The Bourne Supremacy

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)

I liked the first Bourne, the second is great. More realistic, more exciting, more interesting, more surprising... And yet, you could say that nothing that we haven’t seen elsewhere actually happens in it, right? But the film doesn't have to culminate in a spectacular, but ultimately stupid, jump down the stairs, as in the previous film, no - one (absolutely breathtaking) car chase is enough, followed by another, completely non-action scene that takes your breath away in the same way. I believe much of the Bourne mythos would be boring and ordinary if it weren't played by such excellent actors and made by "documentary filmmaker" Paul Greengrass. (08/02/2015)

Paul Greengrass delivers a spy thriller full of modern technology, fast cuts, and perfect handheld camera work. The plot is also very fast-paced, dynamic, and above all completely unpredictable. Matt Damon is a great action hero mainly because he doesn't look like a super secret agent at first glance, so you can relate to him much better. (11/02/2005)

Paul Greengrass skillfully dismantles the idyllic ending that many criticized in the first installment, and he adds another genre label to the film – a revenge movie, along with its spy thriller elements. One cannot speak of pigeonholing when it comes to the form of this film, as it is a daring experiment in its own right, something that many established directors can only dream of achieving. Greengrass doesn't just use "handheld" cameras in action scenes, but he completely discards the use of a tripod. Thanks to his meticulous editing work, the storytelling takes on a completely different dimension compared to the first film. The gritty look of the entire film perfectly corresponds to the moods of the main protagonist, who fulfills his own tasks without a hint of emotion, tasks that his former employers, now his pursuers, are unable to comprehend. Where else can you see a positive hero beating an "innocent" girl against a wall and demanding a confession from her? Where else can the hero use a magazine to destroy not only the enemy but the entire house? The original filmmaker's experiment, which paid off multiple times for the producers, deserves one thing: To conclude the trilogy in spectacular style. (25/11/2004)

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)