Gritty, dynamic and engrossing

Rating: 7/10 (9 August 2007)

The "Jason Bourne" series of spy movies has been a great showpiece for Matt Damon who coolly cruises through these films like a Tiger Shark waiting for his next victim. He is seemingly always one step ahead of the espionage bureaucrats who seek him and one move faster than the latest "asset" assigned to neutralize him.
It is sickening, but not surprising that federal government employees would devote the taxpayer time, effort and dollars to covering their behinds, but as an employee of the federal government I can assure the viewer that it is not that far off base.
While I doubt a rogue agent would alarm them much, I do know that media exposure of their training and methods would draw much ire from the public and heat from their superiors.
Damon was made for the role because he oozes confidence and competence and brings a graveness to his mission as Jason Bourne.
Perhaps a bit too much hand-held made some of the action scenes a tad bit more confusing for the viewer. This, while trying to heighten realism, actually prevents the viewer from suspending his or her disbelief which is a prerequisite for a movie with a super-spy in it.
In other words, if we, the audience, with the "third person omniscient" viewpoint can barely follow the action, it becomes unbelievable that Bourne, even with his super spy skills and instincts, could possibly predict the actions of his friends and enemies. The crowed train station scene recalled the brilliant mall set-piece in "Minority Report" with Damon in the role of the "pre-cog" who could see the future or at least accurately predict the next move of his nemesis. I thought, "Man, if one of those doors were locked, this scene and this movie would be over by now."