Superior spy thriller and a great close to an excellent trilogy

Rating: 9/10 (16 August 2007)

The Bourne trilogy is certain to be considered one of the best ever, especially when compared with the uneven Pirates, Matrix and Spiderman outings. In terms of consistency, Bourne has come up with the goods for all three films, with Ultimatum being a fitting, breathless and stylish conclusion.
Unlike the previous two films however, Ultimatum plunges headlong into the action before the title card even appears. Picking up from where the last film, Supremacy, left off, we follow Bourne as his escapes Moscow and continues to pursue his past. As more detailed flashbacks start to emerge, Bourne gets closer than ever to finding out his origins as an assassin. His first stop is a British reporter who has been getting leaked information on Bourne and various black ops.
The pace of the film is relentless and aside from a scene where Bourne visits his dead girlfriend's brother, there is barely a moment to catch a breath. This is because, once again, the CIA are determined to find Bourne and terminate him at all costs. This time, his journey takes him across four continents with a whole bunch of hit men after him. The action sequences are, once again, fantastic and include a number of brutal punch-ups and a couple of awesome chase sequences.
The story itself is very satisfying, with revelatory moments packing the punch they need. This is helped largely by the late appearance of Albert Finney as Bourne's "creator". Matt Damon fits back into the role like a pair of old slippers and there's not one weak link in the chain, with regards to the other actors and the script.
In fact, Ultimatum plays like a greatest hits of the first two Bourne films - not just in terms of action. The score brings together all the music from Identity and Supremacy, while key scenes and lines are recreated. Incidentally, there's also a brilliant moment where the last scene from Supremacy is used (the conversation between Landy and Bourne), which shows that this is a trilogy that rewards those paying attention as well as those in search of a slam-bang chase thriller.