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Moriarty Gets His Ass Kicked By THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM!
Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here.
I’m sitting in a narrow economy class seat on a Lufthansa flight into Frankfurt as I start this review. I was stressing about all the writing I have to get done while I’m in Prague this week, and I suddenly realized, “Oh, yeah, I have a laptop now. I should get some of that writing done now.” I know... it’s 2007. I’m late to the party. But I’ve always taken a sort of Luddite pride in the idea that I didn’t have to lug around a computer when I traveled. I liked being able to get in and out of a place fairly hassle-free. I’m the same guy that refused to get a cell phone until sometime mid-2003, so it’s not even just about the computer.
I think there’s something fundamentally old-fashioned about my attitude. I’m not quite the toothless geezer sitting on my porch yelling about “those kids and their new-fangled doodads”... at least, not yet. But part of me is resistant to the new. That’s certainly true with film as well. I’m a steadfast fan of the ‘70s, of bygone eras of film, and I love the thrill of discovering something that’s new to me, but that can’t be called “new” by any other definition. I particularly love it when I find some forgotten noir gem or, even better, a spy film I’ve never seen.
To me, the BOURNE films feel resolutely like they are of a different age. I think that’s part of the appeal. We’re so used to action films being all about the giant high-tech set pieces and the CGI and the preposterous scale that when the first film came out, it was like something throwing a glass of cold water on the audience. It was a shock to see someone pull off something so admirably low-tech, so basic, so stripped down to the elements. What’s even more shocking is that this series has now managed to pull that trick off three times in a row... and they seem to be getting better as they go.
When was the last time that happened?
Doug Liman certainly deserves the credit for starting the series the right way, but at this point, Paul Greengrass has become the primary architect of the BOURNE films, and I think that’s a very lucky thing, indeed. Greengrass has gotten so good at what he does that he could film me going to the DMV to renew my license and have people sitting on the edge of their seats as they watched it.
And if you were one of the people who complained about Greengrass and his use of “shaky-cam” on BOURNE SUPREMACY, I think you might be pleasantly surprised this time out. It’s still incredibly kinetic filmmaking, but it seems like he really listened to the problems people had last time, and he’s refined the style, giving shots a few extra seconds, allowing you a better chance at getting your bearings in the action. It’s not like he threw out his entire approach to shooting action... he’s just gotten better at it.
It feels appropriate to continue writing this sitting in a terminal, waiting to board my flight to Prague, since much of this movie takes place on the fly. Damon’s Jason Bourne is like a shark in the film... once he gets the scent of blood, nothing stops him in his pursuit of it. He’s constantly moving forward, desperate to learn the truth about himself, about who he was, how he was made, and why he is disconnected from the life he once led. That’s one of the things that makes the BOURNE films so identifiable... he’s not trying to save the world from crazy supervillains, and he’s not trying to find some treasure or do any of the things that normally fuel these big-ticket action films. He’s simply a man adrift, a guy who desperately wants to understand himself. Since the start of that first film, he’s been after one thing, and I like the way each event in the series so far seems to have weight. Bourne doesn’t just shrug things off with a punchline and a smile... he’s haunted by the death of Marie (Franka Potente) in the second film, and he’s haunted by his own lack of identity. He knows he’s a weapon, and that bothers him on a basic human level. Sure, it’s convenient that he can do anything, go anywhere, stop anyone... but there’s also something fundamentally terrifying about it.
As with the first two films, the supporting cast really elevates this material. Julia Stiles and Joan Allen both make strong returns to the series in this one, and David Strathairn shows up as a class-A megaprick, more lethal and slimy than Brian Cox in the second film or Chris Cooper in the first one. For my money, though, it’s Paddy Consadine who makes the most powerful impression this time around. He’s a reporter who has been piecing together Bourne’s story, attracting not only Bourne’s attention, but also that of the people that Bourne is trying to find.
What impressed me most this time is the pace of the film. It starts six weeks after the end of SUPREMACY, and it pretty much never lets up from the moment the film begins. This isn’t a standard Hollywood action film where you get a set piece, then a lot of exposition, then a set piece, then a lot of exposition. Yes, we learn a lot in this film, including the answers that Bourne’s been looking for since the beginning, but it’s all handled during the action, as part of the action, and the film feels like it’s always moving forward, always surging towards the next plot point, and the result is that you feel worn out by the end. You feel some degree of what Bourne himself is feeling. That’s great filmmaking, putting you in the skin of the main character in a smart, subtle way. By the time Jason Bourne ends up face to face with a majestically toad-like Albert Finney, you’re practically begging the filmmakers to take a breath.
I think the real proof of the impact that these films have is in the way the Bond series obviously took cues from the BOURNE series when they rebooted last year. This and BATMAN BEGINS both seemed to have informed the approach that Martin Campbell took to CASINO ROYALE, and I hope the producers of Bond continue to pay attention to the way things add up and matter over the course of the BOURNE series. Yes, we want our spies to be able to handle themselves in any fight, but we also want to know that they are human, and that what they do matters. Jason Bourne may end this film bruised and bloodied, in almost as bad a state as he was at the start of the first film, but he’s also found some grace, some answers, some degree of peace. It’s a rarity to see a series handled this well, and I hope Damon reconsiders his position that this is the absolute end of the series. As long as Tony Gilroy’s scripts continue to inspire performances and direction as good as this, I’ll follow Bourne anywhere in the world.
I’ll be back later today with my review of one of the first major films of the fall season that I’ve seen, but first, I’m going to take a walk around Prague and enjoy a bit of the late summer afternoon, jetlag be damned.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
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it's me Vamp
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has/as always. lol
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But the first was better. The Greengrass - shaky cam ruined that final car chase in Russia in Supremacy. And I'm not some namby pamby person that hates hand-held: I was fine with it in Blair Witch. It just made it too chaotic in Supremacy.
