The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
They should have left him alone.
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Gabriel Mann, Joan Allen, Marton Csokas, Tom Gallop, John Bedford Lloyd, Ethan Sandler, Michelle Monaghan, Karel Roden, Tomas Arana, Oksana Akinshina
Director: Paul Greengrass
Running Time: 108 minutes
US MPAA rating: PG-13UK BBFC rating: 12a
Action, Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Just as Arnold Schwarzenegger found the part of a mindless cyborg best suited to his peculiar talents, so Matt Damon is perfectly cast playing Jason Bourne once again in the second film based (very loosely) on Robert Ludlum's trilogy of novels. It is easy to criticise Damon for being a colourless, characterless actor, but only because he makes it easy - and so who better to portray a man who has lost his identity? Amnesia was central to the plotting of the first film, 'The Bourne Identity', and sure enough, while it raced along at a cracking pace, its events proved instantly forgettable, so you can only sympathise with Bourne in this sequel as you and he together struggle to remember his past. Thankfully the screenplay (again by Tony Gilroy) provides enough backstory to remind you of what was significant in the original.
Bourne, a former assassin for a now disbanded group within the CIA known as Treadstone, now lives on the run with Marie (Franka Potente), but is drawn back into the operative's world of cross and double-cross after being attacked by a no-nonsense assassin (Karl Urban) and framed for the murder of two men who were under the surveillance of the CIA in Berlin. Playing cat-and-mouse with agents from both the pre- and post-Glasnost era, Bourne races to work out what connects him to a long-dead Russian reformist politician named Neski. As he crosses paths with sly old Treadstone colleague Ward Abbott (the always impeccable Brian Cox) and the younger Agent Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), Bourne must decide whether his nightmare past should be avenged or expiated.
As the co-writer of Peter Wright's 'Spycatcher', director Paul Greengrass ('Bloody Sunday') knows a thing or two about the treacherous world of espionage, and 'The Bourne Supremacy' has a satisfyingly labyrinthine plot involving stolen CIA money, Russian entrepreneurs, agency moles and the use of deathsquads for corrupt ends, along with some subtle commentary on the way that the intelligence community, not to mention Cold War novels like Ludlum's, had to be redefined if they were not to disappear entirely once the Iron Curtain fell. Tying it all together is Bourne, and when he's not staring into double mirrors, furiously washing blood from his hands, shouting 'who was I?' to anyone who will listen, and doing all that other stuff which cinematic amnesiacs seem to love so much, his journey from revenge to atonement takes us through some down-and-dirty set-pieces, including a punishing car chase through (and under) Moscow's streets that had viewers at the screening I attended cheering with the sort of glee that only major demolition can bring.
Some viewers may be uncomfortable with the self-serving act of confession with which 'The Bourne Supremacy' ends, reminiscent of a similar, and similarly uncomfortable, scene in 'Born on the Fourth of July', but of course America's secret services are currently having to face their own Vietnam, as their past incompetence, petty rivalries and lack of accountability have come back to haunt them. On balance 'The Bourne Supremacy' is an engaging thriller (if less engaging as a character drama), and, at least in comparison to its predecessor, it reigns supreme.
It's Got: Gritty (if not exactly realistic) action sequences; spy vs. spy paranoia; a nation-hopping plot that shifts rapidly from Goa to Berlin to Langley to Naples to London to Amsterdam to Berlin (again) to Moscow and, in a coda, to New York; the bold erasure of a major character in the first fifteen minutes; and finally, the revelation of Jason Bourne's real name (it's David Webb, if anybody cares).
It Needs: For a central character more interesting than 'killing machine' Bourne to complement all the interesting stuff going on at the film's periphery.
