The film received positive reviews. According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 190 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Expertly blending genre formula with bursts of unexpected wit, "The Bourne Identity" is an action thriller that delivers — and then some." At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".