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the first one was fantastic, the second one even better and now, apparently, the third is better still!
well done to Liman,Greengrass and Damon for providing us with these excellent movies -
Good films but really there's no comparison.
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Loved the plot, loved the sense of urgency, didn't love feeling nauseous for 90 minutes after it was over. My $200 Sony handycam had better image stabilizing than that movie. If I can confirm the shaky cam is reduced to "grand mal siezure" I might go see it.
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This is the kind of review I want JOHN RAMBO to get...
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would be an awesome spy? Never- but Matt Damon really brings his A Game..can't wait to catch it.
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I heard he was actually cheating on his boyfriend at the time.
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I am so glad to hear that it seems to hit the mark again. I love the first two, and I really think Damon is just awesome in these.And Casino Royale was fucking fantastic.And SteffanLongdon, it really depends upon what you want in your spy movie. All the Bond movies prior to Casino Royale were much more over the top than the Bourne series, and if you like that better, cool. Me, I like the Bourne series and Casino Royale much better. While I still enjoy the old Bond movies, just not as much.
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identifiable..not a superhuman spy who couldn't get hurt, but some normal guy who got turned into a killing machine.
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does he play the brother of Brian Cox's character? or his clone?
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...and you know that with the arguable exception of the Daniel Craig rendition, Bourne would kick every movie Bond's ass ten times over. Until the last film Bond has been a soft, flabby playboy who'd be dead without Q.Man, That'd be awesome. Daniel Craig and Matt Damon in a Bond -n- Bourne film just snapping necks and fucking people up.
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I love CASINO ROYALE, it was probably my 2nd favourite film last year. i agree though, Bourne does kick the shit out of Brosnan in TOMORROW NEVER DIES and DIE ANOTHER DAY. I should of said the character 'James Bond' is better. He's probably cinema's most famous character.
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After the Spidey/Pirates/Shrek shitfest we can enjoy summer movies again. The Simpsons movie is great, as, I have almost no doubt, this is. Good review Mori, though I would have wished you'd go a little more into details. It's good to know there's less headache-inducing shaky-cam. I will check this fucker out for sure.
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I completely agree about the iconic standing of the Bond character. You can't be in movies for over 40 years and not have some significant weight attached to the character. SG7 hit it on the head..Bond had become soft. Not no more. Let's hope they continue, like Mori said, to follow the same path as the Bourne films and make equally has great sequels.
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This piece is supposed to redeem this summer? Damon is barely an actor, and it'll be way too unbelievable to even be guilty fun.
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If they make a forth, they should wait at least 6 or 7 years and then bring Damon back. Greengrass too.
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Sorry to inform you dagonjr, but he's an actor, and by most people's standards, a pretty good one. And he completely sells it that he's a spy. Sorry the movies don't work for you.
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Go rewatch it again on DVD before seeing Ultimatum. While I do admit that the hand-held camera shakiness didn't translate very well to the larger format of a theater screen it works like gangbusters on the small screen. It makes me wonder if they edited and watched the dailies largely in the smaller format and didn't realize till it was all cut together how jarring it was on the larger screen. At that point it was too late to correct it. In terms of sheer storytelling though Supremacy is a better film than Identity and if as the reviews have said Greengrass has toned down the shake and amped up the action then I have very high hopes for Ultimatum. The best of both worlds and possible the best of the series (so far - a guy can hope). I dont know about you guys but Matt Damon rocks the shit in this series...
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What other 30's actors would you have preferred to see as Jason Bourne. The only other actor that has the gravitas IMO to pull it off IMO is Clive Owen. I'm just interested to see what your suggestions would be...
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What a pathetic excuse for acting. Clive Owen I agree would be waaay better.
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Jul 31, 2007 12:22:45 PM CDT
Why won't Damon give Affleck a role in his blockbusters
by bringingsexyback
Friends don't let friends star in Gigli.
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so I didn't see Supremacy. I never understood what was so great about it. I'm going to guess it's the car chase, which is the one guy thing that I've never understood. My taste in movies tends to be more typical of males, but with the chases I just don't get it. I just mentally check out until they're over. So if that's the main selling point of a movie I don't really need to see it. Although, I did enjoy Death Proof. But in that case the car "chase" was the whole point of the movie. In most movies I think they're like a commercial break. So if I wasn't that interested before the chase, it's nearly impossible for me to get back into it after. I'm sure that's what happened with Identity. And since I'm not a big Damon fan, I don't think I'll be seeing Ultimatum.
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Just watched Bourne Identity last week on tv... and wasn't Clive Owen one of the other Treadstone guys? (The one sent to assassinate Bourne at the farmhouse?)
Anyway, I think Damon does an excellent job. -
Neither will Rush Hour 3.
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Good review Moriarity. One quibble: theres nothing cool about being a luddite, but I feel you -- I didn't have a cellphone either until living in Japan forced me to; now, back in the US, its become an irritating necesity. Still, if druthers I had, I would own every single new fangled gadget ever with which I could, if I so chose, watch, and write about, the true golden age of cinema (aka the nineteen hundred and seventies). Anyways, yeah, don't go all luddite -- its that attitude which makes otherwise not-so-bad guys like Dylan and Jack White and their well-meaning, but hypocritical anti-technological / anti-futurist yammering so deeply irritating.
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He was named the professor or something like that.
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I carry an Archos everywhere. When I was standing on line at the bank earlier, I was watching Alien. The best thing about the Archos (compared to other PVPs) is that it records off any video source - Cable box, DVD player, Game console, , you name it. Check it out. In your line of work, this is a must have for you, even more than a laptop. Best thing is you can put it in your pocket. If the iPhone can do what the Archos does, I'd drop everything and buy it.
