Magnificent

Rating: 10/10 (31 January 2005)

I've re-watched this film on DVD after seeing at the cinema a few months ago, and I think it's even better after repeated viewing. The plot is fairly straightforward and coherent, and refreshingly free of the grandiose pretensions of the recent Bond films and the like, it's just one guy trying to figure out why his old bosses are after him (turns out the explanation is quite simple). Granted that the one guy has Jason Bourne's training, intelligence and resourcefulness, everything in the film is believable within the parameters it sets up.The acting is way better than the usual action/ spy fare, especially from Matt Damon himself, who is compelling throughout, even with limited dialogue. The pacing is perfect, and the action scenes bone-crunchingly vivid; the hand-held camera-work contributes to the sense of being in the middle of these scenes. The "jerkiness" and fast edits have come in for plenty of criticism, but the camera-work just requires a little more concentration from the viewer than most films,where all the action takes place within a steady frame for the viewer, making you feel like an observer rather than a participant. Once you get used to it, the fight scenes and car chases are not confusing at all- you can in fact make out exactly what's going on, and the final car chase in particular is more thrilling than anything I've seen in a while. The score by John Powell also adds a great deal to the film. It's just the best film in this genre for years, and it has a beautifully poised ending to take us into the next instalment.