The Bourne Supremacy (2004) User Reviews

More of the same, but it's welcome

[The_Void · 8/10 · 27 December 2004]

The Bourne Identity was one of those films that some people will love for being different to the average action film, but others will hate for it daring to be 'too' different. Unlike the majority of action movies before it, the first Bourne film, despite having stunts and explosions never put it's emphasis on them, as the focus was always on the central characters and their use of brains, rather than brawn to accomplish their goals. The sequel is basically more of the same, but it's a welcome return in my opinion, as cinema needs films that are different to the majority. It's also a good thing as I'm a big fan of Matt Damon. It's unfair that he should continue to get lumped in with Ben Afleck due to their friendship as he has a lot of talent and I think that the fact he's gone for more art orientated films as opposed to the dumb blockbusters his friend was drawn to like a moth to the light shows that he has a genuine respect for cinema. He stars as the title character; Jason Bourne, who, like the film itself is hardly your average action fare. He doesn't utter one liners shortly before or after blowing someone away, nor does he spend most of the movie trying to look cool; espionage is the order of the day and it works very well in the context of the film.

Because it's plot heavy, The Bourne Supremacy requires the viewer to watch, and the large amount of talking goes some way to distancing this from most other action movies. However, this could also be seen as a bad point as it can, at times, hinder the movie in the excitement stakes and make it difficult viewing for those that do like their action. The movie spans across Europe to a number of different countries including Germany, Britain, France and Russia and this keeps it exciting as it allows the landscape of the movie to change constantly and the film doesn't dwell in the same area. In fact, the film is very efficient on the whole and it never overindulges in anything, which compensates for the amount of talking and allows it to be exciting. Despite it being more stealthy than most, time is still found for a number of high-octane sequences including fist-fights, explosions and a great car chase that looks as if it could have been lifted straight out of Grand Theft Auto.

Overall, I would say that this is a slightly lesser film than the original, but there is still much to like about it and fans of Bourne will no doubt enjoy themselves. It's also recommended if you're sure that every action movie since 1988 is a Die Hard clone...

Greengrass's style for these kinds of movies is just perfect

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 8/10 · 21 December 2008]

Bourne is an intelligent guy… He's not Bond who relies on potential gadget…He has that cleverness to think on his feet, improvise, make up a plan, and execute it with unbelievable talent, using nothing but what's in front of him…

Matt Damon has got all the Bourne elements—great actions, really cool ability, a great sense of immaculate timing and a little bit of understanding thrown in too… Demon's instincts are profound where the given character is actually very gloomy…

Jason Bourne—an ex-CIA agent infused with violence, is a man who's killed people in cold blood…And yet you feel he's at war with himself… Jason, is above all, emotionally truthful…That's what director Paul Greengrass have done here…It's that feeling of realism, of truthfulness…

The car chase is magnificent… It is about desperation… Jason has got to get to his young woman's apartment to say sorry… That was his only aim in that moment…

Joan Allen brings that cool, cerebral intelligence to the part of Pamela Landy… She's a worthy opponent for Bourne…

"The Bourne Supremacy" takes us to real places in Europe like Berlin where the East-West conflict was focused; to Moscow, a place of uncertainty and peril and good fortune and to Goa, India's most charming of state capitals

Good Thriller Ruined By Bad Camera

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 1 December 2015]

When Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.

Paul Greengrass is a mystery to me. He has a nice script, a solid cast, and can make these great spy thrillers. We are now (as of 2015) up to the fifth Bourne movie. But he has this weird obsession with making his camera shake. I could blame the cinematographer, but I think Greengrass likes this. And it makes no sense to me. Even when characters are standing still, talking, the camera wiggles. Why? One thing that makes this a better film than its predecessor is the decreased role for Julia Stiles. No disrespect to Stiles. I loved her in the 1990s with "10 Things" and "Wicked", but she is not a great actress.

A sequel that holds up.

[theshadow908 · 8/10 · 2 March 2006]

In The Bourne Supremacy, Jason Bourne is living a secret life with his girlfriend Marie, still trying to discover who he is. When he is framed for a crime involving the CIA, a hit-man is sent to kill him. This causes Jason Bourne to respond to a previous threat he made...Anybody from his past life that confronted him, he'd get revenge. He sets out to find out what happened and why he's being blamed.