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Definitely looking forward to seeing this. The first two Bourne movies were far from perfect but they did manage to entertain the hell out of me.
I know I might catch hell for saying this, but the main reason I think the Bourne movies work is Matt Damon. Not a big fan of his overall, but he does a good job of selling the whole rogue spy persona for me. I think he has a future in adventure/action movies.
It makes me wonder if Matt is kicking himself for all those years of playing Ben Affleck sidekick when he could have been out there becoming a star on his own. -
Matt and Ben are interchangeable, except Ben got J-Lo.
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Last I checked it was July 31st..making it mid-summer.
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except that they are completely different and Damon is the better actor.
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First off, car chases RULE. For anybody who enjoys car chases, if you haven't seen Ronin, go see it NOW. Back to you now, CherryValance. Yes, the car chases are part of the Bourne movies, but it's not like they're there just for show - they're part of who Bourne is. Part of his training clearly included training in handling cars in dangerous situations. If you can pry your head out of that hole in the ground, watch the FULL MOVIE, including the car chases, because they do move the movies forward. I can't wait to see this movie. My wife and I are big fans of Damon. He's a great actor, regardless of what some morons in here say.
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They hired an extremely talented director to make it. Why are people still going on about Bond? Martin Campbell is one of the bigest hack directors going. There was more impressive filmmaking skill in the first 10 minutes of Supremacy than there was in the whole of Royale. One of the critics at the premiere screenin of Ultimatum stood up at the end and shouted "Run it again!". Bring it on.
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I really liked that movie. Has Dinero done any movies since? sigh...
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With the exception of his appearances in Kevin Smith's movies, Affleck grinds every single movie he's in to a screaming halt with his utter lack of talent or ability. DAREDEVIL was excrutiatingly bad because of him. Sure he gets props for banging J-Lo and Garner, but that doesn't make him not suck. He just got really lucky and somehow managed to make a career out of being friends with Damon who is a great actor, with a great deal of range, and seems like a pretty cool/nice guy in spite of the fact that he doesn't need to be. I think Affleck probably knows his too, and wakes up in a cold sweat everyday waiting for the rug to eventually be pulled out from under him -- "The jig is up!" (sayeth coldsweat Affleck) "Time to see if I can get my job at Moobies back. *Sigh*"
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You'll wait and see it on DVD? Thats just crazy man. That one shot where Bourne jumps through the air towards the open window is enough reason to see it in the cinema. Then you have another 2 hours of cool shit and quality filmmaking on top.
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At least you finally got a cell phone and laptop, but your pride in waiting so long makes you seem kinda dumb.
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Matt Damon "an average looking guy"? You don't walk on streets much, do you?
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and while I liked Dalton as Bond...there is no way in hell he could take on Bourne.And Craig wasn't supposed to be completely suave since this was the beginning. This was the setup for what was to come. And Brosnan movies were big, dumb movies. Bourne movies are the complete opposite. And what does Joan Allen have to do with Bourne vs. Bond? What about Q???
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Its pretty clear that the makers of the new Bond (which rocked!) were heavily influenced by the more 'realistic' BOURNE series.
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BWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!! Prodigy ...
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Shaky cam isn't as bad as people say, if you feel sick from a camera swaying back and forth, get a new hobby, seriously. I work at a theatre and had old ladies coming out of Children of Men thinking either a) our projecter was screwed (what idiots) or b) they were gonna hurl so they had to sit outside.
It';s not a god damn rollercoaster, get over it! -
I don't know if he was joking but in August's "Interview" Magazine, Daniel Craig said that the producers of Bond wanted to have more "Pussy Galore" type humor in the next movie. there are already blogs about how this is a bad idea. Anyway, Casino Royale wasn't the Bond that we are familiar with, he didn't have one liners after he killed someone, it was definitely more of a Bourne approach, and I liked that so maybe the bond producers now want to take the more traditional route with bond which would be a mistake since CR was so good and successful.
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He was so RIGHT as Bond. Typical that the mainstream masses didn't take to him. The Living Daylights is a class Bond film, so far superior to Casino Royale it hurts. And the John Barry score is sweeping, majestic and utterly magnificent. God, I love that film.
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It really does affect some people on a physical level, especially projected on the bigscreen. If it doesn't bother you, fine, but I know many people who get motion sickness from handheld camerawork when they see it projected, and it's just a physical reaction they can't control.
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Do they play Extreme Ways at the end? Please say they do...
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Right back at ya babe.
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Still have to pick up the 2nd one on DVD.
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Decent actor with a cracking eye for a project. Can't think of many bad films he's been in.
Enjoyed the hell out of the first two. Looking forward to this. -
I couldnt tell what the hell was going on, but was too polite/stupid to leave :/
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Too many explosions, too many impossible situations !!!
Just bring in Tom Kruise, and get it over WITH !!! -
What do you think about those comments attributed to Daniel Craig that the next Bond is going to be super-jokey?
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Nice to see the little french company carving a niche for itself, they made some great audio players, the Gmini 402 is a freakin masterpiece (music, video, games, camera, usb host... all on the size of an Ipod video), but they pretty much decided to focus on video and leave Apple alone :/
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I've seen Identity on the big screen and Ultimatum on DVD. First one was better...had more fight scenes. I was hoping for mano-a-mano between Bourne and Karl Urban's Russian assassin. What is Bourne's fighting style? Looks like a cross between empty-hand Escrima and Kenpo. Damon looks very convincing with the fight scenes. Identity had the best fight scenes since Benicio Del Toro and Tommy Lee Jones in "The Hunted."
