In the first movie Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) was confused about his identity; in the second he sought revenge, but now in The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal) he gets answers.
Returning to the directing helm, Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy) outdoes himself orchestrating a kind of sustained action that is eye-popping almost to the point of exhaustion. Every element is pushed to the limit: speeding-bullet editing, a pulsating music score, jittery camerawork and shards of bleached-out flashbacks all sweep viewers instantly into Bourne's quest for his true name and why he became such a deadly CIA killing machine.
Heading the CIA's new Blackbriar program to terminate Bourne is Noah Vosen (a steely David Strathairn), who has incredibly sophisticated equipment tracking Bourne's every globe-trotting move, and a cadre of sniper assassins on call to take him out.
When a British journalist (Paddy Considine) prints an article about Bourne, it's clear that the reporter has a source who could provide Bourne with answers. But first he must extricate himself and the journalist from killers in London's Waterloo Station. One of multiple hair-raising chase scenes on jam-packed streets in stolen cars ensues.
Vosen must protect his agency's murderous Blackbriar project from any oversight and the key to this is quickly exterminating Bourne. Opposing this goal is agent Pam Landy (Joan Allen), who has come to grudgingly respect Bourne's skill and tenacity.
Meanwhile, Bourne follows a lead to Madrid, taking out a few snipers before the reappearance of CIA operative Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), who suddenly decides to help Bourne, implying they once were close — which, of course, Bourne can't remember.
Were it not for Damon's mature acting chops, which convey how much his character wants to leave all the killing behind but is forced to resort to violence to defend himself and get to the truth, the violence would be mindlessly exploitative. Damon doesn't have the luxury of much dialogue to explain his character's transformation, but his expressiveness makes his remorse clear.
In one poignant, up-close confrontation with a trained killer like himself, Bourne asks the assassin, "What have we become?"
With so much nonstop action, it's a credit to scripters Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi (writing from Robert Ludlum's novel) that characterization exists at all.
Damon's performance has improved with each of the three movies and is likely to be his most well-known role. Although he has said Ultimatum is his last Bourne outing, only time and money will tell. For now, The Bourne Ultimatum is a very satisfying espionage thriller.
The film contains much intense and fierce violence and intermittent profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