A lot of the principal players return for this sequel, and it's good to see how their characters evolved since the first film. Some new characters are present as well, and they are good additions to the series. Matt Damon is even better as Bourne this time around, seeing as he's comfortable in the role now. I really enjoyed Joan Allen in her role as well.

The movie never gets too boring, and there is a nice blend between the action and the drama. This movie also features one of the best car chases since Bullitt. The only big flaw is the cinematography. The camera whips around so fast in some scenes that you can barely see what's going on. The movie ends with promise of a third installment, and I personally can't wait.

8/10

A much more interesting, camp-free James Bond

[Flagrant-Baronessa · 8/10 · 17 July 2006]

The Bourne series are, without a doubt, the Bond films of the 21st century. What is even better is that they are the Bond we've been waiting for: one without the cheese, sleaze, camp predictable villains and cheap puns. This second installment in the series is a well-made, engaging adrenaline-booster and surprisingly every bit as good as The Bourne Identity.

Once again, we get to follow Matt Damon as Jason Bourne on the search for his lost identity. He had initially planned on putting his past behind him, but it sneaks up on him in the form of an assassination attempt in Thailand - while he is enjoying his life with Marie (Franka Potente). What I love about Franka Potente is that she is such a natural beauty and not in-your-face gorgeous like Bond girls and the like. It all fits with the low-key style of the film.

This film has mostly moved away from the flashy technology and violent showdowns of its fellow action-thrillers. Bourne Supremacy instead moves back to more traditional kinds of action, just like The Bourne Identity did. Its focus is the chase, not the confrontation or the gadgets. It is extraordinarily refreshing to see an action film like this, even more when it accomplishes everything it sets out to do and has so much brains.

The only minus to The Bourne Supremacy is its shaky, dizzying camera-work. I know a lot of people have complained about this, and usually I would disagree because this kind of cinematography can be a good thing, but it goes slightly overboard in the film at several points.

8/10

The Name Say It All

[Mr_Sensitive · 8/10 · 10 March 2005]

Oh man, I say The Bourne Supremacy is much more thrilling than the first one. The first one was like an introduction of Bourne and now since we know the character, it is left with solid story and thrilled feeling after watching.

The story follows after the first installation; Bourne fight back after being framed by the Russian mob and now the CIA is after him.

What can I say; this is better than Bond series, with all the actions, sophisticated car chase scenes, the cat and mouse chase and the tactic between the killing machine and the world biggest organization. The soundtrack is also great.

This is brilliant movie, somewhat surpass my expectation. I thought it is like a B grade but this is definitely an A.

Recommended.

Rating: 8/10 (Grade: A-)

Lots To Like - A Great Sequel!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 10 October 2005]

An outstanding sequel to "The Bourne Identity," this movie has a lot of what I like: interesting European scenery, an involving storyline of a man being pursued throughout the film; fun action scenes and very little profanity. Plus, some great actors. Man, there's a lot to like in this film!

At first, I was a bit lost. It helps to know the first movie in which the "hero" is an ex-CIA agent who, having lost his memory, doesn't recall who he is and why he is being hunted down by friend and foe alike. There are a few great car chases scenes in here but some of the other action stretches credibility as there is no way "Bourne" could elude his captors as he did several times here...but it's fun to watch anyway.

The herky-jerky camera style may put some viewers off but after I adjusted to it, I didn't mind. It kind of added to the hectic pace of the story. Matt Damon is very good in the lead and Brian Cox is an effective "bad guy," easy to dislike. Karl Urban, a new face, also is interesting as the Russian hit man, even though he has only a few lines.

The is one of the few films ever to have Moscow as one of the location sites. In fact, this Bourne two-part series so far is a like at travelogue. Here in the sequel, we see India, Italy ,Germany and Russia.

Wonderful entertainment, especially if you are paranoid!

Very much a worthy sequel, every bit as good as 'The Bourne Identity'

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 19 June 2017]

'The Bourne Identity' was a very pleasant surprise, giving a fairly well-worn genre a much needed freshness. It had its imperfections, but was a very solid and even very good film with much to recommend and introduced a cast-against-type Matt Damon in one of his best roles.

It is up for debate as to whether 'The Bourne Identity's' first sequel 'The Bourne Supremacy' is better or weaker. To me, both films are about equal with a couple of improvements at the same time being achieved in 'The Bourne Supremacy'. 'The Bourne Supremacy' may lack the freshness that most of 'The Bourne Identity' had, in terms of basic structure it's a little samey if not exactly routine. The editing, using the shaky camera technique that tends to not sit well with me, does have instances where it does get a bit dizzying and too much. Really didn't like how underused Franka Potente, who brought such a great gutsiness in 'The Bourne Identity' and her and Damon's chemistry doesn't have the chance to register.

