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A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

post #1 of 21
12/16/07 at 8:42pm
Thread Starter 
The Bourne Ultimatum, the third in the series from Universal, with the prior two already available on HD dvd, is one of those films, rather like the Pirates of the Caribbean series, that needs to be viewed in order of release or one is going to lose their way in the narrative.

Properly educated with knowledge of the first two, makes the third a treat, albeit densely cut and photographed via cameras that never seem to be locked down for two frames in a row.

Without doing actual comparisons, I would be willing to place a bet that The Bourne Ultimatum, which is stunning in it's HD form, has more shots per reel than almost any film that has come before.

The Bourne Ultimatum is a treat for fans of Ludlum specifically as well as those who enjoy a good spy thriller in general.

As far as The Bourne Ultimatum is concerned, it must be said that they don't make 'em like they used to.

In this case it happens to be a very good thing.

Universal's The Bourne Ultimatum comes Highly Recommended as both film and disc.

RAH
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post #2 of 21
12/16/07 at 10:34pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

i've never been a fan of hand held, but it's so prolific these days i guess i'm being desensitized to it. it still really, really bothers me when it's used for a scene where 2 people are just sitting down in a room talking to eachother and it's all quiet, no distractions. AND THE CAMERA IS STILL WAVERING. it's like breaking the fourth wall.

anyways, Ultimatum really surprised me. i thought it was a great movie for all the reasons listed in the first post. the divide between Bourne and Bond just keeps getting bigger. the fight scene in Madrid is the best of the series and one of the best fight scenes in any movie in years. the Waterloo train station scene is also an instant classic.

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

my only gripe with the movie is the higher ups running the show (mainly Strathairn and Glenn) should realistically have been in Supremacy trying to clean up the mess (especially after the events in Identity) so it seems they were kind of 'created' for the movie. but that's a minor gripe. and some of the cut scenes, i'd have put back in (like the one with Landy getting 'fired'.
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post #3 of 21
12/17/07 at 4:02am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Quote:
it still really, really bothers me when it's used for a scene where 2 people are just sitting down in a room talking to eachother and it's all quiet, no distractions. AND THE CAMERA IS STILL WAVERING. it's like breaking the fourth wall.
Indeed. I think they went way overboard with that. I remember it was very distracting on the big screen. However it was less distracting at home.

It’s still possible to go handheld for the dialog scenes and Steven Soderbergh is the master of it.
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post #4 of 21
12/17/07 at 7:06am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

I have to agree that I like the camera operating style of the first film much better than the last 2. I think Paul Greengrass had his operator go way over board with this.

Having said that it is a credit to the film that it is so good that I'm willing to over look what in another film would have me walk out or turn it off in the first 10 min.

Doug
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post #5 of 21
12/17/07 at 8:18am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

My Bourne review is on hold while I go through Battlestar Galactica but rest assured it is coming (as is, to a lesser degree of urgency, Balls of Fury!)

I didnt even realize that the second Bourne movie was released on HD, I reviewed the original on August 9th and I thought both #2 and #3 were being simultaneously released this week. Gonna have to research that and figure out what went wrong in getting that.
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post #6 of 21
12/17/07 at 9:53am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Posten
My Bourne review is on hold while I go through Battlestar Galactica but rest assured it is coming (as is, to a lesser degree of urgency, Balls of Fury!)

I didnt even realize that the second Bourne movie was released on HD, I reviewed the original on August 9th and I thought both #2 and #3 were being simultaneously released this week. Gonna have to research that and figure out what went wrong in getting that.

The Bourne Supremacy was actually out on HD DVD before The Bourne Identity. I believe it was one of the very early Universal HD DVD releases.

Doug
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post #7 of 21
12/18/07 at 8:57am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Ahhh, that makes sense then. I never saw any of the trilogy before I did the Identity review, and I can't claim to have seen Ultimatum on the shelf any time I've browsed. It must have come out before I became the go to guy for Universal HD reviews here. Will have to pick it up and watch it before I do the Supremacy review I suppose, probably wouldnt do well to skip one =)
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post #8 of 21
12/18/07 at 1:57pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

All 3 were good. Ultimatum was great all around.
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post #9 of 21
12/18/07 at 2:27pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Absolutely LOVED this movie. Loved the entire Bourne series as a matter of fact.
I guess I am in the minority but I love the handheld camera. To me, it adds a sense of realism and authenticity. It makes me really believe that I am there staring at these people with my own eyes and when the camera moves, that is the way my eyes would move, whether it be a dialog scene or a scene where people are running. If I was running along with them, my eyes would be jumping all around just as the camera does. But that's just me.
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post #10 of 21
12/18/07 at 8:47pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