Alternatives: The Bourne Identity, 'Born on the Fourth of July', 'The Long Kiss Goodnight'
Summary: With its emphasis on atoning for the sins of the past, this amnesiac spy thriller may as well have been called 'Bourne on the Fourth of July'
Review Date: 3rd August 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
The Bourne Supremacy at the IMDB
Comments20 Comments |
| The film was a real disappointment to me. I was so looking forward to a sequel that was good, but the film was too jumpy to enjoy. If I were Oliver Wood, I wouldn't put my name to this. |
| Comment by:- Glade Jarman | | 25 July 2004 | ip: logged |
| I saw The Bourne Supremacy yesterday, and I was extreemly impressed! The acting was increadible, and it was not only exciting and suspenceful, but it has a few shocking surprises! I would DEFINETLY recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys action, suspence, and also a little bit of romance! I would rate this movie an A! It was another Matt Damon hit... |
| Comment by:- Nicole | | 15 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| The Bourne Supremacy ROCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 15 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| go see the bourne supremacy... matt damon's hot |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 15 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| I thought i was going to watch 'The Bourne Supremacy', but I actually ended up watchin 'The Porn Supremacy'. That **** was hot! |
| Comment by:- Name | | 17 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| AGREE with Glade - action scenes's handheld camera shooting is soooo crap.. made me dizzy.. blurring and spoiling the flow of the story. well there was a good story at least. |
| Comment by:- russell wong | | 18 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| Fantastic film, which has kept all of the suspense and action of the first film! Directing is great, the realistic car chases (you hit a car and it dents...not like other films where you hit a car, it flips over several times and then explodes!) and fight sequences are excellent. Nice touch with the same titles and Moby's Extreme Ways as the first film playing at the end of the film. Brilliant! |
| Comment by:- Jay | | 18 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| I particularly like the shots in Goa. The beautiful untouched beaches contrased with the high-rise buildings of Berlin, London and New York. The only problem was that the hand-held camera moved so much I missed some details in the movie ..something like..whatwasthat again?!! Should I see it again to get the missing parts? Its a good idea to get people to see the movie more than once Overall good action movie and round the world travel! |
| Comment by:- Jen | | 21 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| a very nice movie to watch on.based on quite similar plot as of bourne identity. matt damon is hot and damn impressive in the movie action scenes are awesome one that of putting an agent down and getting data in 4 sec just too good... . |
| Comment by:- shan | | 28 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| Wow... One the worst movies of all time. And it could have been so good. I left with a headache becasue there was no more than a handful of scenes that I could actually focus my eyes on. What's with the incessantly shaking camera? Who forgot to turn image stabilising on? This technique for action is valid, but not for all 109 minutes! Don't waste your money. |
| Comment by:- Disappointed | | 05 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| Yesterdy i watched tht moive at Ozone 3D Plus Cenima and tht is now going on Top of flims just Says WOWOWOW and WOOOOOOOOOOOO Guys check out tht super dooper movie or the year 2004........ |
| Comment by:- Amir Shafique | | 12 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| Awesome movie! I think it was a proper sequel to the first one, and I hope there 'll be a 3rd too... |
| Comment by:- dop | | 18 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| I am sorry but poster number 2. Nicole cannot spell! How can I take her review seriously? |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 23 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| IS this a pornsite? hehehehe just kidding i loved this movie, other than the fact about moving camera, this movie was great and i want u to watch this movie cause it's hot as ice hehehe |
| Comment by:- Aj | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| hey, is there any girl here that would suck on my dick? i will lick there pussie for an hour if they would lick my dick. This speciall gilr would ride my dick for the whole noght and i will lick your chichis and you can stick anything up your ass infront of me. |
| Comment by:- bj | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| i will lick you all over girl |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| The BI is totally humourless but then it is supposed to be I think. The action sequencies are slick and the story as good as Mission Impossible One. The leading lady though is a dog. Julia Stiles would have been better. High Point: The mini car chase, the fight in the Paris safe house. Low Point: The beginning and end were confusing. (The DVD outtakes should not have been out-taken) |
| Comment by:- Boanerges | | 01 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Matt Damon.. |
| Comment by:- Matt Damon | | 15 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Yes Bourne is like Porn. All the crack addicts will think this is a great movie..... Take another look, yes i know this might be painful to some but educational. This movie could have been great! Even with Matt D. Just elimate Juila Styles for starters. |
| Comment by:- New York Times | | 17 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Poor movie. Choppy both in filming technique and pacing. The plot seems a sort of rehash of the Bourne Identity and bears absolutely NO resemblance to the book. This film can't decide if it is a spy thriller or action movie and so does both poorly. And finally, what is with the Matt Damon obsession on this board? He is not particularly attractive in my opinion. He kind of looks like a skinny neanderthal, squarish and primitive. - feydras |
| Comment by:- feydras | | 08 June 2005 | ip: logged |
