A dramatic opening sees a man shot, then fall over the side of a boat during a violent storm. Washed ashore at a small French village, he is taken unconscious to a retired doctor who mends his wounds. When the mysterious man awakens he cannot remember anything, until memory flashbacks reveal a history of violence. The discovery of a hidden clue is the only link he has to track down his true identity. Setting off on a journey of self-discovery he soon learns he is known as Jason Bourne.

As Bourne searches for his true identity, events turn even more dangerous with attempts to kill him. Worst of all, there are strange similarities between his memories and the reported actions of a world-class terrorist named Carlos.