The Bourne Ultimatum ~~~~

15th August '07

...almost the perfect end to the trilogy. In it's own right, a damn entertaining action/thriller with all the markings of a Bourne adventure. The let downs first, and to be fair, there aren't many. Wobble-cam, although expertly applied was, I felt slightly overused. Blink and you certainly will miss it. That said, this method of filming the action does add to the overall feel and pace of the movie. Beware sitting too close to the screen! I hope this translates better when it's released on DVD and despite the fact that frenetic camera work can contribute towards blurry-vision and cinema-sickness, where would the Bourne films be without it? The second point to be made was the screamingly obvious lack of dialogue for the main man. Maybe Matt Damon is happy to be mute the majority of the film leaving him more time to concentrate on the almost humanly impossible fight scenes and physical stunts? Whatever the reason, it would have been nice to feel slightly more engaged with the mysterious and ever hunted Bourne.

That said, the merits of the third Bourne film still outrank the majority of action-thriller films of the past decade or so. No wonder the new Bond has changed gear! Damon's physical demands have been taken to a new level and the newish 'sport' of free-running has been put to spectacular effect.

Briefly, Bourne is still on the run. He's still on the run but is also doing the chasing. Since the lovely Marie carked it in B2, Bourne has become and an increasingly desperate and lonely man. Without seeming to be aware, or care, of his own mortality he begins to hunt for the truth about both his wife's murder and how he originally came to be embroiled in the underworld of espionage and murder - for the US government no less.

Without giving the entire plot away, it goes without saying that many countries are visited (including a nice section in London) and a few new and old key characters are met and explored. Nicky, the young Paris station agent, appears again and the relationship with Bourne is developed.

One stand out scene in (possibly) Morocco puts paid to the idea that the 'pen is mightier than the sword' - I think you'll find that indeed, the book is mightier than both! Watching this particular epic fight, I have to admit that I was left open-mouthed and rather flabbergasted! Ten out of ten for originality and ingenuity!

Whilst not as 'human' as the first two films, the audience gets to see what Bourne does best. Out-fight, out-think and generally whip some baddies asses. He doesn't use guns unless he really has to and in seeing a 'soldier' go back to basics I am reminded of the potential the producers etc must of seen on reading Ludlam's original books. Whilst I wouldn't say this was the best of the trilogy, I am already looking forward to watching this again. (I suspect that it grow on me...)