As aforementioned, along the way there are improvements. The supporting cast have more rounded and better developed characters, with the actors having more to do. The final act in 'The Bourne Supremacy' is more cohesive, more consistent and less cliché-ridden than 'The Bourne Identity' got towards its end. There is also even more substance and emotion thanks to more emphasis on that and the plotting characterisation than the more action-packed (but still intelligent and exciting) 'The Bourne Identity'.

Visually, like 'The Bourne Identity', 'The Bourne Supremacy' looks slick and stylish with even more breath-taking locations. The editing and camera-work are not perfect, but mostly the technique did intensify the intensity and atmosphere and didn't make anything incomprehensible, some of it is used more artfully than most times shaky cam is used (too often abused to excessive lengths). When it was a problem it wasn't constant and more than not there wasn't a problem. And this, and in no way is this intended to sound superior or conceited, is coming from an epileptic.

Music score is even more dynamic, atmosphere enhancing and more layered this time round, while Paul Greengrass' drama-documentary style and background to his directing is used to full advantage. The script has more prominence here, and is sharp and intelligent without being too talky in a more script and plot heavy instalment. The story is exciting and thrilling with relentless pacing, poignant and dark emotion and with nothing too hard to follow.

Despite less of an emphasis the action is very diverting and choreographed and performed beautifully. The final action sequence and the subway scene have a real adrenaline-rush quality, and in no way does the action strain credibility or get too bombastic while still delivering splendidly on the fun and thrills to edge-of-your-seat effect.

All the characters engage and are interesting, with Bourne well-established in development and the supporting cast have more to do and in general are better utilised. Matt Damon continues to impress in a departure role that proves to be one of his best. In support, Joan Allen steals every scene she's in and Brian Cox is given room for more menace and dimension this time. Karl Urban is chillingly cold-blooded. Only the underusing of Potente disappoints in this particular element.

All in all, a worthy sequel that is just as good (on the same level pretty much) as its very good predecessor. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Perhaps the Best Film of the Franchise

[caseynicholson · 9/10 · 15 August 2016]

I'm making my way back through the "Bourne" movies so I can go see "Jason Bourne" which is in theaters now. Last night I watched "The Bourne Supremacy". While it's been a while since I've seen "Ultimatum", I think "Supremacy" may be the best film in the franchise series.

There's quite a bit to like about this movie. In it we find that Jason Bourne is still struggling with amnesia in the wake of the events of "The Bourne Identity". As the film opens we find that he's making a life for himself far away from the eyes of the CIA, only to be framed by a foreign body such that he winds up on the run from the US government once more. The plot revolves around his attempt to clear his name and bring those responsible for the setup to justice.

Unlike the first movie, this film is more re-watchable in that whereas once you've seen the original film you pretty much know where it's going, the "Supremacy" is a new chapter that stays fresh even on multiple views. In other words, it's hard to forget the gist of the first movie's plot and its eventual outcome--but the "Supremacy" takes the basic concept of the franchise and crafts a tale that could have been told as any chapter in the series. If you've not seen it in a few years, you'll likely find yourself just as engrossed in it upon a second viewing as you were the first go around.

I also find that this film just simply has the best plot of the series, and has a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. New characters are introduced that make the film fun and exciting, and by the end of the show you feel like you've got your money's worth.

That said, I've given this movie 9/10 stars. I stop short of the perfect 10/10 simply because this is a sequel that a person might be a bit lost on without having seen the first movie. That, and while it's fantastic, it's fantastic in a way that just seems to fall a teensy bit short of iconic in the way that a perfect 10 might. Still a superb movie, though. Extremely well done.

Excellent movie with a disappointing touch...

[imstencil · 7/10 · 13 February 2005]

I was torn while watching Bourne Supremacy. I'll just go ahead and say this before I mislead. I loved this movie! Unfortunately one key aspect just about dragged this film under the water. The camera was far too unstable. It was obviously done intentionally by design choice, but it was excessively overdone. Through action scenes that had you at the edge of your seat, you'd just come to realize that you were only trying to see what the heck was going on. This made these scenes a little hard to enjoy. But not only was it the action scenes; even during quiet still scenes the camera would always seem to be moving, and eventually was giving me a headache. Just to serve as a warning, it's pretty much like that throughout most of the movie, so brace yourself for an adventure of epileptic proportions.

