『Bourne is a lot nicer than in the book.』
This is an intriguing movie and it will hold your attention from beginning to end. The plot is well conceived and there are no holes to drive trucks through. They could not have picked better actors for the characters. They may not match the descriptions in the book; but this is not a book.

An introductory scene with a body (Richard Chamberlain) sinking slowly in the water. It may have a few holes in it. It is found and unceremoniously dumped at the door of a doctor (Denholm Elliott). As he recovers from his wounds we realize he has amnesia. People are out to kill him. He had a capsule embedded in his body that contained what looks like a code. He must find out how he is and why people are out to get him. In the process it looks more and more that he is a well known terrorist.

The Bourne in the movie is much nicer than the book version. You have to make allowances for the transformation to the screen. However he does a lot more borrowing instead of stealing and is not as vicious with people on his travels.