The Bourne Ultimatum

Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matt Damon, David Strathairn, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Albert Finney
Running Time: 1h 55min

Jason Bourne's third outing, The Bourne Ultimatum was much anticipated, and faithfully delivered. After rebooting the spy genre with 2002's The Bourne Identity, then abandoning major time chewing back story and love plot lines for more immediate action and adventure for the sequel, The Bourne Supremacy, the third film gives us more of the same, intense cat and mouse chases, powerful in close fight scenes, and kinetic dialogue between breath stopping moments. It's quite the achievement for a franchise to finish out its third film and leave us wanting more. It's more of an accomplishment to put three films together, that stand alone on their own, while also opening the debate as to which is the greater film.

The vision started with Doug Liman, who helmed the first film and then took a producing role for the franchise. Incoming director, Greengrass has stripped the film's original elements bare, using hand held style camera and amazingly quick pacing to situate the viewer in the desperate dilemma that is Bourne's existence. Greengrass's style is well suited in exotic locations, unfamiliar and uninviting, where Bourne can trust no one. The paranoia is ratcheted up a notch for the film's opening sequence, and we're immediately hooked from then on.

From there we follow the only lead (perhaps the most easily exposed flaw of the series--the next lead is too easily deciphered and chased, an action movie conceit that we can appreciate by way of picking up the pace despite all realistic intentions) to the next location. With each new locale, Greengrass infuses the frame with intensity, setting up the next great chase, fight or showdown. Damon's acting prowess convincingly enhances the chases, the cleverness, and the killing, giving emotional weight to a genre that has traditionally been filled with brain dead and emotionally vacant beefcakes.

The Bourne Ultimatum nicely wraps up the series, putting everything (and everyone) on the line. The spy genre has its cliches, but this franchise manages to side step them to success. Sure there's dirty operatives and double crosses, and a Central Intelligence Agency that isn't the most intelligent. Yet on the other hand, you have a lead character who is more creative and resourceful (and more deadly) than MacGyver, and as skilled as Jackie Chan in close combat (without any of the humour). The film moves with as much excitement and suspense as the chase sequence from The French Connection, only for two hours duration. Sit back, strap in, and enjoy!

Grade: A-