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The Bourne Ultimatum
Universal Pictures
Directed By: Paul Greengrass
Written By: Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns, George Nolfi
Produced By: Patrick Crowley, Frank Marshall, Paul Sandberg
Starring: Matt Damon, David Straitharn, Paddy Considine, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn, Edgar Ramirez, Joey Ansah, Tom Gallop
Review Date: August 13, 2007
Alex's Rating: A Discuss this Review on the Blog
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Whew! I feel out of breath after watching the most recent installment in the Jason Bourne series The Bourne Ultimatum. The movie is a delicious treat for anyone who has kept up with the Bourne series as the jaw-dropping moments never cease.
Paul Greengrass stepping up to direct the last two in the Bourne series is one of the best things to happen to action movies ever. He and screenwriter Tony Gilroy pull several “fast-ones” leaving feelings of excitement and awe. It was one of those enjoyable movie experiences when all the pieces of the puzzle start to come together and as a member of the audience you may say or think things such as: “oh, but that’s the guy who…whoa! That was the part from the second one when…Damn, so that’s what that meant!”
The Bourne Ultimatum starts off with the amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne still on the run. After spending the first movie (The Bourne Identity) trying to figure out who he was, the second (The Bourne Supremacy) trying to learn about his first assassin job and avenging his girlfriend, he takes on a bigger target in this film and tries to take down the people who made him who he is.
Throughout the film we see flashbacks as Bourne’s memory slowly returns. Before his amnesia hit, Bourne was apparently a mindless killing machine who was doing exactly what he signed up for. It may be that the amnesia was the best thing to happen to Jason Bourne because in the search for his past it has brought back his ability to question his own actions.
Paul Greengrass and director of photography Oliver Wood use a “midst of the action” style of cinematography that keeps up the tempo in each thrilling chase or brutal fight. We already knew from the first films that Jason Bourne is pretty much the ultimate badass. The way he manhandles just about everybody who opposes him, except other assassins, is wonderfully hilarious.
This time around the bad guy in charge is CIA director Noah Vosen (played by David Strathairn). Just like in the other films Vosen’s ultimate goal is covering his own ass and he maintains the belief that Jason Bourne is out to get him. Vosen’s ineptitude is Paul Greengrass’s not so subtle jab at our current not-quite together CIA.
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Matt Damon reprises the definitive role of Jason Bourne with expertise. Every time the camera shows us Damon’s face you can see the constantly ticking gears working inside his head planning the next move and the next move after that. Damon delivers the lines with such wit, yet straightforwardness so that they never seem over the top or unrealistic.
Also returning for this series are Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons, and Joan Allen, as Pamela Landy. Stiles’ roles is substantially larger than in the previous two films as we finally get a grasp on her relationship to Jason Bourne and why she continues to return, no matter what Bourne puts her through.
True followers of the Bourne series will continually have a sense of déjà vu. Some moments you’ll know you have seen before, and others you’ll think “did that happen in the first movie, or am I just crazy?” Then there’s the moment that is sure to blow the mind of every Bourne fan as we learn how much the Bourne series has been jumping around in time. Tricky, Tony Gilroy, very tricky.
I always love it when movies raise more questions than answers, and I feel that the ultimate question raised by The Bourne Ultimatum was this: Jason Bourne vs. Jack Bauer (24) vs. John McClaine (Die Hard), who would win?
Bottom Line: This definitely fed my craving for awesome action, and its so much more than that. It’s a must see for anyone who has followed the Bourne series, and would be a delight even if you haven’t.
Memorable Quote:
Noah Vosen: ”Perhaps we can arrange a meet.”
Jason Bourne: ”Where are you now?”
Noah Vosen: ”I'm sitting in my office.”
Jason Bourne: ”I doubt that.”
Noah Vosen: ”Why would you doubt that?”
Jason Bourne: ”If you were in your office right now we'd be having this conversation face-to-face.”
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