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I loved Casino Royale because it is a good origin story. The problem which origin stories however is that you can only tell them once. Connery's Bond is the definitive polished character, who has impeccable dress sense, style, and gets the ladies, and is a proficient killer. IMHO Bond would not be 007 if he continues to fall in love and curl up in the shower after killing someone. Like someone said earlier, it is not being human that makes Craig's Bond , it is the spartan use of gadgets and a good story, and good acting that accomplishes that.
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Timothy Dalton was great, and TLD is one of my favorite post-Connery movies. I wish he would have had a chance to film a few more after LTK, he could have been a truly definitive Bond. Oh well.
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Damon said that he trained in Kali (an older version of escrima - both Phillipino styles emphasize similar movements using hand, stick and knife - check out this week's Human Weapon on the History Channel) prior to the first film.
I liked the extended H2H fight in the Supremacy - looked some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu positioning with some dirty finishes. Looking forward to Ultimatum. -
Without Seagal?Bad guys circle up hero, limbs get busted, rise, repeat.I've only seen the first, but it seemed like Hard to Kill with a car chase.
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Lazenby, Moore, and Connery (in that order) were great Bonds. they were charismatic figures and offered a powerful screen presence... the new guy is the prick at the bar that tries to bang your wife. that having been said... this summer had a few good movies. Spiderman 3, Die Hard 4, Sunshine... you guys are spoiled brats thinking every movie coming out needs to be groundbreaking and innovative as say T2.
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???????
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Whatever your stance of "its a bond film or not" You loose credibility saying the weepfest and awkward musical that was Spidey 3 being a good movie.
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yes, without Seagal, and with better directing/writing/acting/editing/production design/cinematography/special effects...but I see where you were going with that... (rolls eyes)
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I think the Muslims use the term Kali. The people of Cebu call it Escrima. I believe the generic term is Arnis de Mano. Whatever is called, made Damon look like a total badass. I wonder how long he trained?
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Yes, they use it at the end, although it's a new version/mix.It's a good film and maintains the feel of Supremacy (my favourite in the series) but it's not as good IMHO.
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Identity was aight, but Supremacy rules! Hope this one is just as good.
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...they should totally give the role to Hogan. "WHO AM I, BROTHER?".
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Hats off to the filmmakers for PLANNING out such an excellent trio of movies. Color me impressed. I can't wait to see this one-- great review Mori.
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Bond eats good, dresses sharp, gets the hottest women in bed with no effort at all. Bourne is a miserable bastard by any comparison.
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Didn't really care for Bourne2 and REALLY hate Julia Styles as an actress. Bourne is a whiner like Harry Potter was in the book version of Order of the Phoenix. I just wish they'd kill him off already or let him drift off into obscurity.
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After these movies, it's obvious that TPTB chose the wrong guy. Damon would have been perfect as Matt Murdock
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Bourne wouldnt allow himself to get kidnapped and have someone tie him naked to a chair and hit him with a rope in the balls! I'm sorry...that was the dumbest torture scene of all frickin time...totally took me out of the film and made the rest of the damn movie laughable.
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...until Moby starts singing. Someone really ought to tell him to stick to vocal samples.
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You're gonna hate that Untitled J.J. Abrams film.
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Yeah the Archos GMini was great, I gave it to my GF when I got the AV500. I wanted the DVR ability and it's so fucking awesome. I basically just connect it to a dedicated $35 DVD player and record movies in the background, then back up the files to DVD. They have a new generation of players out now - WIFI-enabled so you can view and browse the Web on any hotspot. Amazing gadgets.
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I hope none of you sit in front of me at the theater.
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The lighting is much better for the limb breaking than in any Seagal film.Because that's really important in a movie about nameless bad guys getting their arms snapped...
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I watched both Identity and Supremacy this week and I can't wait for Ultimatum. Loved the first two films, especially the car chases. I can't believe Albert Finney is in it though because when I first saw Identity my wife and I didn't know who Brian Cox was so we called him "not-Albert Finney" for years.
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Bond getting caught and tortured is a lot more realistic than a super-agent who never gets caught. That's why I liked Casino Royale - it was more realistic.
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Unfortunatley I have to wait to Monday. Le sigh.
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I like your reviews most of the time, and I'll see this movie at some point, but I feel like you're reading a lot into these movies. I had a different experience. For some reason I never felt like Damon's Bourne (and let me just say now that I really like Damon quite a bit as a person) was all that emotionally invested in most of what he does. I didn't get the sense, as you did, that he was felt the loss of Marie as much as I thought he might. But then I never felt like he was all that invested in her either. Damon's portrayal has a curious lack of emotion in it to me, although again I don't think Damon himself is emotionless. But Bourne is the type of spy who doesn't register emotion on his face and doesn't ever let his voice go above a certain decibel level. So I never got the sense that he was as invested at finding out his identity as you wrote, which is weird for me personally because I walked into these movies with the goodwill of a spy-movie dork who wanted to escape into these movies.
I can only read so much into the strong and silent type before I lose emotional investment in the characters. But I hope this one is good. -
I like it! Maybe they'll give it a reboot? That would rokk.
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For proof of this see CHILDREN OF MEN, easily the best movie of the decade, and featuring some of the greatest cinematography in the history of the moving image.
That being said, I didn't mind the shakycam in SUPREMACY, but I understand lots of people hated it. -
Duh. Sorry.
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Saw a preview screening of it last week and it blew me away...I've been a solid fan of the Bourne movies, but I'm pretty sure this one was the best. There's one scene fairly early on where the shaky cam is really noticable, and that got me pretty worried because I was sitting VERY close to the screen. But then I didn't notice it for the entire rest of the movie, so Greengrass must've reined it in a bit. Overall it's ridiculous how entertaining this movie is.
