THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

"I remember everything"

Making his way out of Russia, Jason Bourne (Damon) continues to have flashbacks about his past but when Guardian reporter Simon Ross (Considine) uncovers the truth behind Treadstone and Jason Bourne, he makes contact to see what he has uncovered. Ross's investigation also brings him to the attention of the CIA and Deputy Director Noah Vosen (Strathairn), who puts out the order to silence him at any cost but Bourne gets their first and uncovers a trail that will lead him to discovering everything about his past.

The franchise that reinvigorated the spy genre and pushed it to a whole new level returns but can Jason Bourne still outshine James Bond?

The first two movies, 'The Bourne Identity' and 'The Bourne Supremacy', in the franchise took Robert Ludlum's novels and gave them a modern upgrade into a new millennium spy thriller. There impact was felt across the spy franchise, affecting everything that followed. Movies had to make the story just as vital as the action sequences, if not more so. The Bourne movies treated the audience with an intelligence seldom seen since the 70s heyday of political spy thrillers and the rest of Hollywood had to take notice. This also made the biggest spy franchise ever to completely change its approach and move in a new, more realistic direction with 'Casino Royale'. So if James Bond was taking notice, the 'Bourne' movies really made an impact.

Taking the title of the third Robert Ludlum novel but changing and updating most of the story, 'The Bourne Ultimatum' continues directly from the end of the Russian story that drove the finale of 'Supremacy'. This approach takes you straight into the story as Jason has another flashback about his past that leads back to the very beginning, as he becomes part of the Treadstone programme. Of course Jason's path to uncovering the truth will not be simple as the CIA go to great lengths to stop him discovering everything and exposing not only the Treadstone project but everything other programme that followed.

For Matt Damon, this is the role that will define his career. This franchise turned him from Oscar winning, screenwriter/character actor into action superstar. He defined the style of how action characters should be played in the new millennium. Gone are the huge muscles, the inability to speak long pieces of dialogue and the endless parade of weapons that inflict bigger and bigger damage to be replaced by realistic fighting, story defining dialogue and the ability to use anything as a weapon from a pen to a book. Matt Damon showed that a real actor could be a realistic action star and the fact that he did almost all of his own stunts shows that technology and the skill of the current stunt teams can make anyone an action maestro. The character of Jason Bourne is also extremely we defined and the third movie goes on to reveal more about he became the way he is and how the events of the three films have affected him and Matt Damon plays him with great skill.

With a lead actor defining how an action character should be played, he would be nothing without a top-notch supporting cast and the 'Bourne' movies have always had this. Joan Allen and Julia Stiles return as Pamela Landy and Nicky Parsons but it is the new cast members that really make an impact. The always-brilliant David Strathairn plays CIA deputy director Noah Vosen, the man trying to stop Jason Bourne discovering anymore about his past and exposing the truth about Treadstone and the programmes that followed. Scott Glenn brings some class as CIA director Ezra Kramer. There is also a pivotal role for the legendary Albert Finney, who eats up the screen every time he graces it.

With action sequences that are some of the best and most realistic seen on the big screen and a story that is riveting throughout, 'The Bourne Ultimatum' is brilliant continuation of the Jason Bourne story. While you do need to have seen the previous two movies to get the most out of the film, this is a superb movie in its own right and one that sets a new standard for action cinema and one that proves that Bourne, Jason Bourne is just as big a character in the espionage genre as a certain British secret agent.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is very good.

BONUS FEATURES

Feature Commentary with Director Paul Greengrass
The man behind the second and third film in the 'Bourne' franchise and one of the most exciting and interesting filmmakers working in cinema today provides a vibrant and passionate commentary track for a movie he clearly loves. He talks extensively about the production of the movie, highlighting its structure and tempo, making it the ultimate chase movie. This is an excellent track from a filmmaker at the top of his game.

Deleted Scenes (12.23 mins)
These six deleted scenes that show more of the inner workings on the CIA, the Madrid assassination and explaining more about what Bourne is doing and why, suffer from the lack of a commentary track or introduction to reveal why they were removed.

Man on the Move: Jason Bourne (24.00 mins)
Director Paul Greengrass, producers Patrick Crowley, Paul Sandberg and Frank Marshall, art director Alan Gillmore and stars Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Edger Ramirez and Joey Ansah take you behind the scenes of the Berlin, Paris, London, Madrid and Tangier location shoots. Here we see the construction of key scenes in some of the world's busiest cities as the third movie in the franchise travels throughout Europe.

Roof Top Pursuit (5.40 mins)
Director Paul Greengrass, 2nd Unit director Dan Bradley, stunt coordinator Gary Powell and star Matt Damon take you to Tangiers to reveal how Jason Bourne ran across the rooftops and jumped between buildings.

Planning the punches
Fight coordinator Jeff Imada and stars Matt Damon and Joey Ansah take you through the fight choreography for the apartment fight in Tangiers.

Driving School (3.24 mins)
2nd Unit director Dan Bradley and star Matt Damon practice for the roof top car pursuit scene in New York.

New York Chase (10.47 mins)
2nd Unit director Dan Bradley, stunt drivers Kevin Scott and Scott Roger and star Matt Damon take you behind the scenes of adrenalin filled car chase through New York.

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'The Bourne Ultimatum' is good and one that fans should be pleased with. The commentary track from director Paul Greengrass is extremely good and the featurettes cover most aspects of the film's production. A look at the history of the character and writer Robert Ludlum wouldn't have gone a miss but this is still a good package.

DVD

The Bourne Identity

The Bourne Supremacy

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2007