Very good. I wasn't as impressed as most people but I still liked it

Rating: 7/10 (9 August 2007)

I thoroughly enjoyed the third installment of the Bourne films. Most people I know who have seen it are praising it as one of the best action flicks of the summer and they are correct. This puts most other action films in the past few years to shame. It's a great action film that is very well thought out. It's enjoyable to watch, very entertaining, and completes a story most of us have been following the past 5 years. Beside that I didn't find anything that special about the Bourne Ultimatum beside that is was a way better action flick then what usually comes out nowadays and it was a bit smarter then most.
The film completes the Jason Bourne saga. Yet again Jason Bourne, who continues to suffer from a case of amnesia, travels across Europe and the United States, trying to evade CIA agents who want him dead, in a quest to discover who he is and what his past is. Along the way he is helped by a former colleague, Nicky Parsons, and gains a very unexpected ally. The Bourne Ultimatum jumps around like both other films taking us to various locations throughout the course of the film.
Yet again the Bourne films do not disappoint. Ultimatum has the same great action sequences that its two predecessors had. No one will be disappointed by the flash it brings to the screen. The story is again very good though I won't say it is as good as The Bourne Identity in terms of script. A few things didn't work for me plot wise but most weren't too major of problems. The cinematography is done wonderfully, the dialog is well written, and the interaction between actors is very good.
Matt Damon, yet again, gives a great performance as the amnesiac Jason Bourne. He brings out all of Bourne's traits: very very smart, strong, good fighter, and above all, without a clue on his past. What I was glad didn't happen is at the end when Bourne learns about his past Damon didn't have his character break down crying or anything. I don't know if this was Greengrass's choice or Damon's but thank God that he didn't start crying. One thing about Bourne that makes him so interesting is his lack of emotion toward almost everything.
A few problems I had with the film. First off, someone has got to show Greengrass how to work a tripod. The film is WAY to shaky at unnecessary points. I can understand during a chase or fight sequence but when a character is meeting another in a café and the camera is swinging wildly it was too much. I know the director is trying to make us feel as if we are there but it was totally unnecessary to have the camera moving so much. Second, lack of buildup. There is practically no build up to the end. Something happens then it is over. The movie is well paced then at the end everything seems to get rushed as all lose ends are tied up. I was a bit disappointed with that.
Everyone should go see The Bourne Ultimatum if they want to see it. One may use the excuse that not seeing the previous two films may make things almost impossible to understand in the third installment. My brother had not seen the middle film and still understood everything that was going on. It is very easy to follow though I do suggest you watch the first. Pretty much an amnesiac being chased by the CIA for reasons unknown as he tries to discover his identity. It has some great action scenes, a great story, and some great characters (with great acting behind them). Highly recommended.
3.5/5 stars