Where we are frenetically borne along with Jason once again

Rating: 7/10 (29 December 2007)

There's two thing's going for this latest chapter in the Bourne saga: it has one of best fight scenes ever filmed, between Bourne (Matt Damon) and Desh Boukansi (Joey Ansah) within the confined spaces of a cramped apartment in Tangiers. As a martial artist myself, I know just how easy it is to get hurt, even when playing around  so, the time taking to choreograph that whole sequence must have been meticulous and lengthy. It's worth seeing this film for that alone.
The other thing in its favour is the spectacular chase sequence in New York City with Bourne in a stolen NYPD cruiser being hunted down by a succession of CIA agents all intent on the shoot-to-kill order from the Top Bad Guy Noah Vosen (David Strathairn). Just how much damage can a cruiser take? Be amazed and awed as you watch  particularly a very clever action shot as mangled cars zoom completely over cameras (which must have been two fixed and remotely operated units) positioned directly in the line of crash. And, prior to that sequence, we see Bourne take a flying leap backwards, in a car, from the top of a car park, to land onto... Ah, ha  you thought I was going to say 'water' or 'balloons', or such like. See the movie...
And then wonder just how a superhuman like Bourne can survive so many potentially fatal situations. This guy is totally, I mean, totally unbreakable. Oooops, sorry, that's been done already by Bruce Willis in Unbreakable (2000).
Well, then, try to understand how a guy can be fluent in so many languages, apparently so quickly: Russian, German, French, Spanish, Italian and who knows what else, while still trying to find out who he is. I guess he's been around a lot...
Which must be true, because he seems to know every little alley, street corner kiosk, parking lot, train station layout, and a plethora of other aspects about just about every major city in the northern hemisphere. And, that in turn means this Bourne guy must be loaded with an inexhaustible supply of money and/or credit cards to which he has constant access...from where and from whom?
And, he never sleeps. Even when traveling...
The thing that stops this movie from descending into comic book chaos is the presence of director Greengrass and the quality of the production. It's very well made, as a film; the editing is sharp, quick (almost too quick sometimes) but ferociously exciting. So much so, while the fight scenes are very good, I'm sure there's cranked up speed to parts that are done at a more leisurely pace.
The story is merely a continuation of Bourne's need to uncover his past. Which he does, by the time the credits start to roll  leaving open, of course, another sequel.
I just all hope it's not called Bourne Again. Recommended.