Revisiting the "Bourne Trilogy" (2002-2007): Part II

I remember being impressed with "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004), even though when I first saw it I had not seen the first film. Now, five years later, I still like the second entry, which was directed by Paul Greengrass, particularly because it wasn't afraid to slow things down a little. In the aftermath of the first film, Jason Bourne and Marie (Matt Damon and Franka Potente) have escaped to India. Unfortunately, there are double-crosses and conspiracies unfolding, and after being pursued by a Russian assassin (Karl Urban), Bourne is fighting for his life and mourning the unintentional death of Marie.

While tonally Greengrass' installment does not feel terribly different from "The Bourne Identity", what's really impressive here is how "Supremacy" is much less of a non-stop-chase-movie, and allows for the plot to unfold in a richer, more intriguing way. The action scenes, namely the spectacular car chase in Moscow that serves as the climax, are well photographed, edited, and matched with John Powell's vibrant score, but what's really striking to me are the conversations, the highlight being one between Bourne and a young teen whose parents Bourne murdered several years ago. It's not a long scene, but it's probably the most human moment in all three Bourne films, and easily Damon's best scene as far as acting goes.

As far as casting, it's a shame to see Potente depart the franchise so early, and I'm glad that Greengrass and company didn't try to recreate the same connection with Julia Stiles' character. Though Marie's death is necessary and does help drive the trilogy forward without feeling contrived, it's just a shame to see her go. However, Greengrass and co. do make up for it by introducing Pamela Landy, played with icy, no-nonsense conviction by Joan Allen. Her brief interactions with Bourne, and the new angle she brings into the over-arching plot are a welcome change of pace in terms of character development.

On the technical side, there's really nothing to complain about. The same gray-blue-green colors wash over the frames and lend the story a welcome sense of grit. The action scenes, though there are fewer of them, are well done, again, the best of them being the climactic car chase, will still manages to feel both riveting and "real" despite the fact that Bourne's vehicle takes a remarkable amount of damage despite being a taxi.

So while "The Bourne Supremacy" may not have the close-to-constant-action of its predecessor, it benefits from giving Jason Bourne more time to be human, and develop a richer plot under Greengrass' guidance. As far as action thrillers go, this less action-packed entry is certainly one that stands. For a film that is stuck in the unfortunate position of being the "middle chapter" in a trilogy, this is a film whose ending manages to feel surprisingly complete, while still leaving us wondering where this story has left to go.

Grade: B