-- However -- The acting was close to brilliant in my opinion. I don't think the casting for Jason Bourne gets any better than Matt Damon because he fits the part perfectly. The rest of the cast all pretty much played their parts well, so I am pleased to announce that there aren't any exceptionally bad actors or actresses. In addition of the immersive storyline, it created a much enjoyable film. For a sequel, this actually surprised me because I enjoyed this movie as much as I did the first. If you're into action flicks, this definitely will not bore you. If you liked the first movie, then you'll most likely be very pleased with the conclusion.

I wish I could see the action

[jdondale · 6/10 · 23 April 2022]

Decent film, even if it is weakest entry of the original Bourne trilogy. I'm sure the action scenes were well choreographed too, but it's too bad the cameraman was having constant seizures everytime they happened.

I have never seen a film with so much shakey cam before aside from maybe The Blair Witch. It's so bad I actually felt nauseous at times. By the end I found myself picking up my phone whenever the action started as I knew I wouldn't see it anyway.

But the story isn't bad, so there's that.

Monkey-cam a.k.a shaky-cam

[conradfernandez · 1/10 · 21 July 2019]

Movie goers should stick together and punish all movies made with monkey-cam (shaky-cam) by giving a 1-star rating. This movie is nothing but endless chases using monkey-cam (shaky-cam) and every scene lasted for about 2 seconds. Very disgusting. Does this review contain spoilers? There is nothing to spoil here. The shaky-cam spoilt the movie.

Get Ready For More Bourne!

[bhawkdown_1 · 10/10 · 23 January 2005]

The Bourne Supremacy is the sequel to the successful Bourne Identity spy thriller. This movie, directed by a new director, is given a different yet extremely exciting feel to it. The casting is still great, with Matt Damon bringing a deadpan portrayal to the Bourne character. Hes very good in this role, which commits a great success to the whole of the movie. Supporting players Brian Cox and Julia Styles, along with newcomer Joan Allen, all provide stellar support for Bourne. The action is intense and really well done, and the plot is thrilling and will surprise you quite a bit. The camera-work is extremely fast paced, and overall it has a gritty, captivating style. With all of these elements together, you got one great action thriller that in many cases even surpasses Identity! Movies like this are hard to come by, in todays times with many action pictures that just don't work and become tedious. Ill give this near perfect- *** and 1/2 outs 4 Star's- definitely see The Bourne Identity before this- don't fret: you will be very entertained.

Born to be Bourne, but no supreme direction

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 26 July 2004]

Greetings again from the darkness. I am a huge fan of the first Bourne movie and am now throughly convinced that Matt Damon was truly born to be Bourne. He has always appeared uncomfortable with being an actor (and definitely with being a movie star), so playing Jason Bourne is the perfect match. Bourne is uncomfortable, though, exceptional in most situations whether kicking the crap out of airport security or driving a cool little jeep through the streets of India. Bourne #2 delivers this exciting character into a world where both sides are against him - even his own side.

What this one lacks is a great script and professional direction. Director Paul Greengrass seems clueless on shooting action scenes and we rarely know if we are looking at a kneecap, hubcap or ballcap. He seems intent on being stylish rather than capturing the essence of the action. This story was "based" on Ludlum's character and the story lacks any real spice. We know where it is headed the first time we see the meeting room with Joan Allen (at her usual ice queen level) and Brian Cox (delivering the best line in the movie - "puddle"). Franka Potente returns as Bourne's babe, though her screen time and lines are far too limited. On the other hand, Julia Stiles gets just enough with her 6 minutes. Karl Urban is an uber-cool bad guy, but of course, this is Matt Damon's film all the way. Some great scenery shots of the world's great cities, but alas, the direction and screenplay prevent this from being all it can be.

Good sequel, but the camerawork is nauseating

[jimbo-53-186511 · 6/10 · 14 May 2023]

Jason Bourne once again finding himself on the run and having to rely on his training and skills to survive after he is framed for murder.

Given that the first film was about Bourne trying to piece his life back together and find out his true identity, the first film was always going to have more of a sense of intrigue about (it was a chase picture as well so it also had the suspense and fast-pace). Supremacy is still successful, but is slightly in the shadow of Identity.

