back to the CIA and abandons the agency's pursuit of him even after he declines.

[7][11] Liman approached a wide range of actors for the role of Bourne, including Brad Pitt,[9] who turned it down to star in Spy Game,[12] as well as Russell Crowe, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise and Sylvester Stallone, before he eventually cast Damon.

Liman found that Damon understood and appreciated that, though The Bourne Identity would have its share of action, the focus was primarily on character and plot.

[11] Executives were unhappy with the film's pacing, emphasis on small-scale action sequences, and the general relationship between themselves and Liman, who was suspicious of direct studio involvement.

Liman and Damon argued that, though the scenes were low key, they were integral to the audience's understanding of the Bourne character and the film's central themes.

The latter required a late return to location in order to shoot a new, more action-oriented conclusion to the Paris story arc involving a large explosion.

The website's consensus reads: "Expertly blending genre formula with bursts of unexpected wit, The Bourne Identity is an action thriller that delivers – and then some.

[24] Charles Taylor of Salon.com acclaimed the film as "entertaining, handsome and gripping... an anomaly among big-budget summer blockbusters: a thriller with some brains and feeling behind it, more attuned to story and character than to spectacle", without sliding into "cynicism or hopelessness".

[28] Aaron Beierle of DVDTalk gave particular praise to the film's central car chase which was described as an exciting action highlight and one of the best realized in the genre.

On January 21, 2003, Universal Pictures released The Bourne Identity in the U.S. on VHS as well as on a "Collector's Edition" DVD in two formats: widescreen and full screen.

[35] This DVD release contains supplemental materials including a making-of documentary, a commentary from director Doug Liman and deleted scenes.

The supplemental materials for this version include interviews with Matt Damon, deleted scenes, alternative opening and ending, a documentary on the consulate fight and information features on the CIA and amnesia.

The alternate ending on the DVD has Bourne collapsing during the search for Marie, waking up with Abbott standing over him, and getting an offer to return to the CIA.

Powell was brought in to replace Carter Burwell, who had composed and recorded a more traditional orchestral score for the film, which director Doug Liman rejected.