The Bourne Supremacy (2006, HD DVD)

The Bourne Supremacy, the sequel to the wildly popular The Bourne Identity (2002), is in theaters. Greengrass has a firm grasp of the films dramatic elements but relies on jittery handheld cameras -- therefore memorable action scenes escape him. I would prefer Liman over Greengrass as the Director of any future installments in the Bourne franchise. And it begs to ask, can screenwriter Gilroy top himself after this? It will be tough. The Bourne Supremacy debuted at #1 this past weekend, with a $53.5 million haul, twice that of The Bourne Identity.

The Bourne Supremacy is loosely adapted from a Ludlum novel. The film is not faithful to the book, that plot line occurred in China, not Berlin and Moscow. The Bourne Supremacy looks exactly like The Bourne Identity, because Oliver Wood worked on both films, and his cinematography is eye pleasing. Footage from one film could easily be substituted in another, and you wouldn't notice the difference.

Marie Kreutz (Potente) is still trying to help Jason recover his repressed memories. She desperately wants to put the past behind them, so they can live a full life, but it's a really big stretch for Jason, who is constantly watching his back. So they're still on the run, living a low impact lifestyle, secreted away in a bungalow on a peaceful beach in India. Until one day their luck runs out, and the couples idyllic life is shattered.

Bourne (Damon) went "off the grid" two years ago after a mission he accepted, Codename: Treadstone, failed badly. Bourne mistakenly thought the CIA would leave him alone, let him be, after he walked away from them. He had threatened to expose the Agency. And his threat did succeed in shutting down Treadstone. But the head of Treadstone, Ward Abbott, has not forgotten about Bourne and in seeking revenge for Treadstone's failure, manages to ensnare Jason.

The story arc propels Bourne from Goa, to the shores of Naples, with additional detours in both London and The Netherlands. Bourne then tracks his adversaries to their doorstep in the heart of Berlin, as promised in the first installment, and finalizes things in the coldly beautiful city of Moscow. When loose ends are tied up, Bourne attempts, rather belatedly, to right a wrong from his past.

The Bourne Supremacy has international appeal, and is marketed at that segment of moviegoers that love foreign films -- but hate subtitles. The success of The Bourne Supremacy is attributable to multiple actors reprising their roles, and the addition of Joan Allen to the Bourne franchise. Station Chief Pamela Landy (Allen) is a formidable foil to Ward Abbott (Cox) and she jousts with Abbott to reveal the truth about the death of two agents under her watch.

Damon deserves a lot of credit. He's a bona fide action hero now! He laudably pulls off a performance few actors could. That of a dark hardened hit man, that's finally found his conscience. Matt has really completed a fine transformation since his performance as Specialist Ilario in Courage Under Fire. I wonder what kind of project he'll seek to develop next, in trade for his newfound bankability.

At the end of The Bourne Supremacy, the screenwriter dangles some possible options for Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum. Landy invites Jason to come in out of the cold, so that the Agency can smooth things over. He politely refuses. And intriguingly she reveals he's really David Webb, not Jason Bourne, and that he's from the midwest, specifically Missouri.

The major thing I really hated about The Bourne Supremacy, was the way Marie Kreutz was rapidly dispensed of. I think Gilroy, Limon, Marshall and Universal have made a huge error in eliminating Potente from the trilogy so early -- because the chemistry between Jason and Marie, not the fight scenes, is what made The Bourne Identity a success in the first place. When The Bourne Ultimatum has a disappointing run, the producers and studio will undoubtedly figure that out.

(111/306)


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The Motion Picture:
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Universal

Running Time:
108 minutes

Rating:
4.5 Stars

If You Like The Bourne Supremacy, You Might Enjoy:
Kill Bill, Vol. 1
Spy Game
The Bourne Identity
The Contender
The Hunted
The Recruit
The Road to Perdition

Visit the Official Websites:
www.universal.com
www.bournesupremacy.com