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74 of 78 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rewriting the genre, April 15, 2008
A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy? That would be like crediting "The Matrix" with a satisfying level of originality.
Everything the makers, cast and crew have learned about what makes the Bourne formula tick, and click, is revved to supercharged perfection in this pinnacle of a movie.
More is not always better (Matrix 2?), but with careful attention to detail and a plot that works like a Rolex, Ultimatum's unrelenting pace never feels overblown. Matt Damon's impenetrable oasis of razor focus and quiet, seething menace, now seeming to melt glass, finds a new level of counterpoint in this movie. Damon has become so riveting in this role, it's almost possible to overlook the stellar cast around him, matching step for step in a multi-threaded, multi-tiered, multi-national locomotive of twists and action played out with the orchestration of a Beethoven score.
There's something just plain admirable about a movie franchise which insists on digging deeper, finding something more, when a cruise-control third installment would have sufficed and certainly made bank anyway.
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36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Greengrass Triumph, August 18, 2007
While it certainly is important that the characters be believable in this kind of film (and they all are quite believable), the star of this film is the incomparable Paul Greengrass who directs this as he did the last and each of his films with a pace and presence that ratchets upwards your gut reaction to the story.
The story itself is the same story as each of the other two: Bourne is pissed about being used and either he's after the CIA or they are after him. There is some discussion now of an Oedipal subtext to the overall story, and while there is a passing resemblance to that tragedy, it is not anywhere nearly so definite as it was in the last Bond film. Dench and Joan Allen represent Oedipal type mothers, but there was an almost Medea like quality to Dench that took the chemistry between her and Craig someplace else altogether. That isn't quite the story here, but even were it so, all of that becomes subsumed to the way Greengrass tells the story. This is a thrilling ride that never lets up, and as such, when there are moments of pause, such as those between Stiles and Damon in Morrocco, it is clear that they have nothing to really say. These are characters driven by action - they seem to have warped the Cartesian motif into I act, therefore I am, and more I am only when I act.
You may remember the German film with Famke Jansen, RUN LOLA RUN. Bourne is an American version of that. Greengrass makes the run transcendent. It's a great film for the summer, now I'm off to Jackie Chan....
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104 of 121 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Where in the World is Jason Bourne?, August 22, 2007
(4 1/2 *'s) `The Bourne Ultimatum' is a non-stop thriller ride that easily propels itself to the top of 2007's three-peat super summer. The third in the series, Jason Bourne (played superbly by a tough and tormented Matt Damon) still suffers his same identity crisis, this time criss-crossing his way across the globe with breakneck speed. Suspenseful for more than the thrill of the chase, we are given a gripping sense of drama as CIA director, Noah Vosen (played with tough officiousness by David Strathairn in another great performance) and his sparring co-leader, Pamela Landy (Joan Allen in an admirably complex role) come to grips with Bourne and his alleged treason against their assassination operation. Hooking up with a fellow operative Nicky Parsons (a sleight-of-hand Julia Stiles), Bourne and associates provide enough development to keep us guessing throughout.
Besides all of the identity intrigue, the action is relentless without being predictable. All the scenes of chase and violence are fresh and invigorating. Flashbacks from Jason's fragmented memory add substance to the fray, and the board room tension at control central, both at the CIA and the UK are formidable. Creeping into his memory at various times, senior CIA figure, Dr. Albert Hirsch (in a welcome sunset role by Albert Finney), gives the mystery proper credence. While I found Greengrass's direction a mastery of timing, drama, and movement, I do have a quibble with the editing. Although an acquired taste, too many scenes are presented as an enhanced blur, both in the thick of the chase and with the flashback sequences. Just as an observation, the revelations presented are satisfying with the resolution of his identity being one of the least compelling.
`The Bourne Ultimatum' deserves approximately the same accolades as ' Casino Royale (2-Disc Full Screen Edition)' with its stunning development, pace, and execution. For those who love action pictures, this film is a list-topping must-see movie.
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