Damon delivers bang-up show

"The Bourne Identity" hit theaters this past summer relatively void of hype, and what little buzz it garnered was mostly negative (i.e. lensing without a completed script and entirely re-shooting the film's climax). Despite the lack of fanfare, "Bourne" opened to mostly favorable reviews and solid business. Rightfully so, as it's the best spy flick of recent years.\nMatt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac secret agent with two bullets lodged in his back, a Swiss bank account number embedded in his thigh and the chopsocky prowess of Bruce Lee. He teams with German bohemian, Marie (Franka Potente of "Run Lola Run" and "Blow"), to drive across Europe and figure out exactly who he is. All the while, the two are tracked by a CIA bigwig (Chris Cooper) and his legion of minions (included amongst them is the ethereally cool British actor Clive Owen). Expertly shot car chases, fisticuffs and gun battles ensue amid moments of nuanced characterization.\nThe DVD isn't quite up to snuff with the film itself. While the transfer and sound mix are top notch, many of the special features are lacking. The deleted scenes and alternate ending were rightfully excised and add nothing to the overall package. A making-of special entitled "The Birth of the Bourne Identity" is pure PR fluff. The only extras of note are a commentary by director Doug Liman (veteran of indie sensations such as "Swingers" and "Go") and the "Extreme Ways" music video by Moby. Liman's commentary is especially good, as he expresses gratitude toward his international cast and crew, discusses his fondness for the source material (the late Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel of the same name) and compares and contrasts the making of independent and studio features.\n"The Bourne Identity" easily eclipses the other spy flicks of 2002 (namely Vin Diesel's disastrous "XXX" and the disappointing Bond entry, "Die Another Day"). Fans of action flicks with half a brain needn't look any further.