Great Action But Less Satisfying Than Supremacy

Rating: 8/10 (21 January 2019)

3 August 2007. Warning: Spoilers. The beginning of the third installment of Jason Bourne begins more chaotically, more like television's "Alias's" opening scenes. There isn't much plot development or understanding regarding what is happening with Bourne that at this point seems an important piece of information. There are also several weak plot scenarios, including how manipulative The Guardian reporter's way of getting killed, Bourne's lame set up of Landy's meeting place, and weak and somewhat confusing re-introduction of the CIA asset chasing after Bourne in a car later in the movie, and the very ending scene that leaves the movie conclusion without any doubts about Jason Bourne. There are however some great action scenes and one of the most riveting close hand to hand combat scenes to date. Bourne and Parson's role in the movie together is rather unique in espionage films and the ultimate Bourne revelation about who he his is rather telling and powerful. Overall, the movie with its action packed thrills, strong plot background, and techno-gadgetry, still loses its punch with its flaws. Seven Out of Ten Stars.
Edited addition: After reviewing this movie twice more, the chaos of the beginning sequence becomes more intelligible whe one becomes aware of this scene as a continuing sequence from the ending of the Bourne Supremacy (a nice tie-in actually). The Guardian's reporter killing no longer seems manipulative but a nice bit of intelligence work on the part of the CIA and the interplay between a civilian and Bourne and the reality of the situation is much more understandable now. Bourne's setting up Landy's meeting again seems much more in line with the rest of the movie and instead of being lame, just another of Bourne/Landy's cat and mouse play with a new player, Vosen in play. A few weak pointss do remain in this movie - the way Jason Bourne gets a police car out of the parking garage since most parking garages have spikes to prevent a car from exiting an entrance way, how Bourne manages to drive a car off backwards off a parking terrace since the wall was vertical and there wasn't anything obvious to actually lift the car up into the air the way Jason was able to get a scooter up over a wall embankment earlier in the movie. Finally, the most unnecessary, last film sequence of Bourne was truly a waste and not intregal to the movie's approach and style - it was too obvious and amateur. The way Bourne killed the first asset by choking was unusually creative and the ending sequences oof the movie avoiding a lot of action was a much more sophisticated way to end. Bourne and Parson's relationship is again one of the most delicately portrayed of any in espionage history. Eight out of Ten Stars. [12/30/07].