The Bourne Series-Part 3: Ultimatum.

Rating: 10/10 (12 August 2016)

Taking a look at the IMDb ratings for the Bourne movies,I was surprised to find that unlike "tradition" with most franchises,that it was not the first,but the third which had the best ratings in the series,which led to me getting ready for the ultimatum on the series.
The plot:
Leaning that newspaper reporter Simon Ross is doing stories about the secret CIA project which turned him into a deadly assassin,Jason Bourne decides to step out of the shadows and arrange a meeting with Ross. Believing Bourne to be Ross's informer,CIA Director Ezra Kramer keeps a close watch on Ross's contacts.Kramer sends his team up,when he gets details on Ross meeting Bourne. Ignoring requests for calm for CIA Deputy Pam Landy,Kramer orders his team to shoot Bourne and Ross at first sight. Seeing Ross fall to the ground dead,Bourne decides that he must now fully uncover the truth behind his secret past.
View on the film:
Following an unlucky path of "struggle" which has become an unofficial tradition of the films,the original screenplay by returning writer Tony Gilroy was rushed to completion so that Gilroy could go and make his directing debut,which led to Matt Damon (who did not speak to Gilroy for years after) to call his script unreadable" and a potential "career-ender" for Gilroy. Picking up the pieces left by Gilroy,the screenplay Scott Z. Burns/ George Nolfi and Gilroy impressively overcomes the production problems to deliver a fitting coda to the trilogy. Sending Bourne back on the run,the writers build a firm coalition between the action crunch of the second and the tense espionage of the first.
Cleverly linking the films together with an unannounced flashback,the writers peel Bourne's past open with splinted flashbacks which fuel Bourne's heightened espionage wits to counter the scrutiny that the CIA are putting him under. Smashing through windows to the action set-pieces,the writers show a remarkable skill in pace,where every small encounter with a spy or assassin progresses to a rough hand to hand combat scene or an edge of the seat chase.Whilst the action is allowed to dazzle,the writers keep everything strongly rooted to the mission,as each turn Bourne takes to uncover his past presses the CIA to take extreme measures.
For what was his final in the series for 9 years,director Paul Greengrass lands the action scenes with a mighty thump,setting off bone crunching fight scenes where Greengrass keeps a good distance so that the viewer can cleanly see each knock out move,to Greengrass and cinematographer Oliver Wood firing up the vehicle chase scenes with gliding tracking shots and razor sharp edits capturing Bourne's ultimate chaos. Returning to the brittle anxiety of Identity,Greengrass and Wood brilliantly use space to web an atmosphere of mistrust,with eye-catching (shot on location) espionage chases in London & Tangiers being filled with a mood of intense doubt from every sway the camera takes to spot a spy/assassin waiting on the side-lines.
Taking over from Tomas Arana, Scott Glenn gives his take on Ezra Kramer a great tobacco chewing ruggedness,whilst returning "Bourne Girls" (!) Julia Stiles and Joan Allen give the title a touch of refined elegance as Nicky Parsons and Pam Landy.Trying to protect Paddy Considine's wet behind the ears reporter Simon Ross as future 007 crossover Albert Finney's Dr. Albert Hirsch grows in the background,Matt Damon gives an excellent performance as Bourne,thanks to Damon keeping the drive for Bourne's past to be uncovered at the center of all the action and spying thrills,as Bourne looks on his legacy.