To be fair to Supremacy, it does still have enough pace, incident and narrative content to make it enjoyable, but it doesn't offer much that wasn't seen in the first film and without the other strand of Bourne trying to figure out who was it lacks the fun of putting the jigsaw together that was offered in the first film.

The cast are good though with a lot of good performances from a solid and reliable cast. The direction is slick and pacey, but once again the film trips itself up with the awful camera work (It wasn't great in the first film, but it seemed to be even worse second time around). This becomes a bigger problem in the fight scenes as half the time you can't problem see what is going on, who has the upper hand etc which takes away some of the enjoyment value within the film.

Supremacy is a solid 7 out of 10 all day long, but loses a star for the unbearable camera work.

Superior Action Film...

[pied · 8/10 · 12 September 2004]

This is a superior action film with the added bonus of good acting by Joan Allen, Matt Damon, and Karl Urban among others. The camera work is amazing.

I especially liked the on-locale settings of Russia and Germany.

Jason Bourne is a walking CIA specimen whom the agency deems to dangerous to live. Not all the facts are known about some mysterious murders in Berlin but Jason Bourne is suspected. You know his idyllic life on a remote island will be blown from the first.

How this all is resolved takes the viewer on a non-stop chase through various foreign countries.

Good flick!

Spy Movies Haven't Been This Cool Since The '60s

[hokeybutt · 7/10 · 11 February 2005]

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (3+ outta 5 stars) Nifty follow-up to "The Bourne Identity", one of the best action-thrillers to come out in recent years. Even though these movies don't skimp on excitement they also provide plenty of story and character development so that you don't feel you're being bombarded with one idiotic action sequence after another. The storyline isn't quite as gripping as the first... at times it seems to be just repeating itself... but ultimately the movie proves itself to be a worthy successor, thanks to the performances (Matt Damon as Bourne, Brian Cox as the head of a super-secret US spy agency... and the addition of Joan Allen as a determined investigator determined to track down and neutralize Bourne). Franka Potente doesn't have as much to do this time around... but Julia Stiles gets one especially intense scene that shows off her acting skills to the max. Yes, when you get right down to it the movie has a sense of "been there, done that" about it... but not very often are movies of this type done with this kind of skill and dedication... spy movies haven't been this cool since the '60s.

One of my all-time favourite thrillers

[Leofwine_draca · 10/10 · 12 December 2015]

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY takes up where the first film left off, offering a much more rounded movie which easily surpasses the first. Whereas the first film's strength lay in the many action set-pieces which proved that modern Hollywood films could still offer originality and excitement, the sequel focuses on the emotions of the dwindling cast, investing each character with believable motives and a real humanity. The result is a film which offers both top-notch action and drama at the same time, making it THE film of 2004.

Matt Damon is far better than in the first film, his Bourne a grieving, violent ex-assassin with a heart this time. The supporting cast members, both old and new, are great as well; Joan Allen as the government chief of operations is good value whilst Brian Cox has material to work with this time. Best of all is relative newcomer Karl Urban, who is quite excellent as the Russian assassin on Bourne's trail, as good a killer as Bourne himself. The film really excels in the camera-work and direction, offering surprise after surprise to make you jolt in your seat and the biggest surprise is how adept director Paul Greengrass is at delivering excellent action and thrills.

The opening chase is breathlessly exciting whilst the closing cat-and-mouse game, both on foot and by car, is quite simply the best I've watched. Realism is spot-on and the lack of computer effects – all stunts were performed by Damon, and 'really happened' – make it feel all the more true-to-life. The script offers one or two neat twists and overall the film has a feeling of originality and edginess that so many others lack. A real winner of a movie and one I've watched time and again, enjoying it 100% in each instance.

Outstanding follow-up and with a similar premise to original movie

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 1 October 2004]

Bourne (Matt Damon) on holidays with his girlfriend (Franca Potente) in Goa are interrupted by a nasty killer (Karl Urban). Jason Bourne will have to return Berlin to solve two murders that he's framed . Jason will confront Cia chiefs (Joan Allen and Brian Cox) and he's only helped by a beautiful agent (Julia Stiles).

In the film there are shootouts , emotion , suspense ,thrills , driving car pursuits and from start to finish the noisy action is unstoppable. The movie is longtime , two hours and some , though is neither tiring, nor boring , but entertaining ; it's fast-moving and packs a lot of bemusement. Matt Damon interpretation is excellent as a hard and strong spy without identity . The ¨contender¨ Joan Allen is perfect as a cold Cia principal , as well as Brian Cox , and Franca Potente has a little role and she scarcely plays.

