The Bourne Supremacy

Although I found Bloody Sunday absolutely gripping, knowing his style I couldn’t imagine how Greengrass intended to approach this commercial spy thriller. He approached Bourne in his very own way and the result is a realistic glimpse of the tricky life led by a former elite agent. From the first seconds, the pace of this picture is incredible and the way he steady increases the tension is completely exceptional. Add to this the solid plot involving nothing big, “just" a personal vendetta, and in the end the vendetta isn’t really so important. Splendid camerawork and Powell’s soundtrack suck you whole into the story. The acting is splendid too, even from the taciturn Matt Damon. As a whole this is a hugely quality picture, with added flavor in the form of nice little details that you appreciate fully only when watching it again (the poster about the demonstration and subsequent use of this information, the jump that went wrong and the limping and the fact that apart from the flashback and two shots in the tunnel, Jason doesn’t use a gun, and many more). Unforgettable, gripping, and nicely innovative (trans)genre picture. Bourne has set the bar so high for Ethan and Bond that it is almost unbeatable in its genre... ♫ OST score: 5/5 (07/10/2004)

Greengrass understood it better than Liman. The only thing his authentic Bourne loses is the choreography of one brawl, but otherwise, that which in the previous film looked like treading between a dynamic and rough thriller and a clean spy film ala M:I is replaced by Paul's typical elegance and a documentary maelstrom of images. The result is Bourne, who, in addition to his identity, finds above all integrity, the missing charisma appears where Bourne-man and Bourne-soldier become one body and one personality. Damon seems to have fully inhabited the character, meaning that Bourne is a tough guy with human features, without these things contradicting each other. Magnificent car chases, suspense even during peaceful scenes, a much more civil concept and, of course, the 24-carat final Moscow chase. I would only complain about the magnificent gesture of humanity in the finale, which is a bit exaggerated, and sometimes the predictability and the holes in the logic. But otherwise Jason Bourne is starting to win me over. (14/02/2008)

Unlike the first film, the second is faster, less polished, and filmed as if it were a "live broadcast." This makes it difficult for the viewer to orient themselves with what is going on on the screen at times because they know only slightly more than Bourne - and he knows nothing... Moreover, the handheld camera shakes like a black boy in front of a group of skinheads in tense action moments - which is especially evident in the final chase through the streets of Moscow. Some may appreciate it as being authentic, but I had a bit of a problem with it. The script and acting performances are on a high level, the music is excellent, and the pace is extremely fast. Karel Roden's smaller role as a Russian oligarch is pleasing. The film forms a narrative and creative whole with the third installment, so anyone who happened to see the third one earlier will intimately recognize the style. Overall impression: 85%. (20/10/2007)

The simplest guide to return in royal style. Healthily combined hierarchy of opponents, even cooler approach and a flood of captivating and formally tousled action that has become the benchmark for every other action movie that borrowed a handheld camera. For the story, the biggest plus is definitely the cold-blooded duo Urban - Roden as a contrast to my favorite Pamela Landy. The fact that my heart rate immediately increases only when Jason appears on the street never ceases to amaze me. (23/05/2005)

The Bourne Supremacy, the second installment of the series (the third is a given considering the fantastic box office returns in the US, currently over 170 million) is awesome. The action moments such as fights, classic shootouts and car chases (don't worry, there's an absolutely amazing one at the end) are very sparing this time, basically all of them are seen either in full or hinted at in the long trailer, but that doesn't matter at all. It is a great action film in itself, which as a whole could be succinctly summed up in the phrase "Bourne searches and chases agents and agents chase Bourne”. The story picks up a lot of momentum after the opening ten minutes, giving the impression of a speeding machine that doesn't stop for a moment, and this impression is enhanced by a fantastically paced soundtrack that is a great experience to listen to on its own. I believed Matt Damon every second he was on the screen, and Karl Urban was also excellent as the icy calm killer. My only quibble would be the camera, it was a bit too shaky for my taste, but I was able to get used to it. All in all, a flawless film and one of the best of the year... And repeated viewings enhance the experience. (12/09/2004)