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I didn't really care for the first Bourne movie -too slow, too meandering, not smart enough, and nowhere near enough action. Felt like a fucking foreign film. Now the Bourne Supremacy on the other hand was exactly the opposite. Smart, fast, sophisticated without being stuffy, and action packed throughout. About as well-designed a thrill machine as an espionage movie can be. It raised the bar, something Bond hasn't done in nearly ten years. Greengrass owns this franchise and I hope the talentless asshole who made the first Bourne movie gets out of the movie business altogether. I will defintely see the next Bourne movie, something that would NEVER have happened if Liman was still directing the series.
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After the shitstorm of big-budget bullshit we've been drowning in, culminating in the God-awful Bayformers, it's finally safe for the adults to return to the theaters, and Jason Bourne is kicking ass showing the way. FINALLY the first great Blockbuster of the summer! Better late than never.
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In a word it's Damon, for me he just doesn't convince. Shaky cam is horrid too.
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Great stories have a beginning, middle, and END. I love these films but if this one ends things as well as your review lets on then let's let Jason Bourne's journey to self discovery be complete.
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Jake Gyllenhal is going to play Joe Namath in a bio-pic and not one mention on this site?
I'm disappointed. -
Craig nailed it, the script was excellent and what i dont get - which a lot of the bitchers moan about - is Craig IS actually ruthless and hard JUST LIKE CONNERY...Royale for me comes CLOSEST to classic Bond..fuck the martini's and camp jokes.
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Read them and thank me.
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has yet to dissappoint me... I can't wait to see this!
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the shaky cam didn't bother me though, I thought the car chase at the end was brilliant. The fights, however, were better handled in the first.
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books and cinema = apples and oranges. A good movie is a good movie, "raping the books" or not.
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fuck. shock. I was probably looking at his damn airplane when it flew over my house. anyway...good review....
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"Shaky cam" is an excellent addition to any action scene if used appropriately. If used appropriately it makes the action scene feel more choatic and real. As long the director is still able give the audience a sence of what's going and where, which I think Greengrass does, then it's great. Unlike Michael Bay, who does not seem to care.
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The extras are great
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I second that. Matt Damon as an action hero? No way.
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you tools dissing him can't shake whatever other dickwad predjuidices you have against him...even Southpark can rise above it's own BS
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lighting?every single aspect of these films, as I mentioned, is better than any Seagal film. not sure why you chose lighting...
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Jeet Kun Do is the essence of fighting. Stripping away at the nonessentials and finding the truth.
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I had a man card. It sucks that I have to immediately turn it in. *sigh* I actually own Ronin but that's because it has real men it. Did you ever notice that when Damon does a Boston accent his voice gets really high? I thought he must be trying to emulate his mom. Probably not the only time he does that. I'm sure he'll be really manly and actory in Ultimatum though.
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Yack knows what I'm talking about. I am more than pleased to read all the positive views on this third film. Hurry up Friday! And the extras on Hot Fuzz, were, indeed, great. Hilarious stuff. Sorry I missed it in the theater, but a damn funny film. It really made me smile today. Paddy made me laugh, although it was hard not remembering Dead Man's Shoes every time he came on screen. Now that (Dead Man's Shoes) was a strong/solid film and Paddy's performance was AWESOME. That early diner/pool hall scene gave me chills. Same with the rifle/axe scene out at the shack. Mmm mmmmm. Good film that one. Back on topic. Bourne and Damon rule me. I don't see all the disdain for Damon, but I know everyone has their preferences. I think he's perfect though. Just perfect. Strong and silent works for me. I loathe quippy heroes. That's why CR worked for me. Craig wasn't dropping puns ad nauseum. If I had to choose between Bond and Bourne? Well, Bourne is tightness personified and this third flick sounds as if the soul still burns. I'll find out Friday. Thanks for reading.
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Zen Vision W. Divx, MP3's, photos... screw iPoops. The 16x9 screen's as big as a pack of smokes (100's) and it has av out so I can plug it into TV's in hotel rooms and watch me some movies! I've had an archos. It's cool too, but as far as picture quality, Zen Vision W pwns it all the way.
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Just watched that again for the umpteenth time last week. Excellent film.
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yeah...but seriously..who takes the time to kidnap and torture, rather than just kill? thats always been the problems with the Bond movies...they even make fun of that in the Austin Powers movies..that the villians always talk to much or torture for no damn reason, enabling the good guy to escape!
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So glad to hear that you liked THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM. I've been dying to see it all summer long, and you've only whet my appetite further. I knew that Paul Greengrass would come through again. He's definitely one of the most exciting directors in the world right now.
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people that dont like shaky-cam are anal-retentive-i-wanna-see-every-detail-lame -asses....
to everyone else it rocks !!! feels like ur in the action instead of just watching it...its the wave of the future.... get used to it..
that is all
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Though, I still thought it was an excellent movie. However, it did not live up to the first. If this one has less of that, then I am going to be in for a major lovefest.
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I watched Supremacy again on the small screen, and it was much better... I agree with whoever said that it was like they edited on a small screen, loved it, then watched it on a big screen and it was sickening... anyway, if you were made sick by Supremacy go back and watch it again on DVD.
That said, Bourne Identity is still a far superior movie, more cleanly directed, a better character arc, more humor... -
http://tinyurl.com/26x39z
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Loved the first one, liked the second one (overuse of handheld bothered me somewhat) but I am confident that Greengrass will blow this fucker outta the water.
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Like his character in the Ocean's movies. As August is upon us, Rush Hour 3 is looking like a better prospect.
