SNMR 4.16: "The Bourne Ultimatum"

Tonight's SNMR feature is "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007, PG-13, 117 minutes), starring Matt Damon, Joan Allen, David Straithairn, Julia Stiles, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez and Albert Finney. The film was directed by Paul Greengrass.

I did not want to see this movie in the theater this past summer because at the time I had not watched either of the first two Bourne films. When I saw Ultimatum on the three day loan shelf in my local library this week, I just had to watch it. This would have been an excellent movie to see on the big screen. Too bad I missed out.

PLOT SUMMARY:

Jason Bourne (Damon) still does not know who he is or the details of his past. But he's getting closer to the truth. The CIA still views Bourne as a threat and want to take him out...if they can find him.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS MOVIE:

Nonstop action right from the beginning!! I liked that this movie begins minutes after Supremacy ends. The script is again well written and fast paced. The chase and fight sequences are superbly done. The location shots are real and in many cases the "extras" are real people going about their lives. I like that the same director for Supremacy also directed this film and that the director of the first Bourne film served as executive producer. It helps to maintain the vision, feel and continuity between films. I liked that the movie ended in such a way as to invite another sequel (and even a prequel, perhaps). The special features included on the disc are excellent.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT THIS MOVIE:

It's not so much what I didn't like about this movie as what I might have added in to it. I would have liked to see Bourne have a potential new love interest here say from his hidden past who is also a part of his present reality (the possibility of which was subtly hinted at) and develop that storyline amid the chase and fight scenes. It might make an interesting prequel to develop that storyline further and invent the circumstances which drives Bourne to volunteer for work in the CIA in the first place.

***** out of *****