Thriller Opening Analysis

1. Thriller Opening Analysis-Bourne
Identity

2. General Info
• Plot Summary: A man is picked up by a fishing boat,
bullet-riddled and suffering from amnesia, before
racing to elude assassins and regain his memory. His
name is Jason Bourne (Matt Damon)
• Released in June, 2002
• Directed by Paul Greengrass
• Budget: $60,000,000
• Genre: Thriller/Action/
Mystery

3. Technical Aspects
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUmzKdGKeug
-Scene opens with mysterious music accompanied by the sound of thunder. Immediately
creates a sense of enigma and mystery.
- First shot seen by audience is under the surface of the sea looking up at the silhouette
of a floating body.
- Universal studios logo immediately displayed. (Institutional Info)
- Sailors shown on a boat, speak in a foreign language, makes viewer question if they’re
good or bad.
- Parallel editing used between floating body and men on boat, makes audience
question if their paths will cross, adds to mystery.
- As a flash of lightening turns the screen completely black, the title emerges. Random
letters appear in a coding effect that forms into the title. Perhaps foreshadows the
main character will have to figure something out throughout the film.
- After the sailor first spots the body the pace of the music increases as the audience
sees up close the main character for the first time.
- The music begins to fade out as the camera zooms in to the scalpel which is about to
be used to cut open Matt Damon. Silence is then used to emphasise the amount of
focus needed to surgically operate on someone like this.

4. Did It have usual Thriller Conventions?
-Yes, lots of tension built.
-Audience left asking a lot of questions.
-Enigma Created
-Institutional Info (production company etc)
-Title