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On DVD before the third installement. I absolutely jizzed over the Bourne Identity! the whole can't remember my past but can kick your ass super spy Vs Spy Biro fights and building escapes without the need for any fucking CG or Bluescreen made The Bond movies look like Spazzy kids films.Soooo disapointed with Bourne Supremacy, not because it was a bad film but because I couldn't tell what kind of film it was under all that Puke Inducing camera Thrashing!More than willing to give it another go on DVD if it makes it more watchable and am eager to see why this Greengrass dude comes in for such high praise and fingers and toes crossed he delivers a bit more than what looked like from the trailer the same again.
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Fact. I hate those sissy PG-13 action crap.
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Get out of here with that crap!
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I kid, I kid! Seriously, you're looking forward to Rush Hour 3?Motoko, while I love the Bourne movies and Casino Royale, I completely agree that all would in fact have been at a different level with a good 'ol R rating.
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The first flick was so clearly superior on every single level it isn't even debatable. Greengrass better have learnt his lesson this time around. I don't get the hype: United 93 aside Liman's demonstrably a better director.
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to see the debut of the Volkswagon Toureg 2
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Then I'm out. Identity was a great movie. Supremacy killed off the chick and had fight scenes that lacked a choreographer so they covered it up by jerking the camera around. No thanks. Steadycam was invented for a reason and this "more in the moment" shit doesn't fly with me. It's laziness. I may see it on DvD.
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Keep the well written, concise reviews coming!
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wait till you see the kingdom.
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"although how many of the Bourne books did Ludlum actually write?"
3 - though they don't share a whole lot with the film.
Erik Van Lustbader continued the series (and badly). Finishing "The Bourne Legacy" now, not in the same league as the Ludlum books. Not even close. -
Jesus christ, what type of statement was that? Rush Hour 3 looks like a better prospect? Dude, what the hell are you taking because, seriously, I want some.
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...he's just too subtle for some folks, I think. They don't see "ACTING!!!" so it looks like "he's not doing anything." Same way people missed it when Brando was giving a great performance later on (DON JUAN de MARCO) or get fooled when someone's just waving wildly to the Academy (SCENT OF A WOMAN, etc.). In the Bourne movies, one moment that just kills me is the look of recognition Bourne gets when the officers wake him from sleeping on the bench in the park at night. One man prods him with a nightstick, and Bounre's hand leaps out to defensively grab it. The look on Jason's face tells you the hand knew what it was doing waaaaaayyy before he did, and there's some power or ability there -- it's coming back, it's coming back: some training... -- and then he dispatches them like girl scouts, professionally, but still amazed at what he can do. About the only acting "tell" is a blink and a flick of the eye, and the whole mini-drama plays out. Great work, and an entirely different being than Will Hunting, Tom Ripley, Linus whatsit, the COURAGE UNDER FIRE junkie, etc. Damon disappears; he's great at what he's done so far.
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Damn straight.
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I used to think Damon was a real Streisand, but in this one he rocks the shit.
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Matt Damon is a good actor, but if Matt Damon is the new thing in action movies, action movies are in serious trouble. Just my opinion.
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It's a beautiful city, just curious why you're travelling there.
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Watching the first entry just bores me to tears now. Supremacy cut out all of the protectiveness and cut down on the flashbacks, just unleashing Bourne on the film. Far more watchable and worthwhile.
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Correcvt me if I am wrong, but wasn't Ludlum writing essentially about himself? Ludlum was a spook and Bourn e is basically made of stories that Ludlum himself experienced.
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yeah right
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Does the movie play out to Moby's 'Extreme Ways' like the other two?
This song is forever linked to Bourne now, be a shame if they left it out of the final flick... -
Fuck, man, read a Bond novel...they're pulpy, not-serious, and over the top. It's like someone decided to make a Mack Bolan movie, and people thought it was good enough for a sequel. Bond is the inferior character, AND novel.
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Nearly makes up for spidey, pirates and tranformerites. PLEASE LET THIS SERIES END ON THIS NOTE!!!
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Loved every minute of it. Interesting how the end of the Bourne Supremecy was featured in the third act of the movie. That was kind of a twist.
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The guy used so much SHAKY cam that even when there was just calm dialogue the cam was still shaking.
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Well I usually wait until Saturday Morning for the $4 dollar show.
But I spent the extra 2.75 Stupid me.
Well I look forward to the movie. Changed my seat to avoid the talkers behind me.
Then well the black lines on the screen for over five minutes. I had to wait until the CIA guys came on screen to get rid of the print scratches.
Then well it was like Bond on crack, kill this one let that one go.
The reporter scene, damm well it was interesting for a few seconds then it got monotonous. Never have people talk on cellphones should be in screenwriter class 101.
Second why didn't he sleep with the cute blond.
Third best part of the movie was the fight scene.
I wish he would have never went to NY, that part sucked.
Fifth the ending sucked too never have the main character, the protagonist off screen. God almighty and the newspaper guys at rotten tomatoes gave this film 93 percent approval. Who are these guys? -
I agree with everyone who said the shaky cam was waaaaay overdone and sucked ass... but the movie was good and I'm a fan of the series, just wanted some better camerawork
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"second why didn't he sleep with the cute blond". Are you serious?
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Yes, it does.
