Rating: 5 Pulses
Matt Damon, David Strathairn, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Rated R
In one of the many bravura action sequences in The Bourne Ultimatum, the amnesic and enigmatic spy Jason Bourne (Damon) drives a car off a parking deck in New York’s East Side, commandeers a police car and evades shadowy government assassins through Manhattan before toppling his cruiser across four lanes of traffic. And there’s a tiny scratch across his forehead to prove it.
Does it matter? Of course not, it’s summer,?but director Paul Greengrass isn’t content to have his film dismissed as mindless August fluff. He has upped the ante to deliver not only the best sequel of the summer (not much of a compliment), but also one of the best movies of the year (bigger compliment). ##M[read more]##
The Bourne Ultimatum throttles ahead with such pulse-pounding suspense, any strains in credibility are as forgotten as Bourne’s past.
The story picks up six weeks after The Bourne Supremacy. A London reporter (Paddy Considine) is writing about Bourne and Blackbriar, a CIA program that programmed Bourne to kill without conscience. Noah Vosen (Strathairn), director of the program, is determined to eliminate Bourne, and anyone with knowledge of Blackbriar.
After Bourne escapes London, he travels the globe from Madrid to Tangier, searching for the reporter’s source. With the help of CIA colleague Nicky Parsons (Stiles), Bourne makes his way back to New York where the tension mounts as he tries to uncover the truth and expose the evil CIA operatives. Vosen’s crew goes to great lengths to pin Bourne down, and the script cunningly raises questions about how far government should go to protect us.
The Bourne Ultimatum relies on old-fashioned elements to deliver a thrilling adventure for the 21st century. The action scenes, shot with hand-held precision, forgo any hokey computer enhancements. All the actors deliver top-notch performances, particularly Strathairn, as the series continues to cast likeable character actors against type.
Greengrass, in just his third Hollywood film, has proven to be a master of mood and style. Here’s hoping some of his colleagues will start following his lead.
