Bests the previous two in every way: a masterclass in action and suspense

Rating: 10/10 (14 November 2014)

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM brings Jason Bourne's story to its inevitable conclusion, and does so in the best way possible. This time around, Paul Greengrass and company outdo everything they did in the previous two entries. Matt Damon and the rest of the cast give outstanding performances, and the attention to story and character this time has been fine-tuned to perfection. In this third entry, Jason Bourne finally comes home to take on the agency and find out once and for all who he is and how he got that way. The cast has been expanded slightly yet again, this time adding David Straithairn as a ruthless CIA chief who runs a black ops unit. Scott Glenn and Albert Finney also have smaller roles as the CIA Director and the doctor who introduced Bourne into the program, respectively. What ensues is a globe-hopping adventure that gives the audience some amazing on-location shooting and enthralling action set-pieces. My personal favorite, and the centerpiece of the movie is an intense chase through the streets and back alleys of Morocco, culminating in one of, if not the best hand-to-hand fights in the series. And this time, despite the chaotic nature of the cinematography, all of it was immensely more comprehensible than in the last entry, even the car chases. I also thought that they did a better job this time of balancing the different story elements and cutting between a variety of locations in a way that always kept the story moving. They also succeeded in bringing things full circle, as well as teasing some new developments which could be used in future sequels (and were, in THE BOURNE LEGACY). While bringing closure to Bourne's story, they didn't end things such a final way, which I thought was great. After all of the great storytelling of these first three, I'm definitely in the mood for more of it. Overall, I think that this is the pinnacle of the Bourne series, which was already very good to begin with. It's the American answer to Bond, as well as being an anti-Bond. It keeps you immersed in a believable world with real characters and human drama, as well as showcasing the best action that Hollywood has to offer. Seeing the previous two is kind of a prerequisite for understanding this one, but once you do, you shouldn't miss this one.