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Capone's Pulse Gets Pounded By THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM!!
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
Disappointed with what this year's summer crop of franchise players has had to offer? You disappointment stops right here, with a film that features no noticeable special effects; the best collection of actors the season has to offer; and the most intelligent, angst-ridden hero this side of…well, the last movie featuring the continuing adventures of Jason Bourne (Matt Damon, at his steely-eyed, razor-sharp finest).
Here's the thing: I'm about as big a fan of Damon's acting talents as anyone you'll meet. I like him even in his worst films; I don't think the capable of giving a bad performance, even in films that are stinkers. When I first heard that he'd signed on to star in the adaptation of Robert Ludlum's THE BOURNE IDENTITY back in 2002, I'll admit was a little disappointed. I knew this could place Damon in franchise territory for the first time in his career, which typically translates to making concessions as an artist and not really being giving a chance to stretch the old acting muscle. I'll always admit when I'm wrong. Rather than simply lie back and play Jason Bourne as a confused kid looking for his proverbial daddy, Damon owns this character and charges him with a set of skills that surprise even him when he's forced into action. He's sometimes as startled by his abilities as we are.
Bourne's main objective is regaining his memory and remembering his entire life. In THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, Jason's last unretrieved memory involves how he become the killing machine he clearly was trained to be, and he sets out to discover his origins. Meanwhile, a team of CIA agents are using every resource at their disposal to stop Bourne from following the trail to his beginnings, and as always, they seem willing--even eager--to kill him.
The thing that always got me excited about the BOURNE movies was the ridiculously high-profile cast the films always pulled in, a testament to the quality of the smart writing (by lead adapter Tony Gilroy and his partners) and thrilling direction from Doug Liman (on the first film) and Paul Greengrass (the second and third). And how about those supporting actors: Brian Cox, Chris Cooper, Joan Allen, Clive Owen, Julia Stiles, Franka Potente, Karl Urban, and Michelle Monaghan. Add to this impressive list the likes of Paddy Considine, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn, David Strathairn, Daniel Bruhl, and Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez in his first American role as another assassin charged with offing Bourne.
But all these fine actors would be left in the wind if Damon didn't pull off his constantly shifting role as Bourne, whose personality changes ever so slightly with each new piece of information he obtains or remembers. It doesn't help that none of the memories coming back are pleasant. In fact, the more he learns about his past as a government assassin, the more he beings to realize that he may have chosen the lifestyle rather than having had it thrust upon him. What I also liked about the plot is that as more higher-ups in the CIA find out the truth about who Bourne really is and what he was trained to be, the more they start to sympathize with his plight and assist him in minor ways.
For those of you a bit less interested in the human drama at work in THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, don't worry. The action scenes here kick your ass so hard, your grandma's uterus will rumble from the impact. Jason Bourne has always excelled at close-quarters fighting, often with no obvious weaponry at hand (magazine, anyone?). But director Greengrass has outdone himself here with fight scenes shot in such tight spaces, I don't know how he even fit a camera in the room. And keeping with the literary theme of Bourne's weapons, he does give a guy a severe beating with a book. Damon's eyes are always darting around a room or whatever his surrounding are, analyzing each setting and looking for both escape routes and things with which to pummel an opponent.
In addition to the fighting, there are a couple of brilliant motorized chase scenes as well, one involving cars and another using scooters and motorcycles going up and down every surface with an angle. I don't use the phrase "pulse-pounding" ever, but THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM literally had my heart racing with excitement (or possibly from the jumbo container of nachos I was eating). It's rare that I get THIS excited about action films, but this movie is so much more than that; it's the perfect combination of brains and brawn; and if you like your summer fare loud, in your face, and teeming with, well you can stop looking right here.
Capone
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First!
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Note to studios: hire a talented director and your film will be good
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He co-starred in "Domino". Nice review, looking forward to this.
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Don't feel bad. This one looks mighty good.
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you know how many calories are in those things?
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I liked he first 2 films and I'll see this one, too. I think the Bourne films will hold up and be remembered as some of the best spy/action movies of the decade, and probably beyond. Also, I hope the past 2 films give Greengrass he clout he needs to pick his assignments from now on. I like his style.
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Can't wait!
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He was in Domino
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He meant, it was his first GOOD Hollywood film...
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Seeing it tonite. I'm sure it'll be the donkey punch this summer's movies needed.
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That is all...
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Cannot wait to see this!
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I'm seeing this tonight too. I absolutely loved Bourne Supremacy (the music tracks "To The Roof" and "Bim Bam Smash" by John Powell still pulse in my veins). Soooo looking forward to this.