The picture bears remarkable resemblance to first installment , as action as storyline . Adequate cinematography by Oliver Wood in semi-documentary style and steadicam and there are several locations : Naples , London ,Moscow ,New York . Unlike The Bourne Identity: Bourne case (2002), screenwriter Tony Gilroy read the book this time and claimed that he did a re-imagination, not an adaptation, of the novel. Gilroy wrote an original script using key elements and roles from the novel as a framework, though he replaced the traditional Carlos The Jackal-type villainous with Kirill. The motion picture was well directed by Paul Greengrass ,though it has likeness to the first entry . Producer Frank Marshall selected Paul Greengrass as director after he'd seen Paul's Bloody Sunday (2002). Marshall was after a filmaker who wasn't intrinsically associated with the action genre, feeling that Greengrass would impart an original spin of his own to the screenplay . Greengrass became a great director of action and thriller movies, such as United 93 , Green Zone , Captain Phillips , 22 july . Followed by Bourne Ultimatum , 2006 , with Julia Stiles , David Strathairn Scott Glenn , Paddy Considine , and Jason Bourne 2016 with Matt Damon , Alicia Vikander ,Tommy Lee Jones , Vincent Cassel .The movie will appeal to thriller fans and suspense lovers . Rating:6,5/10 Good.

Bourne To Be Riled

[Spondonman · 8/10 · 16 February 2014]

This was an excellent sequel to the Identity, just as smart and swift and only slightly spoilt by the shaky camera technique so approved of by the gamer generations.

Trained assassin in hiding in Asia with partner has to re-engage to find out why his previous employers are apparently gunning for him again. This involves a tortuous and complicated trail of hide and seek and destroy across Europe, from Naples to Berlin to Moscow. And imho it is complex – I was hoping to do something else as well as watch this, some hope! It looked bloody chilly in Moscow, how artists suffer. With concentration turned up there's plenty to savour: the marvellous brevity, endless bone-crunching fight scenes, non-cartoon car chases and explosions, the overall sense of realism. It was the realism and the way everything that happened seemed fresh and immediate that helped me through a convoluted plot unflinching to the sharp and well-judged ending. Nearly two hours went West so fast! I still prefer films to be unshaken and stirring, but it's worth putting up with this pretentious angle of the otherwise excellent camera-work for some decent entertainment.

As Good As The First One

[destinylives52 · 8/10 · 21 August 2016]

Matt Damon returns for the second of the "Bourne" movies in "The Bourne Supremacy." Living in India with his girlfriend (played by Franka Potente), Damon's worst fears comes true when he is pursued by a secret agent (Karl Urban). Believing it is the CIA out to kill him, Damon takes the fight to them, unaware that Urban works for a rich, Russian businessman who wants Damon dead to tie up loose ends that began in the first movie. Complicating matters is that Urban has framed Damon for the deaths of a few CIA agents. With two groups out to kill him, Damon not only has to fight to stay alive, he has to figure out why he is being targeted for termination and by who. Although "Supremacy" has a new director, the feel of the first movie carries over to this one — in other words, if you liked "Identity," you will like "Supremacy." Fast pacing, frenetic action, a likable hero, and a new revelation of Damon's past all lead to a very entertaining movie. My most memorable, movie moment of "The Bourne Supremacy" is the scene when Damon fights another Treadstone agent. The fight is raw, brutal, and nasty — something "Bourne" fans have come to expect.

Mannysmemorablemoviemoments

Great follow up to the first outing

[mjw2305 · 8/10 · 27 December 2006]

This Story picks up where the first left off, after trying to start over with his girlfriend and after putting his violent past behind him, he manages to escape an attempt on his life from an unknown enemy. Jason Bourne is back and he must unravel the mystery that surrounds his past.

With more action than the first movie, The Bourne Supremacy is both intriguing and thrilling, with great fights scenes, car chases and stunts; all of which are realistically carried out.

If you enjoyed the first film, this one will definitely not disappoint; it is simply more of the same winning formula and a must see for fans of the first film, or indeed fans of the genre.

8/10

Stillbirth.

[rmax304823 · 1/10 · 12 June 2005]

Few sequels are as good as the original, but this one is really pretty bad, distilling out of the first version everything that was good and simply throwing it away, then adding some stuff that makes it almost impossible to watch..

