The Bourne Ultimatum

(Universal Pictures International)

Run Time: 115 mins
Rating: M, Action
Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen
Directed by: Paul Greengrass

Matt Damon is clearly a canny kind of fellow when it comes to his creative choices. In a year full of ‘threequels’ that have proven disappointing, Damon has popped up in two that have been particularly satisfying.

First of all, Ocean’s Thirteen – the third in Steven Soderbergh’s series of con-artist capers – was a slick, enjoyable romp. And now The Bourne Ultimatum, the follow-up to The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, does a tremendous job of wrapping up one of the most dynamic film franchises of recent years.

The bar was set fairly high by the first two movies, with Identity director Doug Liman creating a distinct look and tone that reinvented Robert Ludlum’s cold-war soldier Jason Bourne as a new-millennium man of mystery.

Supremacy director Paul Greengrass successfully took up the reins and kept the Bourne ethos lean, mean and gripping, with an underlying air of melancholy and regret that gave the story of a warrior without a memory greater depth and resonance.

Greengrass is back in the director’s chair for Ultimatum, a taut, intense thriller that hits many of the same notes as Supremacy – at best, you could call the two movies companion pieces; if you weren’t feeling generous, you could say that Ultimatum rehashes many of Supremacy’s best moments.

The story pretty much picks up where Supremacy left off, with a wounded Bourne escaping the aftermath of a Moscow skirmish. But when he’s confronted by two cops, the lethal assassin chooses not to pull the
trigger: “My quarrel is not with you,” he tells them.

Instead, Bourne is taking the fight to the people who created him.
Following a paper trail around the globe, he finds himself getting closer and closer to the top-secret government agency that turned him into a killer.

Naturally enough, the people behind Bourne’s dirty work – including shadowy bureaucrat Noah Vosen (Good Night, and Good Luck’s David
Strathairn) – aren’t all that thrilled about having their covers blown, and will do whatever they can to silence him.

Anyone who’s seen the first two Bourne movies will know that’s no easy job. Once he’s set on a task, there are few obstacles that will stop Bourne from achieving his objective. And in Ultimatum, he employs a combination of deductive skill, physical brutality and sheer doggedness to do just that.

The results are compelling, with the movie basically hitting the ground running from its first scene. The action sequences, expertly handled by Greengrass and an ace technical team, certainly get the job done but it’s the film’s overall air of tension that really sets it apart. This is one intense piece of work.

As was the case with the previous two films, Ultimatum is marvellously cast. Julia Stiles has a greater opportunity to flesh out her supporting character this time around and does a great job; likewise, Joan Allen is strong as one of Bourne’s only CIA allies. And Strathairn uses his natural shrewdness to great effect as Bourne’s white-collar adversary.

Of course, it’s Damon’s show. And he’s as superb as ever in a role that he unquestionably owns. I have to confess that I was dubious when I first heard about the actor taking on the Jason Bourne character – I thought he was too young and unsuitable.

After anchoring three riveting movies that have literally redefined the action genre, I can’t think of any better Bourne than Damon.

Rated: 4/5 stars

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