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

"The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007) by Paul Greengrass: I was not really fond of "Ultimatum" when I first saw it. Whether it was due to my then-ignorance of "The Bourne Identity", or simply not being in the mood, all I could think about when I walked out of the theater that summer day was, "damn, that was overrated." So, having gone through the Bourne films again, has my opinion of this critically hailed, good-old-fashioned action film changed? Yes it has, and considerably so. I mentioned briefly in my write-up on "The Bourne Identity", how important re-watching films could be (especially if the film has received strong reviews and you find yourself simply thinking that it was "meh"), and I have few personal examples better than "Ultimatum".

What makes the final chapter, and Greengrass' second turn at the helm, so effective, is how it beautifully combines the strongest elements of "Identity" and "Supremacy". "Identity" had a greater number of "action moments", but some of them were quite small, whereas "Supremacy" only had handful, but they were often expanded. However, "Identity" lacked the depth and intrigue brought about by "Supremacy", especially in the last half. As for "Ultimatum"? It blends the two somewhat together, although it does lean more toward "Supremacy". There are really three key action scenes, although they could each be described as having separate sub-components (particularly the fantastic pursuit/s in Tangier), and in between we get encounters that carry more conflict. In "Identity" it was Bourne/Marie vs. the government, and this was somewhat the case in "Supremacy". But in "Ultimatum" we get a refreshing new angle: fights within the government. In addition to Bourne racing against the government, there are those in the government who want to see him, but not to have him taken out, namely Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), returning from "Supremacy", and new addition Noah Vosov, played commandingly by David Strathairn. This extra tension helps propel "Ultimatum" into richer territory, without ever sacrificing action. In fact, this may be one of those rare "smart action movies" that does a near-perfect job of balancing fighting/chasing and talking, without ever losing intensity.

Its set pieces are exhilarating and well-structured, its dialogue sharp, its editing swift, and its camera work intense without becoming indecipherable, the final (for now) chapter of the Bourne saga is a stunningly well-executed action film filled with a great cast doing good work. It's a thinking-person's action film that generates excitement out of well-written situations, and gritty action scenes that are never bogged down with gadgets, and instead bolstered by an organic realism that is all too rare in these days.

Final Grade: B+