Not bad at all

Rating: 8/10 (1 November 2004)

I always hesitate to praise movies from the spy thriller/action movie category like this one, mostly because they're all about adrenalin release rather than plot or character development, but saying that, The Bourne Supremacy isn't bad at all.
A fast pace is set at the very beginning, and the pace never slows down, the plot always stays taut, and there are no noticeable lengths of any kind. I still like Matt Damon in the role -- don't ask me why, but I still think he has the perfect face for the role, a cross between a hint of childlike innocence and dark determination, something he also had in The Talented Mr Ripley. He meets a perfect match in Joan Allen, who shows similar determination.
The hand-held camera work has been criticized, but I never found it annoying or distracting, it always seemed to be just right.
And yes, there are plot holes, plenty of them -- the indestructibility of Jason Bourne being the major one, but there's also a totally unnecessary murder that's not only unmotivated and out of character, but also seems to serve no particular purpose other than allowing the killer to die later on.
But all of that doesn't make this a bad movie; in fact if there's a future for the spy thriller formula, I figure it's in movie like this rather than in the James Bond franchise, which has clearly been worn out to the limits.
MINOR SPOILER: if you intend to watch this for Franka Potente, don't. She doesn't have as much screen time as you'd expect from an actor whose name appears second in the credits.
If you watch this because you want a fast-paced action movie, go for it. There are no surprises, no plot twists, but you'll get 90 minutes of solid action that are worth the ticket price. 8/10, easily.