There's no better middle ground when it comes to summer blockbusters than this consistent espionage franchise. In the wake of endless cartoonish superheroes and Hasbro toys turned action stars, The Bourne Ultimatum plays like a jolt back to reality, a combination of spectacle appeal and true artistry. Shot largely on location and through the inventive eye of returning helmer Paul Greengrass (hot off an Oscar nomination for United 93), it's the kind of action movie that makes other action movies seem lazy. The story picks up after the climactic, dizzying car chase of 2004's The Bourne Supremacy and follows Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) as he continues on his quest to figure out who he is and what exactly the government has done to him. He gets a lead when a London based journalist (Paddy Considine) scores vital info from an inside government source, but the CIA, led by the ruthless and snide Noah Vosen (David Stathairn) gets to the reporter first. Bourne and Vosen collide in a breathless chase sequence at Waterloo Station and from that moment on they each embark in hot pursuit of the journalist's unknown source. The chase very quickly goes global and we're treated to another round of worldly, sophisticated spy vs. spy excitement.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
DVD of the Week: The Bourne Ultimatum
There's no better middle ground when it comes to summer blockbusters than this consistent espionage franchise. In the wake of endless cartoonish superheroes and Hasbro toys turned action stars, The Bourne Ultimatum plays like a jolt back to reality, a combination of spectacle appeal and true artistry. Shot largely on location and through the inventive eye of returning helmer Paul Greengrass (hot off an Oscar nomination for United 93), it's the kind of action movie that makes other action movies seem lazy. The story picks up after the climactic, dizzying car chase of 2004's The Bourne Supremacy and follows Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) as he continues on his quest to figure out who he is and what exactly the government has done to him. He gets a lead when a London based journalist (Paddy Considine) scores vital info from an inside government source, but the CIA, led by the ruthless and snide Noah Vosen (David Stathairn) gets to the reporter first. Bourne and Vosen collide in a breathless chase sequence at Waterloo Station and from that moment on they each embark in hot pursuit of the journalist's unknown source. The chase very quickly goes global and we're treated to another round of worldly, sophisticated spy vs. spy excitement.
