Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) attempts to finally uncover his origins as a trained killer and free himself from the CIA for good.
The film opens with an audacious cat and mouse action sequence set inside London’s Waterloo station where Bourne tries to intercept a journalist named Simon Ross (Paddy Considine) before the CIA gets to him. Ross has some incendiary information about not only the secret Treadstone operation that spawned Bourne, but also another operation named Blackbriar suggesting that the CIA are trying multiple ways to create the perfect assassin.
The outcome of these events lead Bourne to the origins of Treadstone and his recruitment that involve his father and an even larger web of lies than he first imagined.
The Bourne Ultimatum does some clever writing trickery that intertwines its storyline and events with the previous film, The Bourne Supremacy. It opens immediately after the final action sequence of Supremacy and makes the final sequence of that film one that actually occurs near the end of this one making the events of the two films happen in a continuum. It is a superb trick that makes the story feel even more connected across the trilogy.
Series writer Tony Gilroy achieves something very special here by making an action trilogy whose main character has amnesia feel like a cohesive whole where the story was planned out in advance. Whilst returning director Paul Greengrass continues the good work that he began in Supremacy by ensuring that the plot and action grab you by the scruff of the neck at the beginning of the film and never lets you go until it’s finished.
Everything works perfectly in terms of the action and story beats.
In terms of the story they ensure that the events feel cyclical in nature to the other films. Nicky (Julia Stiles) again has a larger role and Bourne finds himself protecting her just like he did with Marie, with one particular moment being particularly poignant. Specific action beats match what have gone before as well although sometimes with the protagonist/antagonist flipped in their view. Whilst the closing shot here mimics the opening shot of Identity completing the trilogy.
The supporting cast increases significantly with some delicious casting. Joan Allen returns as her CIA agent with a conscious now battling with newcomers played by Scott Glenn and David Strathairn. Daniel Bruhl has a single scene as Marie’s brother, Albert Finney chews scenery as a doctor associated with Treadstone and Edgar Ramirez is the latest assassin in a long line trying to end Bourne. Everyone hits all the right notes as the story rattles along.
And then there are the action sequences. I have already mentioned the scene at Waterloo which takes the series to a next level. But there are plenty of others that will keep you on the edge of your seat with perhaps the sequence in Tangier the pinnacle of the series which hits all of the Bourne hallmarks. A superb motorcycle chase, followed by a foot chase along rooftops and finished with a brutal hand to hand fight. Ultimatum delivers tense scene one after the other.
It’s a superb finish to a superb trilogy. Cue Moby’s “Extreme Ways” and the hairs on your neck raising.
If you want to read more of my opinions on Bourne check these out:
Phil the Bear's Film Reviews 
5 thoughts on “The Bourne Ultimatum”