The Bourne Ultimatum

Jason is back, and the bad guys are after him in The Bourne Ultimatum. He discovers that an investigative journalist, Simon Ross (Paddy Considine), has uncovered the story of him and Marie. This is very unsettling to him and he seeks out the man in London to find out who his source for the story was.

The NSA is hunting for this journalist due to his asking around about the covert operation Blackbriar. Jason is soon involved in the cat and mouse chase, which globe trots us from London to Morocco and finally to New York City.

Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) with the CIA is asked to head up the search for Jason since she knows something of his movements, and what he’s likely to do. She is a skilled leader, and doesn’t ever give up on Jason. Jason is always one step ahead of the corrupt leaders who long to capture him and silence him forever.

Noah Vosen (Michael Strathairn) is an NSA chief intent on destroying anyone that gets in the way of keeping Blackbriar secret.  Since this film was released in 2007, it has some establishing scenes close to the beginning so as to remind us of what Jason has been going through. It also would make it easier if you happened upon this film without having seen the first two. A wise choice.

Jason is having troubling flashbacks about his initiation into the world of espionage and assassination. It’s troubling to the viewer also as he is essentially tortured until his mind breaks and he becomes the soldier they envisioned. Jason was the first it is proclaimed.

Jason runs into Nicky (Julia Stiles) while in Madrid and she soon reveals her soft spot for Jason, every bit of the accomplice that Marie was, minus Jason’s love that seems to be only for Marie.

The requisite car chases and a really stunning pursuit on foot in the alleyways and buildings of Morocco involving Nicky, Jason and an assassin really take center stage for what seems like an eternity. That any of them could realistically do what these scenes depict is of course incredible; suspension of disbelief required. Jason certainly is capable of everything from hot-wiring a vehicle to using technology to his advantage. He must have a really high IQ.

Jason truly is regaining who he is, a man of conscience and someone who works for no one, only himself and what he believes to be good and right. This was a great third Bourne movie, and we are left wondering what Jason will do next.

This film won Academy Awards for Best Achievements in film editing, sound mixing, and sound editing, all well deserved. It is rated PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of action.

The following Bourne film did not feature Matt Damon as Jason, but brought us into the life of another trainee, played by Jeremy Renner. Come back tomorrow for a glimpse of the film that follows in the footsteps of Jason Bourne.