Sunday, November 27, 2011

Episode 62.5 - The Bourne Ultimatum Review 9/10

The Bourne Ultimatum - 2007 - Paul Greengrass

I'm a sucker for a good spy flick; I don't know what it is. Well, maybe I do. I was a chess dork in middle-school (trophies even…shiver) so I like characters that can plan out moves ahead and just dominate those who play the board in front of them. It's why I like the James Bond movies so much, Mission: Impossible movies except for all the damn masks nowadays though it's nice to not have to look at Tom Cruise that much on the fucking screen, and it's also why I like the Bourne films. They're fast paced, meticulously thought out and ridiculously entertaining. The Bourne Ultimatum aced every fun spy movie aspect even down to the spectacular but obnoxiously long chase scene that seems to be a staple in every one of these damn films so the freaks that work the fluid camera something to cream over.
As this is the third in the trilogy, there's no point in telling you the plot because if you haven't seen it you would just keep asking "why?" like fucking Pinocchio but the really basic gist of everything is that Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) was once an operative for a secret government organization that took his identity, his memory and turned him into a holy-fuck-killer-badass that's better than you. The series is spent watching him beat the fuck out everyone that still considers him a threat while trying to unravel the secrets surrounding his identity and the organization that turned him to who he is today.
So let's just come right out and say it, this is my favorite Bourne movie out of the trilogy. I had SO much fun watching this and it was filled with tons of suspense, great action, and even though the ending was just an exposition orgasm that left you saying "oh, ok, I get it now," there were still plenty of reasons to fall in love with just about every second of this movie. It didn't tie itself up in a romance or anything cheesy and stupid; it was simply Bourne vs. everybody in a cat and mouse extravaganza.
Now, even though this could very much seem like a finale, there is actually the Bourne Legacy coming out next year. If it can keep up the same pace as Ultimatum it is going to be a stellar blockbuster hit that ranks up there as one of the greatest spy series of all time. Sorry for the short review, but not much more to say here. This takes a kickass 9 dustbusters out of 10. Muchly needed amongst the crap I've had lately.

4 comments:

  1. Yes!! This was my favorite too and has one of my favorite shots in any film- the tracking shot as Bourne jumps from one building to another (nothing outdoes the fantastic single-shot car chase sequence in "Children of Men", but this one comes close).

    I'm a little apprehensive about #4; they've managed to keep the tone and the action good throughout three flicks now, trying it for a fourth time seems like a huge stretch. But I'll be there in line to see if they pull it off :)

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  2. Personally, Ronin will be my favorite car chase and there was just a ton of them in that movie. So much fun. The rooftop chase though was really bad ass in this even though it was like 20 minutes long.

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  3. It's not the car chase so much as the single tracking shot in, out, and around the car during that sequence. Never heard of "Ronin" (figure skater Katarina Witt?? Interesting casting!), might have to check it out.

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  4. Ronin is amazing, I HIGHLY recommend it. Such a thrill ride!

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