DVD Review HTF Review: The Bourne Supremacy (Highly Recommended!) (1 Viewer)

[Brandon Conway]

Foolish stylistic choice? Hardly. I thought it worked most of the time it was used, just not ALL of the time. That's a far cry from "I hated the stylistic choice every second it was used and think it was foolish."

 

[Paul_Scott]

the thing i liked about the first Bourne film was that it seemed to harken back to more mature thrillers/suspense films.
but the camera work and editing here reminded me of just the opposite-imo, it 'dumbs down' the material.
when you have the option removed of actually studying a scene or the way several people interrelate in a space (with all parties visible in the same shot) because any given shot doesn't last long enough to make anything more than a quick sweep of it, you just become a passive receptor.
you're disengaged from making any critical judgements because there is no time, the film is throwing some new (albeit wholly random ,meaningless, or redundant) information at you whose purpose is merely to provide (non-thinking) kinetic stimulation.
it would be one thing if the film were throwing a lot of story information at you and demanding you keep up, but thats not what i see this film doing.

i'm really curious as to how some people can 'interface' with this kind of stuff. simple activites made complex and baroque thru a dozen micro second camera set ups and cuts.
i realize we process information differently- thats why i'm curious if the appreaciation/acclimation for that style is an outgrowth of a lifetime spent in front of first person shooter videogames, or meth use, or growing up in the 'instant information' age, or what.

i'm not trying to slag the people who like this stuff, just trying to wrap my brain around why/how people can be 'in synch' with it.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Extremely good review! And I'm not just saying that because I agree with it!

I think you nailed it with this statement:


I completely agree.

Personally I don't care for the hand held camera/documentary style cinematography, but it didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the movie either.

Thanks for the excellent review.

 

[Chris]

The sound in the chase scene is so good in DD-EX, that it really is an experience

 

[Brandon Conway]

I see what you mean. It is difficult to comprehend what you don't comprehend. But don't think you are alone in this - it's just different things for different people.

 

[Dan Kaplan]

Therein lies the problem. The filming style is completely at odds with the tone of the movie.

Dan

 

[Brandon Conway]

The movie is a constant frantic experience for Bourne. The camera stays frantic. This is hardly contradictory. I felt it hightened the moments when the camera was still - especially at the end with the master shot of Damon leaving the apartment of the girl and the pan up to the building i nthe background. The frantic pace for Bourne was over at that point, and the camera reflects that.

In the first film Bourne had MANY more opportunities for small breathers. This just doesn't happen in the sequel. He is ALWAYS on the go.

I honestly feel bad for you guys. It's a marvelous film. Perhaps you should take some Dramamine next time before you watch it.

 

[Tim Glover]

Like I said in one of these Bourne threads, the camera use wouldn't have been my choice, but it's used in a stylish way. At times it is hard to figure out what's happening, but it also made it fun.

I hope people are not put off by the camera stuff in what they hear. They should check this out for themselves and not be denied one of the better films of the summer.

 

[Greg Robinson]

As I continue to follow this thread, I find myself in unfamiliar territory. Usually, if a film divides audiences and gets people talking, it tends to be a good thing. I enjoy movies like that - movies where some people get it and love it, and others can't stand it. (Hey, Rushmore is one of my favorites.) Even if I'm in the latter category, I like watching it with others in hopes they'll help me see what I've been missing.

BUT, I said unfamiliar territory... In this case, I have little desire to watch Bourne Supremacy repeatedly with friends and relatives. The camera work and editing left such a sour taste in my mouth, that I don't think I WANT to learn to love this movie. After all of the talking and friendly dispute over whether or not Bourne's WobbleCam is a good thing, I have practically no interest in giving it another try. Odd.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

It is a very good film. It could have been even better but for the nausea cam cinematography.

 

[Paul_Scott]

after forcing myself to finish watching it, i think i have to agree with Rob.
i may have been harsher than i should have.
i don't think its a bad movie.
but the style just rubs me as very forced and actually, the film was not as 'dense' as i expected it to be.
its fairly thin with the self conscious camera moves and hyper active editing making it seem a lot more complex a narrative than it is.
i enjoy Damon in the role.
i liked the entire supporting cast (even if Cox was repeating some of the same lines from X2 almost verbatim).
and the location shooting (when i could actually get a good 4 or 5 second look at any location) was appreciated.
and i still found it more interesting than the last 4 Bond movies.
but it could have been so much more enjoyable.

and i think the editing/cinematography did the action sequences a big disservice.
that style made every fight or chase less impressive to me.
if you are never going to take the time to establish physical relationships between people and things, or give a clear sense of geography during a fight or a chase- you can get by with the most minimum of skill in either.
the car chase at the end was pathetic/awful in this respect.

i see gimmicky camera work like that as spice- a little here and there can enhance the meal, but this film just had way too much salt and pepper, getting in the way of the natural taste of the meat

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Oooh, I like that one!

:wink:

 

[TheLongshot]

I just shrug at all the post about "nausea-inducing" camerawork, since I certainly thought it was more than appropriate for this film. The action scenes go by like a blur, and certainly give the feel of like you were in the midst of it.

One of my favorite parts was during the car chase we are looking at Matt Damon in profile driving along. Then, all of a sudden, he gets plowed in the side. It is a hell of a jolt, because even tho we were looking in that direction, we aren't expecting it.

Now, I can see someone getting annoyed because they want to see good one-on-one fighting and all they get is a blur of movement. To be honest, tho, I'm really only concerned about that when that's the main point of the film. It is a small part of this film.

I still think Greengrass did a hell of a job, and was actually able to top the first film. (I thought the Bourne Identity drags a bit towards the end. Supremacy is pretty tight from beginning to end.)

Jason

 

[Shane Martin]

I wasn't annoyed at all by the cinematography. I loved it and felt the $14.99 I paid was a steal for it.

 

[Will_B]

I want to mention that the DVD has a hidden bonus feature of an alternate ending. I'm not sure how to access it, but you can play it if you find the file in your computer. Look for the 68 MB file.

I'd like to buy this title, but won't, since it seems inevitable that there will be a 2-disc edition sometime.

Oh, about the handheld camera: I never noticed it. And yet when Woody Allen went handheld on one of his films, I remember being nauseus. Not here on Bourne - I liked the look of the film, and it never made me ill (and I was watching on a nice projected screen).

 

[Sue_New]

I am a huge fan of the original Bourne Identity. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I saw this film in the theater opening night and HATED it. The story was good, but I thought the camera work was atrocious. When I go to a movie, I'd like to actually see the movie. And if I need to 'feel like I'm in the action' I'll go to an IMAX film or to Universal Studios. I'm not an old ditty with poor eyesight, I'm not afraid of jerky roller-coasters, or anything like that. I'm 29 and I love action movies, but I WANT TO ACTUALLY SEE THE CHARACTERS. I kept waiting for a new shot where they evened out the camera so I could get my bearings again. It was almost painful. I experienced the same issue in that danged zombie movie of late. One of the last 5 that were released, I forget which one....

Glad you all liked it, and thought it was artistic and all that good stuff. However, I give it a big thumbs down for watchability.