The Bourne Ultimatum

It’s been five years since the start of the BOURNE series, and all questions are about to be answered. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM pushes the limits of the action film; it is a thrilling crescendo of a film, jumping out of the gate at its start and building to an exciting, completely satisfying climax. Not only does it improve on the layout of the previous film, it manages to close the entire story without feeling too forced or contrived.

Picking up immediately where 2004’s THE BOURNE SUPREMACY left off, this film follows amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) on his violent quest to discover his past and the top-secret government program he was part of. His journey eventually brings him “back home”; the crowded streets of New York City. Waiting for him there is a select branch of the CIA, led by an emotionally dead all-business agent (David Strathairn) and a familiar face, Pamela Landy (Joan Allen). As he uncovers more about his past, he finds allies in the unlikeliest of places, all helping to propel the film to its final minutes of revelation: the complete uncovering of Jason Bourne’s past.

The film ties in well to the two previous films, cleverly using clips to emphasize certain moments. Yet, as in most film sequels, it does fall prey to the “sudden revelation not even mentioned in earlier films” plot twist; here, it concerns Bourne’s relationship with Julia Stiles’s wide-eyed and innocent CIA computer gal. It is an area of small annoyance, as any connection between them seems created specifically for this film and this film alone. The film also uses the stereotypical crippling flashback ploy; when visually reminded of something, Bourne experiences violent flashbacks. You know, the kind that render him physically helpless and are always filmed in a jumpy slow motion. You’ve seen them tons of times before, trust me. There’s also the fact that Bourne should have been killed at least ten times during the film; he gets pummeled to the ground and crashes cars left and right, yet always seems to walk away with a few minor cuts and a slight limp that disappears after a few moments.

But it’s no use nitpicking these flaws too much; the film moves at too fast a pace for the viewer to find real fault with them. Returning director Paul Greengrass is a master of the action thriller; he constantly uses the handheld camera in action sequences, yet pulls them off where most others cannot. He films in a surveillance video-type style, the image starting at a wide shot before finding its point of focus and zooming in. He is equally adept at sound as well; a particularly notable chase/fist fight sequence set in Tangiers is a masterpiece of violence and silence. These elements combined make for some of the most breathlessly thrilling, shockingly realistic fight sequences ever put to film. Damon is at the top of his game as well, showing a deep characterization behind his composed façade. His sunken in eyes, the desperation that is glimpsed for only a few moments make Jason Bourne a compellingly stoic-faced hero, all thanks to Damon. Strathairn makes a good impression as well; a phone conversation between him and Damon (which is highly reminiscent of one of SUPREMACY’s most effective moments) is successful due to the fury he shows through his restraint.

Each film in the BOURNE series has developed as the character discovers more of himself. This finale pulls out all the stops, moving in a violent crescendo as Bourne reaches his point of realization. It is a journey well worth taking, no matter how familiar the viewer is with the other films. When the film finally ends with a brilliant visual cue that brings the series into full circle, the viewer is completely satisfied. The film delivers all it promises; loads of action, plenty of story and all questions answered. It couldn’t be any better than it is. A fitting farewell (perhaps?) to one of the more memorable characters in recent years.

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