Every day, AlloCiné recommends a film to (re)watch on TV. Tonight: Matt Damon as Jason Bourne.
With the approval of the author Robert Ludlum, Doug Liman launches out, in 2002, in the adaptation of his novel of espionage The memory in the skinwhose amnesic hero, Jason Bourne, discovers extraordinary skills and a troubled past as a secret agent.
After considering a wide range of actors to play the main role – from Russell Crowe to Matthew McConaughey via Brad Pitt or even Sylvester Stallone – his choice finally fell on Matt Damon.
Together, they battle against Universal to impose their innovative ideas. Indeed, while the studio wants to make a classic film, emphasizing action, Doug Liman and Matt Damon aim to favor the psychology and complexity of the characters, as well as the realism of the situations.
Their tenacity ends up paying: Memory in the skin lays the foundations for a nervous action thanks to a shoulder-mounted camera, reactive, closer to the fights, giving the spectators an impression of immersion, which comes to replace to the spectacular side of the usual fight scenes.
Espionage enters the 21st century with a bang, betting on collective paranoia, effective twists, but also an impressive physical performance from Matt Damon, who performs his own stunts (including the one where he descends the facade of a building with bare hands, for more than 20 meters).
This visual style (awarded the Prize for Best Fight Choreography and the Taurus Prize for Best Car Stunt) also influenced other films of the genre during the 2000s, whether Taken or Batman. Begins, but also and above all the reboot of the 007 saga worn by Daniel Craig.
Grossing $214 million worldwide, The memory in the skin becomes a veritable goose that lays golden eggs, resulting in several sequels in which the hero is still confronted, all over the world, with his former employers.
Jason Bourne has been the subject of five feature films, including four worn by Matt Damon (The memory in the skin, Skin to Death, Skin to Revenge and Jason Bourne) and one by Jeremy Renner (Jason Bourne: The Legacy). The saga now continues on the small screen with Treadstone, where Brian J. Smith plays the title role.
The memory in the skin by Doug Liman with Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper…
From 10 years old
Tonight on TMC at 9:10 p.m.