What no plot... Matt Damon in the Bourne Ultimatum.
For what is basically a pretty straight-up, balls-out action movie, The Bourne Ultimatum has proved to be fertile ground for both bloggers and critics. One can hardly move for people worrying about the film's casual misogyny or whether Jason Bourne could "have" that other JB, the one who likes his Martinis shaken rather than stirred, in a ruck (OK, that was me).
Reviewers have been overwhelmingly positive, even in this country, where Bourne's Matt Damon will always be fighting a losing battle against the resurgent James Bond, fresh from last year's triumphant Casino Royale. 007, of course, has American backers, and in a further twist it's The Bourne Ultimatum's British director Paul Greengrass who takes many of the plaudits for the film's success.
"There's no one around at present who organises action with more panache than Greengrass," writes Chris Tookey in the Mail. "And it's because of the movie's exhilarating, headlong pace - for Ultimatum is, essentially, one long chase - that it's easy to overlook the implausibilities of the script."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times agrees that plot considerations are largely irrelevant. "I enjoy the movies simply for what they are," he writes. "Skillful exercises in high-tech effects and stunt work, stringing together one preposterous chase after another, in a collection of world cities with Jason apparently piling up frequent-flier miles between them."
Paul Arendt of the BBC, meanwhile, has one eye on making the campaign poster. "It's a heart-pounding, merciless thrill ride that will leave you gasping for breath," he enthuses.
Finally, our Peter Bradshaw finds the whole thing "relentlessly ridiculous, and relentlessly enjoyable." He confirms: "The Bourne franchise delivers a lot more entertainment bangs for your buck than any other action picture."
What did you think of the film? Will you miss Jason Bourne if Ultimatum proves to be the last film in the franchise? Or are you ready for something new?
