Minute44 - Dan Schonhaar

Three years on and the CIA’s most difficult target ever, Jason Bourne is still on the run. This time, he brings the fight to ther doorstep. Well, he did tell you to leave him alone.

As well as stars Matt Damon and Julia Stiles, director Paul Greengrass returns to finish the trilogy that restored faith in the spy genre. This time, while still on the run, Bourne hears of a leak from the CIA to British newspaper the Guardian regarding Treadstone (The black-ops assassination unit that Bourne was formerly a part of) but when he meets with the Journalist reporting the leak, it becomes clear that Treadstone was only the tip of the Iceberg. With unexpected help from former Treadstone logistics agent Nicky Parsons (Stiles) Bourne must get to the bottom of the conspiracy that made him and many others the killing machines they are.

One thing that I’ve always loved about these films is that they are true adult’s spy stories. None of this fake, make a witty remark after dispatching an enemy crap that the likes of Ethan Hunt and [insert cliche action hero] tend to do. Nor does Bourne dodge every bullet and punch. He’s not super-human This is gritty, realistic and honest. You really get a sense that the CIA could easily be behind something such as this.

It’s not just the script that gives this realism though. Moscow is shot in Moscow, Berlin is shot in Berlin and Madrid is shot in Madrid. Not everyone speaks English, not that Language barriers have ever been a problem for Jason Bourne as we have seen him speak fluent French, Spanish, Russian and German throughout the course of the trilogy. Use of real-life companies and technologies don’t only help fund the film through product placement, they also give you an extra level of realism. You see Bourne buy a phone form the Carphone Warehouse, he meets with a reporter from the Guardian, and at one point you see the CIA using what appears to be Windows.. or something very much dressed up as Windows. The cars he uses are typical of cars used in that country and in Morocco he rides a Vespa.

So yeah, we’ve established the film is realistic. But is it actually good? Does it Live up to the first two movies? In a word, yes.

Matt Damon as Jason Bourne was an unlikely choice but I seriously cannot imagine another actor playing the role as well as he does. He’s prefect for it and even in this third outing, he does not Disappoint. Supporting roles were good as well. I was surprised to see one of my favourite actors, Scott Glenn in the role of CIA Director Ezra Kramer and Joan Allen returns as scaresly informed but never naieve CIA agent Pamela Landy. Although Glenn doesn’t have much of a role in the film, the actor’s very palpable presence (without giving too much away) ensures that the Chracter’s place in the whole Bourne conspiracy is felt. I think what really gives this film it’s success is the consistency that is present thourghout the trilogy. Same stars, same Director and production team and no glaring plot holes between the films. This is a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and I can see many a DVD box set flying off the shelf come Christmas.

I am seriously hard pushed to say I enjoyed this film any more or any less than the first two installments. They are just so consistent and so well made that I can’t help but love them.

Verdict: