After two movies of running around Europe trying to discover his identity, Jason Bourne brings his story to a close with The Bourne Ultimatum, a film that is brimming with enough adrenaline filled chase sequences that it will leave your nails bitten down to their cuticles.
Perhaps the greatest trick in Bourne’s vast arsenal of super-spy moves has always been fooling audiences into investing so much energy into three films that essentially equate to one long chase. What makes each film work individually is the use of an old Hitchcock technique, having a valuable McGuffin at the core of each story.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a McGuffin is nothing more than a plot device used to drive forward the story in a thriller. It can be almost anything, as long as all the characters are after it. In the case of the Bourne Ultimatum, they are files locked away in an NSA vault that not only hold the key to Jason Bourne’s (Matt Damon) past, but they also contain documents with the power to bring down some of the most powerful and corrupt government officials in the United States.
The whole point of having a McGuffin isn’t to obtain it, but rather to immerse audiences in the wild ride on the way to obtaining it. Luckily for The Bourne Ultimatum, director Paul Greengrass approaches the second sequel with as much raw bravado as his last Bourne effort. The action is fast and ferocious, yet even with Greengrass’ trademark, shaky-cam style, audiences never manage to lose track of what is happening on screen.
On more than one occasion the handheld work in Bourne Ultimatum breaks so many rules of shot composition it would make old-school Cinematographers cringe, yet there is almost no arguing that Greengrass has nearly perfected the method. Where much of the cinematography in Bourne Supremacy felt messy, this time around the shots feel far more focused. The camera always seems to catch the right moment at the right time. Plus if it weren’t for the handheld work, mind blowing shots such as Matt Damon jumping from building to building via window sills might not have been possible.
Of course what is good cinematography without interesting and compelling characters to populate the lush frames? All the principle players return for the third Bourne outing, again delivering solid performances. Matt Damon, risking life and limb, hones in his best performance yet as the unflinching Jason Bourne.
Other than chasing McGuffins, one thing that the franchise has always done well is filling the roles of villains with top-notch character actors. David Strathairn and Albert Finney do a phenomenal job carrying on the great tradition the series started with Chris Cooper and Brian Cox.
Mixing forceful performances with some of the best practical special effects ever shot makes the hunt for the second sequel’s McGuffin quite the visceral thrill ride indeed. Even though Bourne doesn’t topple buildings or single-handedly take down F16s, Bourne Ultimatum is a spectacular action film that will keep audiences engrossed the whole way through.
If it’s true and Bourne Ultimatum is to be the last in the series, then Greengrass has done a nice job bringing the story full-circle, even capping the picture off with the same closing song that ended Bourne Identity. Last one or not, one thing is for sure, this Bourne kicks ultimate butt.
-Joe Russo, MoviePulse
You give a movie that is 90-95% handheld shaky camera a 9?!? A movie with the stupidest plot device in years (an address printed where even a 10yr old wouldn’t put one..)
You cannot tell me you knew what was going on in the fight in Tangiers, you cannot tell who has what weapon, who is punching who and after 20 minutes of goofy shaky chase you don’t really care.
This movie would have been great if it was actually a fuc*ing movie and not a video. I understand the way the handheld was used in the first 2 films, but it is used way way to much in this video.
Amost had to leave the theatre and see another movie from nausea from the hand-held shakey camera. Who said this was art? There was almost no let up from this camera technique throughout the whole movie! Junk! It would have been a much more enjoyable movie if filmed by a different cinematographer. I will never go see a movie filmed by Wood ever again!
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. I hate shaky-cam.
From what I could barely make out, it looked like they actually spent some money on choreography this time. It sure would have been nice to have actually seen it.
It took real genius to so totally ruin what should have been 3 good movies, with the last being the worst because some idiot cameraman thought it was ‘artistic’ to shake the camera. I left nauseated, and I don’t have a weak stomach. I wasn’t the only one leaving the theater like that either. Let me tell you, I won’t go to another movie if its shot by the same crew. I’ll just read the book, and stay home and stick my finger down my throat to achieve the same effect. At least, I’ll save the price of the ticket.
Absolutely agree about the camera. My wife who is prone to motion sickness didn’t last 10 minutes. We got our money back. If more people did this rather than suffering ill effects from amateur camera work, hopefully this trend will end forever. Unfortunately, this movie will do really well and the lemmings in Hollywood will decide that they have to copy this style even more.
New addition to the candy counter: Dramamine
Me and wife just returned from seeing the Bourne Ultimatum. Wow, talk about ruining what would have been a nice action picture! We both started to look away and I thought about leaving after watching a shaky camera for the entire duration of a movie.
Using a shaky camera does not increase my enjoyment, excitement, or drama. What is does do is leave me feeling like I was cheated out of watching a good film. My wife and I both agreed it bordered on insanity to try to focus on the film… even during quiet conversations in a restaurant they didn’t stop jerking the camera around.
If you haven’t seen it… don’t, save your money, wait for the DVD, as least that way you can look away or do something else once your eyes and mind are tired of feeling like a ping pong ball.
This film must have the record for the most number of clips shot in the 1st half hour. Any images that were interesting were replaced by the next clip within a couple of seconds, it was a visual assault. I had to leave the movie half way through as the shaky camera work was appalling and extended to shaky close up shot for non action scenes!!
Cinematography should add to a movie, in this film it stripped it completely. 0 out of 10.
I left when another chase was promised when Bourne said “they were going to come and get the girl again”.
Are you kidding me?!?!
“yet there is almost no arguing that Greengrass has nearly perfected the method”
His “method” is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. Not only is it unnecessary, but it detracts from an otherwise great movie. The only reason you’d need to use a method like that is if the actors don’t know how to perform a good fight scene. The style used in The Bourne Identity is exactly how it should be done. When you have an actor like Damon who knows how to get the fight scenes right, you want to see all of the action, not be robbed of all the action which is what the “Drunken Camera Master” style of shooting does — It ROBS YOU of a good movie.
Agree with all the comments above. But everyone needs to realise it’s the director’s style and not the cinematographer’s that’s at fault. Quite possibly the worst directed mainstream movie you will ever see. A petition needs to be sent to the studios to try and stop future attempts at this ridiculous style, which has ruined what could have been a really enjoyable movie.
Greengrass came from TV. Perhaps that’s where he needs to work in future.
More people should ask for their money back and the message would soon get through.
THANK GOD!!!!!! I read many reviews glorifying Oliver Woods camera work in the Bourne Ultimatum….what the heck is wrong with these people?!?!!? I developed a BRUTAL headache 5 minutes into this film from the shaky, spastic camera shots. Was Woods having an Epileptic seizure? Did he hand the camera to a small child who had too many caffeinated beverages? For me all I could see was how bad the cinematography was…the film’s plot was lost to me as I wondered what the F*** was happening with the camera!!! I am still at a loss as to how reviewers can glorify this atrocity. Oh Yeah…the Ending was sickeningly stupid too! (by the way…I loved the first 2 films in the series! I was completely bummed when, after waiting forever, I was left with the “Ultimatum”).