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A thrice-told tale — but it’s told pretty well

August 5, 2007 by Dave Knadler

Unsure of the proper sequence of titles, my wife recently referred to this latest entry as “The Bourne Redundancy.” Ha ha. But I have to admit, it’s not too far from the truth.

The story of Jason Bourne, the ex-CIA assassin with no past — and, his ex-handlers hope, no future — has now been told three times with minor variations. Bourne wants to find out how he became such a capable killer. And if that means a violent chase through every major world capital, then so be it. “The Bourne Ultimatum” offers everything in the first two movies, just more of it. A couple of scenes are almost identical to the first, just with a different girl.

But you know what? I don’t care. If you’re a fan of smart action movies, this is as about as smart and as pure action as you can get. Paul Greengrass’ jerky, documentary style gives a visceral punch to every scene; his claustrophobic framing puts you right in the middle of every chase or fight. (I suspect it also helped contain the budget — a lot of wide-angle action choreography can get very expensive in places like Manhattan or London.)

So, Dave-Bob says three stars. Only one other minor quibble: Where’s the sense of humor? A subtle touch of comic relief here and there would not have gone amiss with this kind of picture.

More along these lines:

  • Seen any ancient films lately?
  • The White Witch in a suit from Talbot’sThe White Witch in a suit from Talbot’s
  • Remake ‘Wizard of Oz’? Fine with me
  • Now a major motion picture
  • Remember Kate Nelligan? I do too.

Filed Under: Movies

About Dave Knadler

Obscure writer. Lazy photographer. Bashful guitarist. Perhaps too fond of wine. Tireless nemesis of New York Times crosswords.

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