Great Spy Flick Gets a Solid Encore in Supremacy

Rating: 8/10 (24 September 2008)

Better direction highlights THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, an all too rare case of a sequel actually outdoing a fine original. Jason Bourne is on the run again--and, just as in the original, the pursuers are assassins, the CIA, and his own past. It seems that settling down for the quiet life just isn't in the cards for our put-upon hero; indeed, as so much of the last movie built towards him finding peace with his new girlfriend, it's more than a little jarring to watch her get wasted mere minutes after the opening credits. Oh, well. It's the LETHAL WEAPON 2 syndrome all over again--you can't have a pesky relationship get in the way of all the intrigue, betrayals, butt-whuppin', and car chasin' that has to be squeezed into a two hour action flick. It could have been different. Bourne could have quietly disappeared, you see, if it weren't for those downright inconvenient CIA bigwigs framing him for knocking off government field agents. And, of course, it's not even that simple. Things get very complicated and clever in this second installment of the Bourne trilogy, and the disciplined hand of Paul Greengrass is an upgrade in the direction of the tale. I could tell you more, but then I'd have to ... oh, you get the idea ... (This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire novel "Teeth: A Horror Fantasy.")