The Bourne Supremacy

Cast: Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Franka Potente, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Gabriel Mann, Marton Csokas, Tom Gallop, John Bedford Lloyd, Ethan Sandler, Michelle Monaghan, Karel Roden, Oksana Akinshina
Director: Paul Greengrass
Writer: Robert Ludlum (novel), Tony Gilroy (screenplay)
Genre: Action/Mystery/Thriller
Rated: M medium level violence, low level coarse language
Running Time: 116 Minutes

They Should Have Left Him Alone

Synopsis:
'The Bourne Supremacy' re-enters the shadowy world of expert assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), who continues to find himself plagued by splintered nightmares from his former life. The stakes are now even higher for the agent as he coolly manoeuvres through the dangerous waters of international espionage - replete with CIA plots, turncoat agents and ever-shifting covert alliances - all the while hoping to find the truth behind his haunted memories and answers to his own fragmented past.

My Verdict:
'The Bourne Identity' (2002), starring Matt Damon, was a critical and box-office success based on a trilogy of books by Robert Ludlum and so following on from that 'The Bourne Supremacy' was pretty much a foregone conclusion. A change of director hasn't made all that much difference, save for some chaotic camera work, which is hard to decipher at times - too hard some of the time which makes it tedious and tough going for the viewer.

'The Bourne Supremacy' takes place two years after 'The Bourne Identity'. Jason Bourne is living in India with his girlfriend Marie (a small cameo by Franka Potente). As Jason is wandering the markets, he realises that he recognises a man but doesn't know where from. This face, along with the nightmares he has been having, disturb and confuse him to the point where he instinctively knows he is a target, but doesn't know why. Again.

What follows is a series of events that take Jason on a journey to quite a few different countries - Italy, Germany and Russia - as assassins and the CIA follow him and he tries to escape them. The CIA has set up Jason, yet he doesn't know it, which only further adds to his confusion.

Jason Bourne doesn't have many lines in this movie as his girlfriend has been removed from his life and so his character is a loner on the run, always one step ahead of his pursuers and as such we don't get to know him as a person. We do know that he can get himself out of very dangerous situations (time and time again!) and that he has the mentality and physical attributes of someone who has been trained to think like a special agent. His resourcefulness is unending. Mention must be made that there is little bad language in the movie, which is unusual given the genre, but that is made up for by having plenty of car chases and many people killed. 'The Bourne Supremacy' is a great espionage thriller, with plot twists, plenty of action and exotic locations. Seeing 'The Bourne Identity' before 'The Bourne Supremacy' is not entirely necessary (although it helps) as it is a movie in its own right. And, there is room again for the next installment. Watch this space.

Rating : B+

Christina Bruce

Interview with Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum www.femail.com.au/matt-damon-the-bourne-ultimatum-interview.htm
Interview with Matt Damon - The Bourne Supremacy www.femail.com.au/matt_damon_the_bourne_supremacy_pf.htm
Interview with Matt Damon - The Bourne Identity www.femail.com.au/mattdamon.htm
Interview with Franka Potente The Bourne Identity www.femail.com.au/franka_potente_bourne_identity.htm
Interview with Paul Greengrass - The Bourne Ultimatum www.femail.com.au/paul-greengrass-the-bourne-ultimatum.htm
Review The Bourne Identity www.girl.com.au/the_bourne_supremacy_review.htm

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