Unbelievably, it's as good as the last one

Rating: 10/10 (12 December 2015)

The Bourne films reach a devastating climax with this, the final film in the trilogy and also the best alongside SUPREMACY. Directed by Paul Greengrass, fast becoming a favourite with the likes of UNITED 93, as an action film this is as immediate and pulse-pounding as you could wish for. The director brings his trademark shaky-cam to the proceedings, not just in the various action sequences but all the way through the film, and it gives the viewer a kind of gritty realism previously unseen in cinema.
Of course, there's more to enjoy here than just the camera-work; on top of that, we get plenty of fantastic locations around the globe (ranging from London to Tangier, Italy to New York), some top-notch acting work from the cast members – Julia Stiles shines here after appearing somewhat lacklustre in the last two films; Joan Allen is terrific and David Strathairn makes for a superior bad guy. And it's so refreshing to see a film with an intelligent plot for a change – another reason why THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM is a far cry from people's usual ideas of what a 'Hollywood blockbuster' is.
As an action thriller, you'd hope for plenty of shooting, fights and chases, and they're here in abundance. The two highlights are the sweaty-palmed chase through the crowded streets (and rooftops) of Tangier, as Bourne faces off against an Arabic assassin in a battle to the death, and the sniper-at-Waterloo sequence which makes for riveting viewing. In between we get our hero battling enemies using his martial arts skills, bombs going off, a car chase and crash (it doesn't top the one at the end of THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, but then what could?) and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout. Cinema really doesn't get any better than this – what a terrific climax to what has become a brilliant series of films!