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I'm laying here on a dirty linoleum floor in 3 day old underwear with a half empty bottle of Johnny Walker Red while scribbling this with a crayon on post-it notes.... Oh wait! I forgot this was supposed to IMPRESS you. Oh well, the Pantheon of the On-line Written Review will just have to wait I guess. As far as ULTI-BOURNE, it WAS a fitting finale because it was the weakest of the series and just another retelling of the same old story. An overall sense of been there, done that, don't need to do it again. Not that it shouldn't have been made. If the first was an A, the second an A-, this was at least a B- based almost solely on the action, because there was little else. And even that was like a superb fireworks show that runs about ten minutes too long. There has to be some respite in between another, ho hum, here we go again chase. This wasn't exactly a series that cried out for answers, and nothing new came out of what I guess passed for a poor man's Wolverine origin. Plus it just left the realm of any believability in order to one-up previous stunts. There was this feeling of imperviousness that leaves the audience totally uninvolved in the character and outcome. If they revealed at the end of this version that Bourne was a super powered robot, would it have made any difference? There were also some impossible plot points (getting into the Director's office for one). And why does his gal pal always change her appearence while he pretty much just looks down to go unnoticed? Think I'll sell all my facial recognition stock. And as much as the camera work and staging has been drooled over, I thought it far inferior to the previous films where you could actually follow the fights and chase scenes weren't an incomprehensible blur. Anyone who got through the ultracloseup shakycam first few minutes w/o urpsing, deserves a pack of raisinettes. If half the movie had been like that, it would have been impossible to watch. One thing critics love is when movies veer off the expected HW track. This clearly did that with the reporter and Stiles' Nicky (who BTW, makes Alba's Sue look like Ilsa Lund. If only after dyeing and cutting her hair, she raised up from the sink as the real Franka Potente. Sigh. They must continually regret not having her duck in time. But I digress.) In slashing and burning left and right, B3 further dehumanized itself. Which may make for an interesting statement, but neither a profound nor entertaining one. I guess Bourne's final reveal (not spoiling much) was like this movie itself, deep inside he's a heartless fighting machine that generates little sympathy or humanity. He, and we, were better off not knowing. Bottom line, no need to wait for the 3 disk set, stick with the still incomparable first two.
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and was thoroughly entertained. Nice little stripped-down action flick. I grew up on NYPD Blue, so years of shakey cam have hardened my stomach.
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Fuck you Matt, make more! Goddamn that movie was fucking cool!
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Despite what you say, Moriarity, my wife and I could hardly stand the amount of 'shakycam' in this movie. In future we will simply WALK OUT and demand a refund when we see enough of it that it becomes annoying. Maybe some people don't have a big problem with it [although I think plenty do] and if so fine...enjoy it. But I am getting SICK of fancy-dancy camera technique that actually gets in the way of my enjoying a movie, and I'm not going to sit still for it anymore.
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If the remakers of EFNY had any brain, they would cast Matt Damon as Plissken, and get Greengrass to direct. Now, that's a remake I would pay to see !
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Well, the 93 percent rating got me know thyself. I mean when the critics agree you would hope that the movie is like Toy Story.
That blonde thing. Well she was cute and she was going to be alone for a while.
And, well If you are going to imitate Bond and not have Carlos the Jackal in play, like the book.
It would have been a better movie in pacing. Instead it was like Crank, and Crank had lots of sex.
Secondly, it would fit the pattern of the books and the theme of looking for love in all the wrong places of the first movie and book.
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1)Could Julia Stiles have looked more yummy?? Damn.
2)Great friggin' flick- along with LOTR best trilogy ever- no fucking argument.
3)Ok he has his identity to an extent- but still, why did he choose what he chose (you know, told Al Finney ok fine I'll do it!)?
Fourth movie necessary- set it 5-10 years down the road after he's settled into a "normal life" Again, fucking awesome stuff!! -
Is it just me, or do all those positive reviews sound like plants? There's nothing in this movie except some barely watchable fight scenes. Nothing whatsoever. And every damn shot looked like it was filmed at maximum zoom from a mile away. Oh, what's this guy doing? He's reading a piece of paper! Camera vibrator on! FUCK OFF with that hack rubbish! And Yackbacker, yeah, I found myself thinking "that was a cool fight scene. I think. If he did what I thought I saw him do in those two frames." The whole thing pissed me off no end.
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But it's definitely the weakest of the three, by far. The whole focus of the series has become the fight scenes. There's nothing else there... Not that there's anything particularly wrong with that, it's just that the shakycam ruined the fight scenes.
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I liked all 3 - Ludlum came up with a great premise.
But those of you who think Damon is a great actor are delusional. The character has amnesia - when Damon plays Bourne as confused, it's not really Acting - it's just Matt trying to cope with a Forrest Gumpian IQ in our complex world - think Matt Damon in Team America.
Secondly, shaky cam suck - not sure about the seizures, but I like to see what's going on. Sorry, kind of a stickler in that area - otherwise why go see the movie - I could save money just reading reviews that give too much of the plot away.
Question: given the box office bonanza, if Damon sticks to his guns and refuses to do any more Bourne's, do they hire someone else - and who? -
Just got back from seeing it. Like all the Bourne films, the story and pacing was great. The acting was phenomenal. HOWEVER - Paul Greengrass should have that shaky cam shoved far up his ass. It's a shame that Doug Liman didn't direct 2 and 3 as well. His direction was superb. In IDENTITY, you could actually SEE the fight scenes and car chases. Greengrass should be forced to watch Identity on a 24 hour loop until he understands how to properly shoot a fight scene as well as a car chase.
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The shakycam is the reason that I still often rewatch Identity and don't rewatch Supremacy. Identity's fight sequences were beautifully choreographed and are a pleasure to watch. I guess I'm just old fashioned, but I LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING!