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Fucking awesome. Great review Capone. Seeing it tomorrow with the wife. Weeeeeeeee!
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I don't have a bad word to say about either of the first two Bourne movies. They stunned me. They have such contrasting visual styles, they are immediately distinctive and stand their ground. Very much looking forward to Ultimatum. Keep the good reviews coming, Capone.
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Remember to breathe in and out after getting donkey punched. This has been getting positive reviews all over the place...
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Volkswagen Toureg 2 look???
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mildly dissapointed... like the second one better
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Don't forget the stellar actor they got to play the guy he strangles in Munich (in Supremacy). Excellent actor who usually gets much bigger roles.
I didn't even notice Michelle Monaghan in the 2nd one - i'll have to rewatch it (again). -
All the whiners can now relax -- YOUR SUMMER MOVIE IS HERE!!! I hope it makes a hundred bazillion dollars cause it deserves every penny. Being that rare sort of action movie thats actually intelligent, well acted, crazy tense/suspenseful, and balls out fucking awesome. Bourne pretty makes Bond irrelevant, no matter how much they try and Bourne it up. Lookin' forward to the trilogy boxset!
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Not a remake of the movies, which, cool as they are, are kinda a little too self-conciously philosphical, but a futurstic cyber-thriller kinda thing feating the same kind of action, suspense, and political intrigue we see in Bourne, but with super-technology (like personal cloaking devices, nanomachine implants, being able to hack into peoples brain computers, that sort of thing). Anyone else be into something like that? Or is that too corny?
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You didn't recognize her since she is barely/hardly in it. She is one of Landy's peons. Usually sitting behind a monitor. She's still hot though.
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Fucking awesome. I couldn't use any other curse word to describe it. These movies are incredibly fun and just fucking smart. Damon owns this character. No one else could do it except him. The audience was really into the film also, laughing at all the "badass" moments, how slick Bourne was and just how intense the direction was. I'll definitely be seeing this movie again. haters be damned
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I get 'cha. I just don't want to see a live action GitS. Three films, two series and a series of novels and comics is enough for me. I want more via those mediums, just not live action. However, I believe you will get your wish for a live action flick. It's bound to happen. Greengrass could be cool. Time will tell.
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Loved it. Going again tommorow.
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I thought it was even better than the first two. There were two brief lulls for dialogue to advance the plot, but mostly it was balls to the wall action. Towards the end there's a hand-to-hand fight scene that goes on for like three heart pounding minutes, and by the time it was over MY jaw hurt. Definitely worth my hard-earned $$$. Heck, I may send a check to Matt Damon personally.
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This film really isnt that impressive, yall. The fight in Tangier is good but every other action set piece could have been done better especially the NYC car chase which is over too quickly. If you like alot of close-ups of cars smashing into each other than youll like it. The flashbacks get tedious as well...decent flick but massively overhyped IMHO.
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'Cause I wouldn't want to be raped by Damon. Maybe Afleck http://tinyurl.com/3adc6q
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the stupid shaking camera ruins the good fight scene... why do we need to see it moving around and shit? I just wanna see them fight, which they do very well.. other than that, excellent movie
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Yet it completely ruins the reveal at the end of the film. You might considering indicating as much beforehand.
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Thats where its going next, how much you wanna bet? Its the only way to go with it, really, and there were a whole buncha hits he did before he bailed on the last one and went rogue. I would watch a movie documenting Bourne's early career as a Treadwell / BlackBriar SuperAssassin, excuse me, "Asset."
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Seeing someone with the same latino last name as me onscreen kicks ass. An all too rare occasion.
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Just saw ULTIMATUM a couple of hours ago, and I feel like I want to see it again right away. An excellent entry into the Bourne series. I think that fight scene in Tangiers may be the best fight scene ever.
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holy titties this movie is awesome. really spectacular. except for the mild headache due to incredibly shaky shaky-cam , this is the best time ive had at the movies in a long time. well actually no, this summer has been working out well for me overall, next stop, superbad. but man this movie is amazing, brilliant stuff.
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you heard it here first folks
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I still have a lovefest for the first that can never be taken from me. But this third one is a close second. Not to take anything away from the second movie... but the first and third just rock it a bit more. :)
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and i love it.
i agree, fuck the haters. best trilogy of recent memory in the least. -
Bond's too busy being a metrosexual ladies man to handle Bourne's near superhuman asskicking abilities. Even if Bond could stop contracting STDs long enough to focus on the fight, and even if he took out a wristwatch laserpencil rocketlauncher, Bourne would use a towel to rip it out of his hands and then choke him to death. No contest.
Yeah, Bond is cool, but Bourne is COOL. -
First film of the summer that I have been looking forward to for years.
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