Needs a serious pruning

Rating: 6/10 (15 July 2006)

The plot of this movie is intriguing. It keeps you constantly thinking. Even at the end, much remains mysterious about who did what why, and even who many of the characters were.
If the movie has a message, it is about collateral damage. CIA types completely lose track of the fact they are destroying innocent people's lives. It becomes too much a game for them.
I found one fight scene in the movie extremely tedious after an intriguing start with verbal dueling. To my surprise, even fast forwarding, it went on forever. Similarly, for an interminable boring car chase through the streets of Moscow.
The movie would greatly benefit from pruning back, or re-filming the fights and chase sequences. They are without imagination and go on far too long.
The only fight scene that really worked was the first one in the movie, over in a few seconds between Bourne and the obnoxious young CIA agent. It took your breath away with its precision. The rest of action was a letdown after that.