Anthony's Film Review - The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Three words describe this cinematic action thriller: bold, intense, and exciting...

The Bourne Ultimatum, directed by Paul Greengrass, is the third installment of the Bourne trilogy that also includes The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, but it does not require viewing of the other two Bourne movies. In fact, one could argue that you can watch this film and not bother seeing the others. The only thing that seems to matter with the story of the Bourne trilogy, involving a spy who cannot recall his identity but finds himself on the run, is the finale. Sure, it's cool to see how it all starts and what he does on the way, but I think everyone really wants to know how it'll all conclude in the very end.

Matt Damon is a damn good actor in this movie. His character, Jason Bourne, can pretty much equal James Bond in terms of ruthlessness and quick, cunning wit. During intense situations, Bourne might get stuck unexpectedly, but he easily finds a solution. And he moves quickly, too. Take, for example, a scene where Bourne hunts down an enemy agent in Morocco. Bourne has to jump from rooftop to rooftop and run through people's homes before confronting his foe. The action here is just great.

As for other characters besides Bourne, one deserves mention. Joan Allen as Pamela Landy at the CIA is Bourne's only hope. This is because Bourne is convinced about who his ultimate enemy really is and only Landy could help him stop this nemesis. Otherwise, Bourne has no other allies. He is on the run by who knows how many enemy agents. This situation of possibly being outnumbered certainly generates suspense.

The only complaint I have regards a particular cinematic technique that seems to be unique to the Bourne movies: shaking cameras. During many action scenes, the camera is shaking as it is moving and following someone. I know this is meant to simulate the realistic feel of a foot chase or the like, but some people have reported feeling dizzy from watching such scenes. I would be fine if the movie had used smooth camera shots for the action scenes.

Otherwise, The Bourne Ultimatum was a satisfying movie experience. It has what you'd expect in any good movie, but the one characteristic that makes it work for sure is the pacing. It either goes at breakneck speed or involves some important plot development. You can barely stop to take a deep breath. When it's all over, there's a great sense of satisfaction from sitting through it all. That's what you can expect with The Bourne Ultimatum. A satisfying movie experience.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about The Bourne Ultimatum, visit the Internet Movie Database.