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Joan Allen plays Pamela Landy

Notably, when one of these fights ends with a man's agonizing death at Bourne's hands, the camera deliberately steers our attention away from the victim to Bourne himself. In context, the death is somewhat justified, since Bourne was acting in self-defense and his reflexes took over, as it were; he did not kill the man out of any deliberate homicidal intent. And yet, looking at Bourne's face, we sense that he has lost something by returning to this former way of life; we sense that the fact that he even has those reflexes is yet another painful reminder of the fact that he once embraced a basically evil life.

Most amnesia movies are ultimately about redemption—someone's slate is wiped clean so that he or she can start again. But they are also often about atonement—one has to retrieve one's memory so that one can make right the wrongs of the past. The Bourne films fit into that pattern, and what is particularly heartening about this film is that, where it could have descended into the sort of revenge dramas that have become so popular lately (Man on Fire, The Punisher, etc.), it ultimately settles for justice instead—and not just the justice that consists of putting down one's enemies, but the justice that calls for confession, even reconciliation. For this and many other reasons, Bourne reigns supreme among current action movies.

Talk About It

1. When Bourne suspects the CIA is after him, he says he has no choice but to fight back, but Marie says he does have a choice. What does this film say about our choices and how we make them? What sort of freedom does Bourne have, and where does it come from?
   
   
2. Are we obliged to follow up the threats we make? Should we even make threats in the first place? Is a threat like a promise that must be kept? Is it ever a good thing to break a promise?
   
   
3. What is the difference between revenge and justice? Which is Bourne is pursuing, at different points in the story? Do you think he does enough to atone for his past sins? What else, if anything, should he do? How should we make amends for the wrongs we have done?
   
   
4. How do you think the film portrayed violence? How did the film direct our attention at various points in the fight scenes—for example, when the one man is strangled, or when the cars crash into each other, or when certain people are shot? Why do you think the film directed our attention the way it did?
   
   

The Family Corner

The film is about current and former assassins, and they do a lot of punching, kicking, shooting, stabbing, threatening, and crashing of vehicles at high speeds; we see a few dead and wounded bodies, and one fight scene ends with a person being strangled to death, but his face is kept off-screen. The filmmakers also make a habit of putting the camera inside the various cars for the various crashes, beginning with one vehicle that drives off a bridge, splashes into a river and sinks underwater. The first time we see Bourne, he gets out of a bed that he is sharing with Marie, but there is no sexual activity. The characters utter occasional bad words, too.

Photos © Copyright Universal Pictures

There once was a hero who worked for the government. He served his superiors with excellence and did what they asked him to do. But then his conscience got in the way—something they hadn't expected. He ended up on the run, his former boss heavily armed and in hot pursuit. His name was David, and his boss was King Saul. That was, of course, a long time ago, but the story is one that still thrills audiences.

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