A brilliant - yet doomed - spy drama

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2004)

The continuation of the new-age adaption of Robert Ludlum's most acclaimed trilogy is one of those rare sequels that strides head and shoulders above its predecessor. Director Paul Greengrass, who takes the reins from Doug Liman, skilfully incorporates into the movie a new dimension of heightened emotion, to supplement the mood of nail-biting suspense established in THE BOURNE IDENTITY. The plot is even more elaborately gripping, the character development is far more in-depth, and the cinematography is nothing short of outstanding. Overall, the film builds on the strengths of its predecessor, manifesting itself as a well-rounded and superbly entertaining movie as well as a beautiful piece of film-making.
Matt Damon returns as Jason Bourne, the amnesiac ex-CIA-assassin who is trying to escape the phantoms of his largely unknown past by hiding out in Goa with his wife, Marie (Franka Potente). The peace is soon shattered when an enigmatic gunman (Karl Urban) tracks him down and murders Marie, prompting Bourne to once again become the feared assassin in order to exact revenge. Meanwhile, CIA officer Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), taking over from the murdered Alexander Conklin (see the first film), discovers a trail that leads her to Bourne, but her dodgy colleague Abbot (Brian Cox) seems to be intentionally barring her way with red tape. Waiting in the wings is a shifty Russian oil tycoon (Karel Roden), who seems to be the employer of Marie's killer. The plot unfolds with perfect precision and logic, and the pace rarely flags.
Although the Bourne saga is far from over in the telling, with Bourne's true identity tantalisingly revealed at the end of this film, we cannot expect a sequel anytime soon - I read somewhere that lead actor Matt Damon announced that he is not interested in filming a third installment (a new actor for Bourne would be impossible to justify in the script). However, this will hopefully encourage fans of the movies to plunge into the superior intricacy and suspense of Ludlum's novels.
CORRECTION: Forget the first sentence of the last paragraph - THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM has been announced! Woo-hoo! 10/10.