Excellent Sequel

Rating: 9/10 (1 June 2009)

The Bourne Supremacy carries on where the brilliant Bourne Identity left off. This film series shows that realistic and intelligence action films can work. The first two Bourne films led to the re-boot of James Bond which I am thankful for.
It had been 2 years since Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) had lost his memory and left the Black Ops division of the CIA, Trendstone. He was living with his girlfriend Marie (Franka Potente) in Goa, India. However, Bourne was suffering from flashbacks of assassination he did. In Berlin, Deputy Director Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) was running an operation to meet a Russian mole who had information about money stolen from the CIA. But this mole was assassinated and Russian agents set out to frame Jason Bourne. At the same time a Russian sniper attempts to assassinate Bourne, but misses and kill Marie. As you imagine Bourne was a little annoyed, but believe it was the CIA who attempted to kill him. At the CIA Landy wants to find Bourne and know why he 'killed' the mole, thinking that it was a conscripacy between Conklin (Chris Cooper) (who died in the last movie) and Bourne. She is forced to work with Ward Abbott (Brain Cox) who was in charge of Trendstone. Landy just wants to question Bourne, Abbott just wants to kill him.
This is a confusing film at times, and needs multiple viewings, but that is a good thing because it makes you think. It has an intelligence plot and shows the willing of some people to use CIA resources for their own personal gain. There are multiple factions, Bourne himself looking for revenge and closure, Landy who was being used, Conklin, one of the main bad guys and the Russians. This film has a strong script. Like the other Bourne films, it shows that he is a top agent, also thinking ahead of time, and how resource he is. It also shows he amazing fighting abilities. That is always fun to see. Unforuanately, the directional duties went from Doug Liman to Paul Greengrass. Greengrass was a successful director on British television and for the most part does a good job with the Bourne Series; but can't handle an action scene because to the quick editing and the shaky-cam which makes you lost in the action. Why can't an fight scene be filmed like a 70s martial arts film where you see all the action? But there is an amazing car chase seen.
There is a top cast. Matt Damon makes Bourne his own and shows the emotional difficulties he has to go through. Brain Cox makes an excellent villain as he always do. Julia Stiles retrives her role as Nicky Parsons and shows she is an actress to watch and Joan Allen a fine addiction to the cast. Other big name and especially actors have small roles in the film, such as Karl Urban, Michelle Monaghan and Tomas Arana.
The Bourne Supremacy is the weakness of the trilogy but still an excellent film. The Bourne Series shows how a trilogy should be made compared to other series like X-Men and Blade.