"Bourne Ultimatum" is the highly-anticipated finale to the Bourne series, and that's lamentable. What isn't is that we didn't have to wait as long as we did for the "Terminator" and "Die Hard" franchises. And even though all 3 Terminators rank among my all-time favorites, "Bourne" carves its own niche, even hard-wiring into your psyche, as your eyes remain riveted to the screen, trying to watch, but finding yourself inexorably drawn into his "web." You don't simply watch this movie, you experience the pulse-pounding, artery-popping, pure adventure, and you leave the theater looking for the security cameras, and wondering what conspiracy is about to be foisted upon you. This is my vote for this Summer's best action movie.

The movie opens on location, in Russia, where Bourne tells his former girlfriend's brother that she was shot and killed. The action is a little slow here, but quickly builds as he tracks down a reporter in London, who's doing an expose on the project which led to his conception, with a seeming deep-seated knowledge, and potentially vital clues to his origins. He arranges to meet him in the city, eventually ending up at Heathrow. Meanwhile, 2 central figures at CIA headquarters, a man and a woman, quarrel over how to track and deal with him, and the tension between these 2 figures fuels the film, as one wants him, and anyone who aids him, dead (to protect the top-secret project, and players, that produced him), and the other wants to bring him in, alive, and with as little carnage as possible--"This is not what I signed up for." This creates "office politics" on a scale which affects "global politics," and makes for a really great film.

Bourne establishes communication with the reporter, dumping a prepaid cellphone into his pocket and giving him a call, startling him (this is classic!). Myriad forces are closing in on the reporter, but Bourne, nearby, precisely directs him to duck and weave, and points out various security personnel, who are tracking (and freaking) him (out). Bourne is taking out these guys, removed from the view of the security cameras, and befuddling the far-removed observers. At one point, Bourne spectacularly takes out 4 guys in a stairwell, and then realizes that a security camera is pointing right at him. The camera then switches to a view of the faraway observers, who's shocked pregnant pauses, and pancake wide-open eyes mirror those of the audience. "Oh, my God! It's Jason Bourne!" Their shocked expressions are almost worth the price of admission.

Bourne follows the clues to his identity, pursued by various "assets," like him, who he must elude or vaporize. He finds an unlikely ally in a young female CIA operative in Madrid, who once reluctantly pursued him, but is now being questioned by him at gunpoint--she very cooly fields his questions, and gains his confidence. CIA headquarters calls her, and she indicates that she is "OK," but that there are 4 unconscious operatives. They tell her that a backup team is on the way "in an hour." Of course, they arrive within minutes.

What happens next is sure to become a classic scene. Bourne immediately calls the police and tells them (in Spanish, of course), "I've heard shots fired. I saw some guys. I think they're American," and then quickly fires some shots of his own. Now, having had honeymooned in Spain, and also having had experienced (as well as discussed) Spaniards' hatred for Americans, I started busting up laughing in the theater--for I knew that the policia would be there "in seconds." Of course, they responded "in force," completely befuddling the backup team and giving them a "surprise pounding." The foreign squabbling that ensues gives the film some comic relief that sounds like a soccer riot-almost surreally out-of-place-as the keystone cops repeatedly tell them to "Put your hands up! Get down!" Meanwhile, back at the "ranch," the evil chief is chanting "What just happened? What just happened?" which becomes a common refrain. I can't decide which is better-this, or the stairwell scene-but that's a good thing.

The film showcases some amazing surveillance technology. The CIA uses every tool available to follow security cameras, mobilize local police and security forces, searching for and pinpointing Bourne's identity via GPS 2.0, and rather makes one feel like the term "Big Brother" forgot to be inclusive of the rest of the family (more like "Big Brethren and Big Mama Jama," or "Big Bro 2.0a"). One also finds oneself nervously leaving the theater, looking over, and behind, both shoulders, all the way to the car.

The fight scenes are beyond comparison--very realistic. I spend much of my free time getting beat up by those with even less free time (see "Mental Karate" at http://www.epinions.com/content_400116518532 ), so I can personally vouch for their realism. You feel that you are THERE, in the fight, taking hits and returning fire. You FEEL it all (great sound effects, too). The quickness with which he takes out the quad in the stairwell, as well as the protracted squabble with another asset in Morrocco, is great entertainment. In your mind, this is R-E-A-L, and I know that a lot of work and training went into this. A quick search has revealed that he did 5 months' martial arts training for "Identity" and, doubtless, much more for his resulting skills, which come off as extremely polished, in my opinion.

The on-location footage is wonderful. My wife and I have longed to return to Europe, and we found ourselves excitedly looking to recognize details in Madrid, our open-looped common point, which we could and did. And have you ever noticed how films that are supposedly set in Los Angeles (or perhaps some other major city) do not look anything like what you've seen (and I've lived all over L.A. for "over 30 years)? Of course, it's getting easier to recognize props from the Universal Studios tour, and I guess that counts as "L.A." But I digress...

This is a great film. The action meter stays on "high," after a bit of a muddled start (which includes flashbacks to his training), but it then proceeds to wrap your brain around a world outside of your own experience, and the passage of time is not palpable--you are completely engulfed. The genuineness and authenticity of Jason Bourne comes across just as clearly as the sinisterness of the evil chief and his crew; the ruthlessness of the "assets" is also clearly depicted. There is no weak acting here. It feels "real" and "real-time," as if it is unfolding somewhere in the world, and you are "there." It's also much more polished, fun, and involving than "Live Free or Die Hard," which has too many zoomed-in, close shots. Now get there and tell me what you think!

Here are a few of my other movie reviews...

"Wanted" is What U Want Nothing More. No Spoilers
The Joker is "One Sick Puppy!!!"The Dark Knight
This Movie is PERFECT for Our Times!(Iron Man)
Black Snake Moan---VERY PROVOCATIVE!
Quite a Thrill Ride, Even for Non-fans! (Transformers)
Shrek is BAAAACK!!! (Shrek the 3rd)
Part-Comedy, and Part Thriller (Hot Fuzz)
Really Fires the Imagination-National Treasure 2
The Core--A Witty and Inventive End-of-the-World Adventure!
Did You Know that P.S. Also Means Post-Supernatural?
Jet Li is the Dragon Emperor in latest Mummy Installment
Would You Be Afraid of A Bully Named "Cloverfield?" (Horror)




Recommended: Yes

Movie Mood: Action Movie
Viewing Method: Studio Screening/Premiere
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing