Far worse than Identity

Rating: 5/10 (6 February 2005)

This movie is nothing special. In fact it is rather bad, and I have little enthusiasm in writing much, except to say that I agree with others comments about the camera work being too shaky. Many scenes are ruined by this camera technique.
An epileptic camera isn't original by any means. NYPD Blue anyone? In other words, yesterday's cheap TV effect... not cool. The same cinematographer worked on Identity under a better Director and did a fine job. He was obviously told by the Director of Supremacy to use this awful shaky camera effect.
That scene where the house blows up and the men get thrown back - they cut 3 times during the explosion and the result was they lost the energy of a perfectly good explosion. Dreadful. The close up shot of this explosion on the DVD extra features was better than the one used in the final cut! Back to film school Mr. editor. There are many other poor editing/camera moments.
The film falls down in other ways though. The acting is stale, the story is weaker than the first. Even the car chase scene through Moscow - heralded as some kind of great car chase feat - is not only ruined by the overly-confusing camera work (you can't see what's going on), but ends with a disappointing anti-climax.
The "crash-cam" effect from within Bourne's car is very cool.... but this is an isolated moment of coolness.