Greengrass shakes THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

by: bamf 1 year, 2 months, 1 week, 7 hours, 20 minutes ago

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Bamf here rematerializing from the void..

After the collapse of a bridge in Minnesota, America has been put on high alert when it comes to its infrastructure.  Audits of this countries bridges and dams have become talking points for their deficiency.  But this will all come to past as our collective memory and attention falls short, and another news cycle is on the horizon.  That is an admittedly cynical view of us (or the U.S.), and that is an omni present theme apparent in The Bourne Ultimatum.  Where United 93 was an exploration of the question “what do we do now?"—Greengrass answers with “this is how we could F it all up."

Paul Greengrass continues his documentarian style in his completion of the Bourne saga with hand held cameras in spades.  It feels like the shaky cam was a bit overused at times, and could be a distraction from the performances, specifically towards Bourne’s answer scenes that would bring him closer to his final ultimatum.  I am on the fence on this one.  Before screening this, I began a discussion with a co-worker about what I was to see later that night.  Not once did the discussion turn to Matt Damon, Julia Stiles or Joan Allen.  I gushed on about Greengrass and his visceral style.  I even commented on how I dread the moment Greengrass does a torture scene—and my fears were paid in TBU; he makes the spine twist in agony.  But the director’s style will pull you out of the experience in moments when it shouldn’t, and once the vale is lifted, you have to take a second to retask and bring yourself back into the moment.  Greengrass married the shaky with the calm compassionately in United 93—in TBU, not so much.

Now when it comes to the dealing with action in the chase, there is a bounty of brilliance to be found.  Bourne’s first escort mission will give any gamer goosbumps of delight.  The direction of the narrative in frames makes a large open area full of denizens seem as claustrophobic as a Moroccan apartment.  There is not much flash when it comes to Bourne’s fighting scenes, more utilitarian then anything else.  The set up at the start showing the hero limping about gives a sense of exposure for the rest of the film, so that every fight weighs that much heavier in your mind.  You just do not want to see Bourne fail.  But what is his final ultimatum?

As the last film in the trilogy, it is surprising at how aggressive the marketing for this film was.  It would seem that the audience is already built in for the story.  And as it has performed well, certainly showing momentum in opening box office receipts during the previous two, I wonder how many were put off from seeing this the first weekend from the sheer ad nauseum.  My best guess is such a campaign is to attract the 13 year olds who were only 8 when the first film came about considering the rating given to it.  And there is a certain amount of catch-up played out during the story, as Jason B is asked far too many times if he really, no really, doesn’t remember anything.

This film is certainly as cynical as the times it was made in.  Consider how Rambo was a huge success because of its poignant timing.  A nation beaten by the Vietnam War and still licking its wounds, and now facing an enemy in the cold war where no public shots were being fired.  The American consciousness was not so accepting of the standard wartime film.  But enter Rambo, a one man army who would fight against all the injustice brought on to vets of his day.  Bourne is not so different, used by the government to do private work under the guise of keeping the country safe.  And as the corruption exposed goes higher up, his vendetta is not for blood, but exposure.  The viewer may not be so dubious to except that this sort of business is going on when places like Guantanomo Bay exist. 

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