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The Bourne Supremacy 2004 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Paul Greengrass
PG-13, 108 min. (violence/intense action, brief language) |
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Starring: Matt Damon, Brian Cox , Joan Allen, Franka Potente, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Oksana Akinshina
Producers: Patrick Crowley, Frank Marshall, Paul Sandberg
Screenplay: Tony Gilroy
Cinematography: Oliver Wood
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Released: 7.23.04 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
The Bourne Supremacy takes place two years after the events of The Bourne Identity, in which super spy Jason Bourne (Matt Damon)
slowly uncovers a forgotten past and drops off the radar screen to live in anonymity. Of course, it won't remain that way
because the CIA isn't in the habit of leaving dangerous loose ends dangling indefinitely. This sequel relies heavily on
action sequences and a breakneck pace that leaves little room for exposition or further character development. It's not
quite as engaging as Identity, but it does trump that film in the sheer number of chase scenes, which take place
in cars, over and under bridges, and on foot. The numerous backdrops - India, Italy, Germany, Russia, and the U.S. -
give the film a sense of forced urgency and energy, and director Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday) does his best
to translate Robert Ludlum's second installment of his trilogy, with an adaptation by Tony Gilroy, to the screen without
disrupting the flow of the franchise. Supremacy nearly overstays its welcome, but by the time Bourne is contemplating his
tragic past with a Russian girl who is the innocent victim of his deeds, the sophomoric conclusion helps to reinforce the
skillful execution of its high octane set pieces.
Bourne and Marie (Franka Potente) have been discovered in Goa, India by a mercenary (Karl Urban) bent on eliminating
them both. On the run once again, Bourne must fulfill his promise to track down those who found him, which leads him
through a trek of Europe and finally into Russia to confront his enemy face to face. The CIA, led by Pamela Landy (Joan Allen)
and overseen by Ward Abbott (Brian Cox), become the hunted for Bourne's bait-and-reveal tactic. They believe Bourne
has perpetrated a murder in Berlin, but he was in Goa at the time; Agent Nicolette (Julia Stiles) is used once again to
lure Bourne into the sunlight, but he has other plans. As the real villain emerges, Bourne is constantly on the run from
both the CIA and the aforementioned mercenary who is determined to finish the job he started in India.
Although Identity revealed who Bourne was, it's Supremacy that reveals what Bourne did that has the unpleasant memories
hidden deep in his subsconscious mind. The flashes and fragments of a past mission haunt him until the memory is complete,
and the film unfolds itself around Bourne's remembrance and his frequent escapes, which highlight his talent for
inventiveness and quick thinking in the midst of chaos. Greengrass ratchets up the suspense during these sequences,
provoking the question of how Bourne could possibly slip away yet again. The action scenes are efficient but sometimes
incoherent because of tight framing and quick edits, which can quickly become frustrating to viewers trying to decipher the
events. For the most part, however, Supremacy delivers the goods.
Damon was an interesting choice for the part of Bourne in the first installment but has proven himself adequate for the role,
providing the thinking man's perspective to an action/thriller genre film. He emphasizes the humanity over the spectacle,
and even though his character is certainly deadly, he garners the sympathy of the viewer because his mind is clouded in
doubt. The supporting cast is especially strong, with Allen and Cox leading the way, and a cameo appearance from Stiles,
who has since her first appearance grown in stature as an actress. The strength of the film comes from its life-like
characters and real world sensibility; although the wreckage of numerous chase scenes would be tragedy in itself,
the reasons for their existence is believable.
The Bourne Supremacy manages to satisfy as a middle chapter in a planned trilogy - The Bourne Ultimatum is
apparently on the way. Its open-ended conclusion offers hints for the direction of the next film, but with Bourne's memory
supposedly restored, it will be interesting to see where the character takes us from here. The craftiness on display here
is evident from all sides - direction, acting, cinematography - and that triumverate will be needed to finish the series
on a high note instead of a whimper.
© 2004 Jonathan Cornwell
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 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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