*** Official THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Brent M]

I didn't see anyone here discussing the film and since it opens on Friday I thought it was time to get a thread going. So far the early reviews are outstanding with many calling it the best film of the trilogy and one of this summer's best flicks. Currently a 97% rating at RT:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bourne_ultimatum/

This is probably my most anticipated movie of the summer(along with Transformers) and I can't wait to check it out this weekend.

 

[Brent M]

I'm the same way about the first two. I thought Identity was much better than Supremacy(especially with the "shaky cam" technique Greengrass used which I hear is much less pronounced in the new flick).

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "The Bourne Ultimatum". Please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "The Bourne Ultimatum" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.


Crawdaddy

 

[Chris]

I'm surprised at how little warm up attention this film is getting. Action fans who miss are going to miss big. I haven't spoken to a single person who's seen this film who didn't love it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Word will spread as it goes into full release today. I'll be seeing it later today.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Our local paper calls it the action classic of this generation - not one wasted iota of running time.

 

[Brent M]

One review said Greengrass should make every action movie from this point forward after what he accomplished with this flick. I am so pumped to see it.

 

[ChrisHeflen]

posted in wrong thread...sorry

 

[Chris]

I would agree. I took a friend at lunch to go watch it a second time. This is the most pure fun I had at a theater all summer. I will 100% be buying this in HiDef.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Final Warning as Spoilers are about to be discussed in this thread!
























So based on what Nicky (Stiles) told Bourne, evidently, they had a romantic relationship earlier before the first film took place?

 

[Brandt]

My wife and I were just discussing this. I got the impression that it wasn't a formal relationship, but my wife thought it was. She thought, if this was the case, that it was odd that Nikki was so helpful in the first movie when they were trying to take Bourne out.

EDIT: I guess I should add that both my wife and I loved this movie, as we did the previous two. Can't wait to see it again.

 

[Jon Mahoney]

Huge spoilers ahead:


At first I assumed it was a formal relationship but more I think about it, I don't think it was, just a crush/admiration from Nikki.

The theater exploded at the scene "I'm in my office" "I don't think you are", "Why is that?" "Cause we'd be having this conversation face to face." Probably my favorite scene in the movie.

I really have no complaints about this movie, the only scene I was taken away from the movie about was the one motor bike jump where he jumped about 8 feet. The special effects were fantastic, I'm usually a huge nitpick about noticing CGI but I still don't know if there was any CGI in this movie.

I thought the ending was fantastic with the assassin dialogue and then letting him go, coupled with the news report showing Julia Stiles and the music kicking in at the end.

 

[Brandt]

The only place where I picked up on a bit of CGI was at the end of the NY car chase when the other assassin was pushing Bourne's police cruiser up onto the concrete divider. I'm fairly certain that for one shot (2 seconds, maybe) the police car was CGI as it was pushed toward impact.

 

[DaveF]

While a very fun scene, I thought it did damage to the character of Jason Bourne. I thought it betrayed his competence and survival instinct by immediately drawing everyone back to the office and nearly getting him caught.

And while I'm glad Greengrass doesn't make all the action movies -- I think the shaky camera is a cheat to avoid showing what's happening and not a strength -- he does pull together some killer sequences. The first fight and the final car chase are the best in a while.

 

[Jon Mahoney]

I don't think it really did. In the other two movies and earlier in this one he had the "You look tired" line, "She's standing right next to you" in Supremacy, and I think 1 or two others, I'd have to rewatch them again.

I am still split on what to think about shaky cam. It's definitely done to make it seem more realistic and to make action sequences easier to film and seem real. However, it does get annoying. If you saw Matt Damon on the Daily Show on Thursday he was talking how the movie got great reviews except for one guy who said "Someone get that guy a F*ing steady cam" and then followed with "I only said that cause I know the director is watching" so they are well aware of people's feelings on steady cam and the trade-offs.

I'm a huge fan of wide-angle fight scenes, such as the final scene in Count of Monte Cristo (Which I Feel is a very underrated fight scene and well shot) but I feel as though if they pulled a similar style with these movies they would seem too contrived.

 

[Brett_M]

What's great is that this relationship was explored fully in early drafts of Identity but it was cut along with a lot of James Bond nonsense. Matt Damon claimed that much of it was "not what he signed on for," such as explosions and other cliches in the genre. So, the script was changed.

 

[Brett_M]

The only thing I noticed was the money shot from the first trailer when he jumped from one building into another, through the windows. In the trailer, I did not notice any glass doors on that window. He plainly crashes through glass in the shot in the film. Other than that, if there was cgi, they hid it pretty well.

 

[DaveF]

I just assumed that they were retro-actively rewriting the origins, and that now she had been involved in his training.

 

[Robert Crawford]

No, the more I think about it, the more I think they had a personal relationship beyond just working together. It's just the way she said "you really don't remember anything" when he asked her why are you helping me.

 

[Nathan V]

Wow. That was pure adrenaline.

Greengrass has now completely won me over with his approach. I went from not being able to stand him in Supremacy, to seeing United 93, to seeing this and being blown away by his 2 most recent films. It isn't incompetent camerawork- there's a lot of rhyme and reason to where he begins and ends a lot of shots. The focus pulling and aperture are exquisite, but he violates any sense of comfortability by keeping our eyes constantly moving, looking all over the frame for the entire runtime. He isn't even trying to make it look smooth. It's the antithesis of rhythm, lots of reframing and jarring cuts. I think he's really improved on the approach with this and U93. I couldn't get enough of it. Gotta be in the right mood, I guess.

I also found the score tremendously effective. I loved the enormous detail of the setpieces, helped a lot with the realism aspect. And like Miami Vice, all the characters are professionals, intelligent people. Not an ounce of fat anywhere. You just feel cool watching this movie.

And damn, that was some location shooting.

Regards,
Nathan