I saw this film in the theater and it almost made me vomit from motion sickness...seriously! I recall seeing this type of camera movement on "NYPD Blue" or something a while ago (albeit at a much less frenetic pace) and remember thinking that they must do that to keep the viewer's eyes constantly engaged thereby further drawing them in. However, I thought it's use in TBS was WAY over the top. I managed to make it through at home and actually liked the film a lot more because of it.
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post #11 of 21
12/19/07 at 7:59am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

I will most likely be picking this movie up on payday as I really enjoyed it. And espicially since it has a Dolby True HD track I think that might be a true bonus. As long as they are not doing what WB does and do the stupid DN thing. Even with DN it should be better than DD+ so I can not wait to add it to my other Bourne movies.
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post #12 of 21
12/19/07 at 8:38am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Posten
Ahhh, that makes sense then. I never saw any of the trilogy before I did the Identity review, and I can't claim to have seen Ultimatum on the shelf any time I've browsed. It must have come out before I became the go to guy for Universal HD reviews here. Will have to pick it up and watch it before I do the Supremacy review I suppose, probably wouldnt do well to skip one =)

Yes because Ultimatum is tied in fairly closely with Supremacy and you won't get the setup for one of the sequences if you haven't seen Supremacy.

Doug
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post #13 of 21
12/20/07 at 10:04am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Quote:
I guess I am in the minority but I love the handheld camera.
FWIW, I liked it too. It really gives you a feel of what being in that sort of chase must be like. When things get artfully staged from a distance or with a steady lens it all too easily becomes obviously contrived.
I do, however, have sympathies with those who got motion sick. I'm usually very prone to it, but on this occasion the film had no effect.
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post #14 of 21
12/20/07 at 2:00pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Ditto ^^
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post #15 of 21
12/20/07 at 7:58pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

I thought there was an earthquake going on I didn't know about and in one scene I think the guys shoulder covered 9/10 of the screen, just so gross photography. Personally I thought Doug Liman did the best job of them all and the action and pacing was better in the first one as well.
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post #16 of 21
12/20/07 at 11:02pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

I would have liked to add this to my collection but it is no dice because of Universal's dumb ass decision to make this film an HD DVD/DVD combo. The film is good but not good enough for me to cough up 40 bucks which is the price these combos sell for at the local B&M stores. The first two are HD DVD only but the last one is made a combo only. Who makes these stupid decisions?
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post #17 of 21
12/21/07 at 7:34am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

"it still really, really bothers me"

Me too. I wanted to scream "Hold the f*cking camera still!"

Ill be checking out this HDDVD this weekend.
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post #18 of 21
12/21/07 at 7:41am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S
I would have liked to add this to my collection but it is no dice because of Universal's dumb ass decision to make this film an HD DVD/DVD combo. The film is good but not good enough for me to cough up 40 bucks which is the price these combos sell for at the local B&M stores. The first two are HD DVD only but the last one is made a combo only. Who makes these stupid decisions?

The Combo of Bourne Ultimatum is $26 on Amazon. I must say that I really like not having to pay an extra $17 to $20 to get an SD version of the film also.

Doug
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post #19 of 21
12/21/07 at 3:50pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Just picked up Bourne Ultimatum today and all I can say is WOW!!!

Not only does this title deliver in the picture department but the Dolby True HD track is top notch. I am so glad that this title did not follow the other two previous release of the Bourne series by being a DD+ only release. I can only hope that we will see more releases from Universal using Dolby True HD or even DTS-HD Master Audio depending on which one studios choose to use. I am sure many here would agree that we would like to see alot more titles offering lossless audio on them.
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post #20 of 21
12/21/07 at 7:26pm

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Quote:
I am so glad that this title did not follow the other two previous release of the Bourne series by being a DD+ only release.
The previous 2 releases had killer audio.
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post #21 of 21
12/22/07 at 4:06am

Re: A few words about...™ The Bourne Ultimatum -- in HD

Hello Shane,

I agree the audio on the other two releases was good, but the comment was about getting more lossless onto HD discs. And I was happier to have the Dolby True HD track than a DD+ track. I would have been happier if the first two Bourne titles where like BU and included both DD+ and a Dolby True HD track.
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The Bourne Ultimatum (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]
$6.85 at
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