"Bourne Three, As free as the wind blows" (The Bourne Ultimatum (DVD))

Member Name: SWSt

Product:	The Bourne Ultimatum (DVD)
Date:	22/08/07 (229 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb action, Damon on top form, fast paced, fun and intelligent

Disadvantages: Slightly forumulaic, can be confusing at times, need to have seen first two films

You just know some films are going to be great from the minute you start watching them. The Bourne Ultimatum is one. It’s exactly the kind of high-octane, thrill-a-minute, yet surprisingly thoughtful film that established the series and got Bond both shaken AND stirred.

The third Bourne film very much follows the old adage “if it ain’t broke…” and makes sure it concentrates on what made the previous films so successful. Bourne’s still on the run, he still can’t remember much and he’s still after the people who made him who he is. Indeed, such is the continuity that Ultimatum takes off pretty much where the second film ended and dumps you straight into the action. There’s no gentle introduction here, no reminder as to what has happened before. Be warned: it’s not really a standalone film. You definitely need to have see the first two films to keep up; even those who haven’t seen the Bourne Supremacy recently may struggle to keep up initially.

What this does though, is allow Bourne to get on with things straight away, which means the action really flows. We’ve come to expect a high level of action from the Bourne franchise and Ultimatum does not disappoint. There are plenty of truly brutal and realistic looking fights, chase sequences (both on car and on foot) and crosses, double-crosses and revelations. There’s such an edge to the film that you always feel that there is actually a chance that Bourne’s bitten off more than he can chew and might not survive this one. This adds a tremendous amount of tension to the film and really gives the action scenes a far greater impact. Equally, Bourne actually gets injured and suffers the effects of those injuries – he doesn’t just come out of the fight with a bit of blood on his face which wipes away. His injuries impair his abilities, even if they don’t actually stop him.

Much credit has to be given to Matt Damon, who again proves the doubters wrong. He turns in a brilliant performance – convincingly brutal in the fight scenes, surprisingly touching at other times. It’s Damon’s sense of hurt and vulnerability that really adds something to the character, making him far more human and sympathetic than he would be as a simple fighting machine.

Amongst the support cast, Joan Allen provides sterling support as Pamela Landy. although some of her plot strands are underwritten and her character’s motivations are not always convincing. Julia Stiles is bland, wishy washy and instantly forgettable as Nicky Parsons. There’s just something about her that suggests she would lack both the physical and mental strength needed to be involved in espionage. Also disappointing are the “bad guys” who created Bourne, played by David Strathairn and Albert Finney. Both of them try to go for the “quietly evil” approach and it doesn’t pay off. Finney, in particular, seems to have been heavily influenced by Brian Cox’s performance in the second film and tries (without success) to mimic it. But this is about Bourne, and Damon shoulders the responsibility well.

As we’ve come to expect from our spy franchises, there’s plenty of globe-trotting. In fact, there’s almost too much. I lost count of the number of countries we visit along the way, but it’s a lot. France, Britain, Russia, America, Tangiers… you name it, the chances are the film goes there. Whilst this gives it a real epic feel, it can become a little annoying as we whiz from country to country, often just for a single scene. Just occasionally, you feel that sequences have been written in another country just to provide an excuse for a new location. To make it worse, the film feels it necessary to tell us where each place is. So, we get captions saying “London, England” or “Madrid, Spain”, which I find insulting to my intelligence. I may not be the greatest geographer in the world, but I do know where Paris is. I don’t need to be treated like an idiot, just because our American cousins have no grasp of countries outside the US.

In fairness to the film, this is a rare mis-step, as for the most part it treats its viewers with intelligence. It hints at several plot strands from Bourne’s past, without ever making them explicit. Most films would feel it necessary to make such things obvious – perhaps via the use of flashbacks. Bourne, however, simply throws out tantalising suggestions, then leaves the viewer to make up their own mind. It’s a brave, yet rewarding move which ensures the element of mystery still hangs over Bourne, even as we are finding out more about him.

The top action and great lead actor is matched by superb directing once again from Paul Greengrass. Greengrass adopts a very shaky, in-your-face camera handheld camera style, familiar to anyone who has seen his United 93. Whilst this can sometimes be annoying, for the most part it works in Ultimatum. It captures the sense of Bourne being constantly agitated and on the move, or the anxiety of his enemies to capture him. Much of the film is wreathed in shadows and darkness, which makes it incredibly atmospheric. Best of all, though, are the flashback sequences, which are filmed in very washed-out colours, with figures given huge, blurry shadows, giving them an almost ghostly appearance. Again, this does a tremendous amount for the atmosphere.

Where the camera work doesn’t come across quite so well is in the fight sequences. It’s a long-standing gripe of mine, but constantly moving cameras during fight sequences often don’t work. True, they capture the sense of panic and confusion, but they also make it hard for the viewer to see what is going on. Often in Ultimatum, it’s difficult to know whether Bourne is winning or not until the victor stands up and walks away! This is a shame, as the sequences are fast, brutal and realistic and you don’t get the chance to fully appreciate the skill of the combatants.

Apart from these couple of (minor) criticisms, there’s only one big issue I have with Ultimatum and that is that it’s in danger of becoming just a little formulaic. When Bourne first invaded our screens in 2002, one of the reasons it was so successful was because the film offered something new, something different. With Ultimatum, there’s a danger of plagiarising both himself and other action films. So, there’s the seemingly obligatory parkour sequence (free jumping between buildings) and, of course, the car chase. Although this gives rise to the film’s best line (“he’s just driven off the roof, Sir!”), it feels forced. It’s as if the makers have reviewed the previous two instalments, seen that two breathtaking car chases were included and feel they have to put one into Ultimatum. Maybe it’s a case of familiarity breeds contempt, but for me, the chase sequence (although visually spectacular) somehow lacked the sense of excitement present in its predecessors.

Really, though all these are minor gripes. Bourne Ultimatum is a thrilling and intelligent end (?) to the series. It doesn’t cop out and has a very fitting ending – entirely in keeping with the franchise and, indeed, echoing parts of the first film. It shows that, despite a promising reinvention under Daniel Craig, Bond has still got a long way to go before he catches up with the young upstart.

Basic Information
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The Bourne Ultimatum
2007
Director: Paul Greengrass
Running time: approx. 111 minutes
Certificate: 12A

Trivia
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The New York City car chase sequence took 6 weeks to film.

© Copyright SWSt 2007

Summary: Miss this and you're missing one of the best films of the summer