Bond without the baggage

Rating: 5/10 (12 December 2007)

The series of films featuring the character of Jason Bourne can be thought of as a modern-day interpretation of James Bond, but without the baggage: they feature a cool super-agent, and lots of high-tech action scenes, but without the sexiness and silliness that have come to define the movies about the English spy. Indeed, one might even suggest that 'Casino Royale', the most recent Bond film, was at least half a nod in the direction of Bourne. The last two instalments of the Bourne series have been directed by Brit Paul Greengrass, who made his name with drama-documentaries; but here, he proves himself surprisingly adept at the action game. He shows a clear preference for high speed zooms and pounding music, devices to ratchet up the tension that normally I find merely irritating; but in 'The Bounre Ultimatum', there is sufficient action such that this way of highlighting it does not seem excessive, and I watched many of the sequences on the edge of my seat. In some ways, this is a textbook action film, so why the low rating? The answer lies in the way that the film also possesses all the textbook limitations of action movies, namely non-existent characterisation and little plot beyond "lots of people want to kill Bourne, but can't". Of the actors, Matt Damon does his job in the lead role, Julia Stiles is utterly implausible as a secret agent with permanently coiffured hair, Daid Strathearn's villainous C.I.A. agent is potentially more interesting but seems to exist purely to be outsmarted by Bourne at every turn. And the film is very watchable; but there's little here to remember.