The Bourne Identity (2002), George A. Romero's Survival Of The Dead

The Bourne Identity (2002)
     The first of three movies based on a series of Robert Ludlum novels, this was also the first movie that actually made me respect Matt Damon a little. After all of the Kevin Smith movies and tainting his name with Ben Affleck, I really didn't think he'd ever be much more than a pretty boy comic actor.
     While The Bourne Identity is not exactly high art, it is kind of fun. There is a very interesting supporting cast and the plot unfolds with just enough pacing to hold your attention. It manages to avoid a lot of oh-that's-convenient moments and builds the action around making the characters work for it.
     It was a risky move on the part of the producers to hire Doug Liman to direct considering that he made his bones on the new wave of indie "hip-teen" comedies but, as the credits roll, you have to tip your hat to the guy. I'm probably in the minority in this line of thought considering he didn't go on to direct the other two although he did executive produce them.


George A. Romero's Survival Of The Dead
     The latest (but probably not the last) in Romero's film series. While this is better than Diary Of The Dead, I can't help but ask myself if George is even trying anymore. He's cast a bunch of T.V. actors (probably because they know how to work fast), the special effects are 95% computerized and the whole thing just feels rushed and thrown together. Hell, the ending is even somewhat optimistic which is out of character for the master of zombie cinema.
     The action takes place on a remote island off the east coast. There are two families that have been feuding for generations that are torn even farther apart by their dealings with the undead. On one side, they want to destroy all of the recently rejuvenated and on the other, they look at them as more living impaired. Convinced that they're still their loved ones, this family tries to find an alternate food source besides living people. If they can only convince them that livestock is just as good as people, maybe they wont have to keep them in the barn anymore.
     Things come to a head when the pro-lifers capture an undead member of the pro-death family. Caught in the middle of all of this is a small unit of soldiers who deserted figuring they'd be better off by themselves.
     If you've seen the other five then it's worth a look for the morbidly curious, otherwise it just stands as a testament that Romero needs to let sleeping corpses lie.