The Bourne Supremacy had a perfect closing scene — Jason Bourne limping away from a Russian housing project after trying to make some kind of amends to the daughter of the first people he ever killed. Unfortunately, or perhaps inevitably, the filmmakers felt it was necessary to tack on another scene, in which Bourne calls in to Pam Landy, the CIA agent who seems to be on his side, for some banter and to drop the bon mot, "Get some rest Pam, you look tired."
This was cool and edgy and proved that he could see her from wherever he was calling and ooooooh that's the way Bourne is — everywhere and nowhere all at once. It's not that it was a bad scene, and it did set up some very specific possibilities for the third movie, but there was something just so perfect about that scene in Russia. Bourne is alone and on the move, but to where, and why? He may have accomplished the immediate task he set for himself, but his journey is not nearly done.
The Bourne Ultimatum does something awesome which won me over the instant the film began. It begins at the natural end of the second film, with Jason Bourne limping through the cold Russian streets. The plot of this film, in fact, takes place almost entirely between that moment and the phone call at the end of Supremacy. It's a great choice since it immediately toys with the audience's assumption of how this is all going to go down. Landy gives Bourne his real name in that phone call so an easy guess going in is that Ultimatum will be all about how, now that Bourne knows his name, he'll go in search of his roots and perhaps join the family grocery business, assuming the powers that be let him. Instead, the film is all about that name, and Jason finding his way back to it.
During the press tour for The Bourne Ultimatum a question began circulating about who would win in a fight: Jason Bourne or James Bond. Setting aside the logical fallacies of the question (they're both fictional characters, set in different eras, blah blah blah) as a fan of both Bourne and Bond I do find it an interesting conundrum. Here are two characters who are highly trained secret operatives revered for their stylish violence and abilities to extricate themselves from impossible situations.
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Article comments
1 - Jay
"..Jason Bourne could kill James Bond using nothing but a tea towel and a phone book. He would use the vodka from Bond's martini to sterilize his wounds, and limp away, there being no sexy woman in a Ferrari to pick him up".
LOL....Yes!!!
2 - Ray Ellis
LOL--but Batman could dispatch them both before breakfast!
3 - Jay
I don't think so, Batman...like Bond is a gadget freak!
Bourne EATS both of them!
4 - Jay
Bourne would flip Batman's cowl over his head and suffocate him.
5 - Ray Ellis
ahhh-- but you're forgetting Batman's emergency backup. At night, the Dark Knight wins hands down.
6 - Jay
Yea...Robin Hood to the rescue.
On a serious note, I loved this movie, and now as a complete trilogy, one of the strongest as being successful.
Tense, taut, gripping, riveting, the Bourne series has been an enjoyable ride.
7 - Ray Ellis
Actually--I was talking about thousands of bats. Robin never counted.
And also, seriously--I haven't seen this one, but I loved the first 2 Bourne films. Looking forward to seeing this one, too.And I hope that let it go gracefully. Generally speaking, if you can make a trilogy work, leave it alone.
8 - Ray Ellis
BTw, Katie-- enjoyable review. (Where are my manners?) You piqued my interest even more than it was piqued before. In fact, any more piquing, and I'll be bruised for weeks.
9 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Good Review...Even Better Movie!
F*ck Batman... Spawn would kill all three and he's even more of a mess mentally. LOL!! Honestly,in reality, I think Bourne would clobber most people because he knows that MMA type sh!t and he uses his surroundings like a goddamn pro!
This movie proves my point that you can make killer sequels. It may take a bit more work and this movie may have its down falls but The Bourne movies were fantastic even if they started out as a remake.
Though I did have a name for a review if this movie sucked... Boring Old Tomato
(Yes, that joke was bad...).
10 - Jay
Ray,
Check this review out... and tell me if this doesn't excite you. I saw the movie on opening night and read this review a week after.
11 - raf
David Webb or Jason Bourne, whatever name he calls himself, is a dick. He wasn't brainwashed. And at the end of it, the sap didn't really remember anything. Some hero, the murdering prick.
12 - Kati
Wow, RAF, did (the imaginary) Jason Bourne kill your (imaginary) dog? You seem a bit upset there.
I'm not sure how you can argue that he wasn't brainwashed while simultaneously arguing that he didn't get his memory back, the lack of memory being a primary symptom of being brainwashed.
But, clearly, you didn't like the film and that is a-ok, it being a free country and all. You'll excuse the rest of us for enjoying ourselves.
13 - Harold
This quote may illustrate the point...
"...A Jason Bourne who just buys whatever he is told is no use. A Jason Bourne with no moral compunction is a liability. You need moral certainty. You find a true believer, and break him down into trusting you. He then acts with all of the conviction and dedication of a man of service, but none of the questioning attitude..."
Jason Bourne volunteering for the program is a moral act. Bourne shooting the man without any of his questions answered (which he did after two plus days of being awake [and torture]) is not...but he still did it. He committed. That was the decision point, and he made it...."
14 - Kati
I don't believe I made the argument that Bourne was somehow a hapless victim, certainly I didn't intend to. As I said, he clearly chose to sign on the dotted line. My argument is that the people who created him did not live up to their end of the bargain. Instead of using him (and other agents like him) to keep the world safe from evil doers, they use them to kill inconvenient people before they become public relations problems.
Bourne is clearly morally culpable for the acts he committed. That's why the scene in Russia with the daughter of the couple he killed was so powerful. He apologized, but what did it accomplish? Is he going to wander the world apologizing to everyone ever affected by one of his acts? Would it be remotely useful if he did?
Bourne is a troubled mess, as I say, but he's an entertaining troubled mess. It doesn't mean I'd raise my kids to emulate him.
15 - fred
its a film god freaks
16 - fred
relax