Review: The Bourne Ultimatum - Directed by Paul Greengrass
Rated PG-13 for violence and some strong language

I fell for it. I tried my best, but they got me on this one. You see, I generally try to avoid reading reviews for new films before I go to see them myself. Not only do I find that my reviews end up sounding like just about everybody else's when I do, but, as was the case with The Bourne Ultimatum, certain reviews have a way of hyping movies up to astronomical levels.

So let's see then, what did I hear about this one...Well, one person said it was the best of the Bourne trilogy. That didn't seem too bad. Several different people claimed it was the most enjoyable movie of the summer. Considering the only real competition is The Simpsons Movie, I could believe it. But what really upset me was all this talk that Ultimatum was not only the best spy movie of all time, but also a candidate for one of the best movies ever. When talk like that starts floating around, the movie is pretty much ruined.

In The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) continues to search for his identity while fighting off every grizzled hit-man the CIA can throw at him. Eventually, his quest leads him to New York, home to the secret training facility that made Bourne the efficient killer he is.

I really wish I didn't read those reviews. Ultimatum is definitely a very good film, only I was waiting the whole time for it to become epically good; hoping that some last minute plot twist would blow my mind and turn it into a classic. That moment never came.

Still, with this third (and potentially final) addition to the series, the Bourne movies have achieved a rarity in the movie industry--that is to say it's one of the few universally liked trilogies. Along with The Lord of the Rings and, to a lesser extent, Back to the Future, the Bourne Trilogy really doesn't have a weak link.

To put it another way, if you liked the first two, you're pretty much guaranteed to enjoy this one. Director Paul Greengrass' trademark 'shaky cam' film style, love it or hate it, remains intact and as dizzying as ever. I feel it worked well in some shots--mainly a brutal hand-to-hand combat scene in a small bathroom--but other times I was wishing for more stability.

The high point of the movie for me was showing us the behind the scenes workings of the top-secret CIA command room in charge of finding Bourne. The speed at which the agents can pull up satellite or CCTV feeds from all over the globe and tap cellphone calls with ease makes for interesting cinema for this technophile. I'm not sure how much of it is real-world accurate, but it's thrilling nonetheless. It's also interesting to note that the film is told not so much through the eyes of its lead protagonist, but rather through those trying to catch him. And it's sad to say that they're usually five or six steps behind Bourne.

Ultimately, although not living up to the hype, The Bourne Ultimatum is as good a conclusion to the Bourne story as could have been hoped for. For those still planning on seeing it, let me set you straight. This is not the best of the three. It's not the best movie of the year. It will not pay your taxes. But, do know that few spy thrillers can match its driving pace and frenetic intensity.

Rating: 4/5