Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Time Out rating

Average user rating

86 reviews

Synopsis

In the latest instalment of the espionage series, Jason Bourne hunts down his past in order to find out what the future holds. He travels through Moscow, Paris, London, Madrid, Tangiers and New York as he continues on his quest to find the real Jason Bourne, all the while trying to outmanoeuvre the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents who would prefer him dead.

Movie review

From Time Out London

Confused, mistrustful and trying to keep a lid on the knee-jerk violence to which he is predisposed, Jason Bourne is a troubled secret agent for troubled times. This third part of the most satisfying action franchise of the decade finds Bourne (Matt Damon) still on the run, gradually remembering how US security forces reshaped him as a super-assassin while trying to avoid their continued efforts to neutralise him. Drawn into the open by a UK newspaper exposé, he’s tacitly aided by CIA insiders Pamela Landy (Joan Allen, looking stern in turtle-necks) and Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) while David Strathairn and Albert Finney take on ruthless bastard duties.

Paul Greengrass, director of ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ and ‘United 93’, remains ahead of the field in delivering gristly, handheld, relatively credible action reliant on whatever’s to hand rather than hi-tech gadgetry. (If you thought Bourne was bad-ass with a magazine, just see what he can do with a hardback…) The plot roves across the globe but the standout set piece takes place in our own Waterloo Station, making an exhilarating rat-run of a packed concourse that will have you peering uneasily at CCTV cameras and advertising hoardings on your next commute.

While the crunchy fights and unflagging pace ensure this delivers as genre spectacle – a car chase deservedly got a round of applause at the screening I attended – the muddy ethics also make for a pleasing contrast with standard-issue wham-bammery. The CIA’s instant, lethal access to any spot on the globe and tactics like rendition and ‘experimental interrogation’ provoke anxiety here, not pride, and Bourne’s own killings are followed not by a quip but a flush of shame.

Author: Ben Walters

Time Out London Issue 1930: August 15-21 2007

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Technoguy said...

Posted on Jan 06 2008 02:32 A film of the year,beating all the dreary sequels and blockbusters and showing Bond how to do it by relegating him to the past.Key to success? Great documentary film-maker turned director spiced with politically topical themes and a choppy fast-paced editing style allied to a superb action-man actor,Damon
Only don't do any more: otherwise dilution will occur.

Report as inappropriate
Jayson said...

Posted on Oct 12 2007 15:08 Having read all of Ludlum's Bourne books, this is the first one that made even a little sense, according to the plot of the story it was supposed to be taken from, but I was left a little dizzy with all the usual car chases and escapes to understand what the whole thing was all about. But, like I say, this is the best of the series, but there was so much more to the stories than car chases its too bad they couldn't have used some of the original story to tie the chase scenes together.

Report as inappropriate
Eddo said...

Posted on Oct 11 2007 12:01 Whoever thinks this film is anything less than a total achievement is full of S*^T. Get over yourselves... ot rocked.

Report as inappropriate
Nick said...

Posted on Sep 30 2007 11:03 The pace was breathtaking,great camera shots.Waterloo Station fantastic action.Big brother hey! One thing though,never has any luggage when he travels no money,always has the same clothes neat and tidy,how does he do it.Overall brilliant,cinema cheered when he out foxed the CIA,bring it on Matt,would love No. 4 not sure where it could go. it

Report as inappropriate
kate said...

Posted on Sep 28 2007 18:09 it was an amazing film, probably the best i've seen all year! i love all three of the films and this one was by far the best! i could watch it all day! loved it!!!!!

Report as inappropriate
fffffffff said...

Posted on Sep 26 2007 11:35 ffffffffffffffff

Report as inappropriate
fddddddddddddddddddddddddddd said...

Posted on Sep 26 2007 11:34 rubishdddddd

Report as inappropriate
caty said...

Posted on Sep 26 2007 11:32 a terrible film the worst in my life i even fell asleep
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Report as inappropriate
Ramez said...

Posted on Sep 26 2007 06:23 Brilliant movie & a great end to the triology, definitely a must see!! Keeps you on the edge of your seat most of the time....

Report as inappropriate
randy said...

Posted on Sep 23 2007 15:12 this was the worst film i i ever seen in my life. thae acting and screenplay were dreadful.

Report as inappropriate
film weasel said...

Posted on Sep 21 2007 22:45 Good action film! Not the best but entertaining.

Report as inappropriate
Charlotte said...

Posted on Sep 21 2007 17:11 AWESOME!As good as the other 2 but better.Love the fast action shots and shaky camera-realism to the fast pace of the situations at the time and therefore warranted.Loved the chase scene in Morocco.Loved the fighting.Love testosterone!BOURNE is better than BOND by far far far.Go see-you will not be disappointed.HOPE THERE'S A FOURTH.

Report as inappropriate
cas said...

Posted on Sep 20 2007 14:58 Best film I've seen in a long time. Best of the trilogy with great action...definitly a must see!

Report as inappropriate
jose said...

Posted on Sep 19 2007 17:59 not the best of the trilogy, but a great end to the trilogy

Report as inappropriate
Alex said...

Posted on Sep 19 2007 16:05 Great film! best out of the three! Bond really needs to give up! 6 stars!

Report as inappropriate