The Bourne Identity (2002)

James Bond orders a martini. Jason Bourne fends off a knife with a ballpoint pen, and that difference is why this movie shook up spy films. The first act is slow, though. There’s a lot of brooding on boats and in train stations before anything happens, and the CIA scenes are mostly Chris Cooper yelling at monitors in a dark room. The romance with Marie also jumps from road trip to soulmates pretty fast. But Matt Damon is perfect as a guy who’s scared of his own reflexes, polite one second and taking apart a room the next. Franka Potente makes Marie feel like a real person with real bad luck. Clive Owen shows up with a handful of lines and still owns his scene. The red Mini Cooper chase through Paris is the most fun anyone has ever had in a tiny car. A 7.9 because it’s lean, grounded and a little too slow to get going. $801 says you check where the exits are the next time you sit down in a restaurant.

What works: Matt Damon’s believable, scared-of-himself Bourne, plus fights and car chases that feel physical instead of glossy.

What doesn’t: The opening drags, the CIA office scenes are stiff, and the romance with Marie rushes from strangers to partners.

Who it’s for: Spy fans who prefer scrappy realism over gadgets and tuxedos.