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i love this series. the first one was great but greengrass literaly stole the thunder in this trilogy.
supremacy had such a sense of intense urgency that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. the car chase at the end is literally hands down the most intense car chase i've ever seen.
as to damon's acting in the series. he's the man. when bourne escapes the cops in supremacy by jumping around under the bridge and catching that train. just look at his face. the exhaustion... the look of, "holy shit what did i just pull off" coupled with his desperation to find the truth about marie's death.
that and everytime bourne is forced to kill a man. whether it was the last treadstone guy in supremacy or the asset in ultimatum. he hates himself for having to kill and being amazing at it.
when he chokes that guy to death in ultimatum it makes it all real. the audience i watched with was shocked. what would normally be a clap worthy moment in an action film, felt sad and tragic. for as cool as all the action is, the kill was real. it felt depressing despite the hero actually winning.
that's what this entire series is. fucking slap in the face action matched couple with damon's ability to look thoroughly out of his depth about his actions and his life. nuff said. -
"David Strathairn shows up as a class-A megaprick, more lethal and slimy than Brian Cox in the second film or Chris Cooper in the first one."
I liked the movie, but it had problems, and this was a big one. The main opponent for Bourne was a total yutz, much less clever than Cox or Coopers' characters. I would have loved to see a more daunting opponent, as well as somebody who recognized that Bourne, by what he accomplished in the first and second film, had seemingly risen above the other Black Ops assassins of the world. -
was the audience supposed to pick up on a previous relationship between Damon and Stiles?
Also, great, great movie. Personally, I like shaky-cam when done well, and since I've been watching BSG for the last 3 years, I've seen examples of this done well (Rymer) and done poorly (most of the other directors). Finally, the shaky-cam makes sense in some respects in this type of movie, especially with the large crowd scenes that Greengrass likes to employ-- since he couldn't get them closed-off, shaky-cam really made me feel like I was right there.
And the bathroom fight scene was just wicked. -
A friend of mine sent me this rough cut of the original trailer that makes The Bourne Ultimatum seem like a very different movie. I can see why they didn't use it. Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/28yxbg
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This was far and away the most exciting and brilliant American action film since Face/Off. Shaky-cam? So-fucking-what? The film is shot from Bourne's perspective. We get these tiny, almost imperceptible flashes of what Bourne is seeing (cctv cameras, people, vehicles etc) that completely let us in to how Bourne is feeling and how, ultimately, to feel as an audience, whilst helping to subliminally plant geographical seeds in the audiences mind, an essential component of any successful action set-piece. Do you seriously think that Bourne looks at something he needs to take note of for more time than is necessary as deemed by his brutal training? The dialog is somewhat richer than your run-of-the-mill Hollywood thriller, and the acting, as ever, was superb but not showboaty. This is easily the best threequel since Last Crusade.
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"It starts six weeks after the end of SUPREMACY,"
No, no it doesn't. You watch movies for a living and you didn't catch that the majority took place BEFORE the end of Supremacy? Where do I send my resume? -
I think Paul Greengrass has shown me how to direct an action sequence. I'm going to have my hero face four guys. I'll have drank 10 Red Bulls and will spastically flop around with the camera for two minutes creating that Paul Greengrass "I can't see what's happening"-type of tension. Then I'll end with a shot of all four villains on the ground. The audience won't know what happened, or how they got there, but watching epileptic camera work will make them feel "in the moment," or perhaps will send them to the bathroom to yak.
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bourne > bond. but there are only going to be 3 bourne movies, anymore and it will ruin the franchise. bond wins over the long haul. but damned was bourne fun to watch for 3 movies.
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but if you didn't like this film I don't know what you are looking for...
Fantastic finish to the trilogy..
Greg
www.denvertvguy.com -
Loved the movie, but I would have loved even more to know what the hell was happening during certain sequences. That camera action got to be a little much. BTW, if I wanted to be "in the moment" like some TBers apparently do, I'd fucking join a covert government agency.
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Has anyone saying Bond is soooo much better and attempting to turn Jason Bourne into Bond by trying to suggest Clive Owen (killed off in the first movie, the Professor...) actually read a bond book?
Bond was modeled after the writer and his own OSS exploits.
He was blonde, with a scar down one side of his face. He was a gentleman in the way that he wouldn't strike a woman if he didn't feel it necessary at that time......
His lips held a position only possibly described as what could have been a sneer....
Is that the James Bond you all are talking about?
THAT'S James Bond.
Until Pierce Brosnen, the best Bond was Dalton. He played it as the character was written IN THE BOOKS, even if he was given shitty scripts.
Before Dalton, Lazonberry was the best one.
Sean Connery? He was a virtual UNKNOWN when he was cast as Bond, as well as a second choice.
The first was an american actor: Cary Grant.
He was in his 40s or 50s and he said there was no way he was doing action scenes at his age.
He made the smart choice.
I will include Brosnen due to four scenes split between two different movies:
His non-chalant flinch when the bullets hit too close to his face in Goldeneye, barely even fazed, the negotiation with the banker in The World is Not Enough, the dive through the tunnels, guns blazing, in The World is not Enough, and the immediate assasination of Elektra when she would not supply the code, right in front of M, basically showing her the hard choices he has to make some times as Elektra was a love interest, and sometimes he just had to be as cold as Carlos the Jackal. M would never question his actions again after that.
Then there was Daniel Craig....
Finally Bond was blonde, AS HE WAS WRITTEN. He also finally became a cold, ruthless, pointed weapon.
Granted, he is more stylized than Bourne, as Bourne is an assassin first and a spy second, while Bond is a spy first and an assassin second.
I am 1) Very tired of the comparison of Bourne and Bond as both have been filmed as nothing near the book characters, though in this case the movie helped the Bourne character while they have, until now, HURT the Bond character.
2) The misconception that Bond is a suave, womanizing, gadget wielding gentleman. He is nothing of the sort. He is written as cold and brutal. A hard man, as the brits would call him, and in that respect Craig did him more than a little amount of justice.
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