The Bourne Ultimatum

August 3rd, 2007 by James Cook | Source:

Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Written by: Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns, George Nolfi. Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum
Starring: Matt Damon, David Strathairn, Joan Allen, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Julia Stiles, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn

Score: 9.5/10

When The Bourne Identity was first announced that it was going to be starring Matt Damon, like most people I wasn’t really sold on the idea of him as an action star. Needless to say the first movie changed my mind completely, the second turned me into a hardcore fan, and now after watching The Bourne Ultimatum I hope Damon’s status as an action star continues for many years.

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is still being hunted by the CIA. He comes out of hiding after discovering that a reporter, Simon Ross (Paddy Considine) has learned some valuable information about Treadstone that may be able to help him. Meanwhile Noah Vosen (David Strathairn) learns of this situation and brings in Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) to help with tracking down Bourne.

The Bourne Ultimatum hits the ground running, and it’s so refreshing compared to the other threequels this summer. The way that Paul Greengrass chooses to tell the story works so well, he never lets it get bogged down. Every scene flows into the next one and the answers we’ve been wanting are given. So many times a third movie will be stuffed with a bunch of filler and just forget about the story and then wait till the last ten minutes to try and get back on track.

As with the past movies in the series, the action is amazing. One thing the Bourne movies have proven over the years is that you don’t always have to use guns in order to have exciting action. When Jason Bourne kicks the crap out of someone with a book it’s much more thrilling and intense then if he just decided to shoot him. As for the shaky-cam style, its still there but toned down a lot more than the second movie. I’ve never really had a problem with it, I think it works for this type of movie and I don’t see it as a gimmick.

Another thing that you’ve come to expect from a Bourne movie is a sweet car chase. Hands down this movie has the best one of the series. It’s so intense and so realistic, and those two things make it really refreshing. You would think after great car chases in the first two movies that someone would take notes, but it doesn’t seem that way as the best car chase on screen since those two movies is in The Bourne Ultimatum.

I did have a few minor things that bugged me a little. It seemed like Julia Styles’ character wasn’t really all that necessary and I would have like to have seen a little more from the Scott Glenn character as well. I didn’t really get the sense of his purpose to the story in the little screen time he was given. But these are just very minor criticisms, and don’t really hurt the movie as a whole in any way.

Overall, not only is The Bourne Ultimatum one of the best movies this summer, it’s one of the best of the year. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed, and people looking for salvation after other disappointing threequels this summer will find it.