Movie Review

The Bourne Ultimatum

"The Bourne Ultimatum" is another film in a first-class action series, quite possibly the James Bond of this generation. The movies all coast with a sense of urgency and there is always a fantastic plot that holds all the action and stunt work together. If it weren't for "Live Free or Die Hard," I think this could have been the best action movie of the summer.

"Ultimatum" picks up where the second movie left off, with Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) eagerly wanting to take down the people who killed his girlfriend (Franke Potente) in film number two. We also find out that Treadstone, the division of the CIA that Bourne became an assassin for, is actually just the bottom rung of a much larger CIA division called Black Briar, which is led by Noah Vossen (David Strathairn). Vossen is now in charge of tying up loose ends, which leads to another movie based on the chasing of Jason Bourne. The CIA still sees him as a threat, and so they will spend every human and technological resource in tracking him down. Only this time Bourne has two helpful people in his corner. One is Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), who led the charge against Bourne in film two, but has now come to see that Bourne is actually a victim. The other is Nicky (Julia Stiles), the young Treadstone assistant who figures into Black Briar as well.

"Ultimatum" is all about kicking ass and getting info, and even though the series really hasn't changed its storyline throughout the three movies, the last word you can really use to describe it is boring. Stick with what works. We hang on to every fast paced car chase and foot race, and we marvel at how quick and skillful Bourne is as he engages in brutal hand to hand battles with attackers, and we can't wait to see what the plot plans on revealing next. What I love most of all is the suspense that comes from watching Bourne match wits with the entire CIA. How he manages to penetrate surveillance and heavily trained government experts to reach the next piece of the plot's puzzle.

By far the movie's best scene comes when Bourne instructs a journalist (Paddy Considine) on how to lose his trackers so that he and Bourne can meet. You also gotta love what Matt Damon has done with this character. He comes off as silent and emotionless, but he also gives the character a mixture of heart and adrenaline-pumping anger. This is a character trying hard not just to stay alive, but to also not be consumed by the life the CIA directors have plotted for him. Damon at once shows cunning wit and baby-boy innocence that carries the character beautifully. Supporting players Strathairn, Allen, and Albert Finney (who shows up later as a medical doctor for the bad guys) also do nice work.

I believe Damon said that this would be the last "Bourne" movie, but the movie does leave it open for another one. I hope the filmmakers do decide to come back to it. A series like this deserves an ending, a sense of closure for the character. You really don't get that here, but then again, you didn't get it from Shrek either and he seems to have nothing left to do except wipe his own ass. Hollywood will continually churn out stuff that works, but here it has an interesting character who deserves to develop more as well. With any luck, he'll be given the chance to do so.

Craig's Grade: B+

A	10.9%
B	41.8%
C	31.8%
D	15.3%
F	0.3%