Dvd
The Bourne Ultimatum
All Jason Bourne wanted was to disappear. Instead, he’s still hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and love of his life, his one objective is to trace his steps backwards to find out who he was and why he’s wanted.
In this chapter Bourne hunts his past through Moscow, Paris, Madrid, London, Tangier and New York City, all while trying to outmaneuver the officials who constantly have him in the crosshairs.
Starring Matt Damon, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn
Directed by Paul Greengrass ('United 93', 'The Bourne Supremacy', 'Bloody Sunday')
Written by Tony Gilroy, Tom Stoppard (based on the novel & characters by Robert Ludlum)
Thriller, Mystery, Drama, Action | 1hr 45mins | Rated (M) | contains violence | Origin: USA | Official Site »
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Flicks review
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The Bourne series has a rep for being the thinking man’s action film. I don’t know about that, but they are the best action/thrillers around. They’ve got Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), a complex, paranoid and un-cheerful hero, plus big action on a realistic scale… well not realism exactly, but when cars hit a wall (which they do often) they don’t explode, they just crash. The first Bourne (The Bourne Identity, 2002) was about the freshest action film in an age and the second (The Bourne Supremacy, 2004) – while for my money not as good as the first – was again a ruddy rip snorter.
4
For the third in a trilogy to be better than its predecessors is a very rare thing, unheard of even. But, in reaching the series’ natural conclusion, that’s what The Bourne Ultimatum is.
Bourne – a fellow that awakes in the first film with amnesia and people trying to kill him – is seen by his former employers, the CIA, as a threat to security. They’re chasing him for through Russia, France, Spain, England and finally America, and in turn Bourne is trying to get to them. The cool thing about him – asides from being exceptionally tough, and wicked smart – is that he’s not out to save the world... he just wants to know his real name (revenge for his dead lady friend counts for something too).
There’s a certain singleness, a simplicity to the film that captures an old school charm. Its sole aim is to create intrigue, and to entertain. This combined with ingeniously thought out and executed set pieces, plus a modest leading man, make for a new benchmark in action thrillers. It’s escapism at its best, and ferociously entertaining. For two hours you won’t think of anything but what’s on that big screen.
Despite being a little wordy in its first half hour, when it gets cranking, boy, it gets cranking. Director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, United 93) perfects what he was going for in the second. It is (thankfully) less frantic camera wise than Supremacy, and the action scenes – due to their complexity, great timing, eye for realism and a touch of understatement – are masterly done.
Matt Damon again proves to be an inspired choice as Bourne. He’s restrained and un-showy. He does so much by appearing to do so little. To sell a character that is trained to kill, very intelligent and has no recollection of who he is - essentially a fucked up spy – is no easy task. Damon does it from the first frame he’s in. He’s supported by great performances from Julia Stiles especially, also Joan Allen and David Strathairn.
As an action film, The Bourne Ultimatum is in a class of its own.
Reviewed by Paul Scantlebury.SHARE:
The people's reviews
13 reviews
Press Reviews
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Dominion Post [Graeme Tuckett]
4
This is a very good night out, action packed enough to keep the most befuddled of Friday late-show stragglers awake, and well constructed enough to keep the rest of us engaged and entertained to the credits...
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Empire Magazine [UK]
5
The best blockbuster of the summer and the most accomplished thriller since, well, Supremacy. This is the payoff Bourne fans have been waiting for and the standard to which future blockbusters should be held...
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FilmThreat.com [USA]
3
1/2 A perfectly serviceable action movie…better than most, in fact. The entire premise is growing creaky, however, leading us to think we might want to leave this particular spy out in the cold a while, before he becomes completely tiresome...
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Los Angeles Times
It says something about Paul Greengrass' directing style that he's able to make a movie as fresh and frank as The Bourne Ultimatum from a genre as moldy and bombastic as the spy thriller...
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The Christchurch Press [Margaret Agnew]
4
The latest and greatest in this action franchise for grown-ups, The Bourne Ultimatum delivers paranoid suspense and exhilarating, character-driven action that makes Die Hard's antics look downright silly...
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Variety [USA]
A pounding, pulsating thriller that provides an almost constant adrenaline surge for nearly two hours...
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Village Voice [USA]
Bravura doesn't begin to describe Greengrass's skill in mounting these complex sequences...This is, simply put, some of the most accomplished filmmaking being done anywhere for any purpose...
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