Take the title. "The Bourne Identity" actually had meaning. There was a question driving the movie -- just who IS this amnesic guy? Even the name "Bourne" added a bit of symbolic weight. This one is called "The Bourne Supremacy." Supremacy in what endeavor? And why supremacy? Why not just superiority? Or even equality? "The Bourne Equality?" I guess not.

No one could fault the performers, who in other environments have been more than adequate. Matt Damon was good as Mister Ripley, and superb as the guilt-ridden junkie in "Courage Under Fire." Joan Allen, as always, projects a curious but appealing mixture of fortitude and femininity. Nobody else in the movie counts for much.

The plot is more or less dismissible. Bourne is set up and then pursued by some corrupt inner circle of CIA officials and Russians. It has something to do with the privatization of Russian oil, but it all boils down to one long chase.

What really dismembers the movie is the direction and the editing. If you can imagine Oliver Stone on meth, you'll get the general picture.

There is, first, a terrible imposition of directorial self display during some scenes. A blurry step-motion murder. A zapped up memory flashback in negative. But that in itself wouldn't be so awful. The problem is that it never stops.

The camera seems to be ataxic. I can't remember a single scene in which it held still. It wobbles pointlessly all over the place or it focuses on some unimportant object like a venetian blind while the action takes place elsewhere, as if the director had been weaned on MTV or one of those TV commercials for a brokerage firm or a toothpaste whitener. ("I was afraid to smile in public until I discovered Dentabrite with Endorphin.") Let me give an example. Jason Bourne is doing some library research. He's reading microfiche of newspaper items in Russian and English and turns up some important information. The camera shows us the articles and the associated photographs -- but it WOBBLES so we can't read anything. There are dozens of ways of giving a viewer the gist of a story without asking him or her to read the details of the article. Erroll Morris showed us one effective way -- just hold the camera on the header. But this aimless wavering is positively irritating.

The editing is equally poor. Every change of scene seems to be a cut, not a dissolve. And the cuts come fast and thick -- say every few seconds. Objects zoom aimlessly in and out of focus. And the director is given to lightning-quick pans, often past unidentifiable dark objects.

If the direction and editing are a major problem during most of the movie, they turn into insurmountable obstacles during action scenes. A furious mano a mano shows us one-second glimpses of a fist here, a foot there, a knife skittering along the floor, a window breaking. The obligatory car chase comes towards the end, with the possible novelty of having been actually filmed in the gray streets and tunnels of Moscow, but the promise is unfulfilled. Each shot lasts a second or so and gives us mostly details -- Bourne's grimace at the wheel of his speeding taxi, a pistol being fired by somebody whose identity we must guess, cars chasing cars chasing cars chasing a car -- the movie should have been called "Chasing Sanbourne." (That was a wretched play on words. Can I take it back?)

You know why the original "Bourne Identity" was above average, at least in my humble opinion? It had a better plot, for one thing. We were as interested as Bourne himself in finding his identity. For another thing, it had a developing relationship between Bourne and the girl (Famke Potente) whose car he hires. For another, there was violence, but it was not done to the viewer. The fights were unexpected, brutal, and staged in such a way that we could follow the events. And finally, the original gave us a chance to breathe between the zaps, an opportunity to learn something about the characters and their situations, about the kinds of music they listen to on a car radio.

All of that -- and more -- is missing from this meretricious attempt to make a few bucks by tapping into the inelastic demand of an audience of viewers whose heads are as empty as their intolerance of boredom is great. I don't mean to cast aspersions on people who may have enjoyed this movie more than I did, just on the people who assembled it with that audience in mind.

About as good as the first

[echozdog · 8/10 · 29 November 2004]

The first movie left the plot of the book about half way through the movie. I only read about 1/4 of the second book, but it looks like they didn't follow much of it all. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The story picks up 2 years later and Jason and Marie are hiding out in India. Jason has been framed (like the book only it's a different murder) and also targeted for kill by the guy who framed him (I'm not sure why they decided to frame him and then kill him..). Anyway the movie takes off when he goes into Bourne mode and kicks but doing his super spy stuff (which is the best parts of the movie). The must have been problems shooting the chase scenes because the dam camera jumping all over the place was driving me nuts. Hey may say it's for dramatic effect, I say it's because if you don't shoot the scene well you can't be edit it into a dramatic one. I don't know. Anyway the plot was good and the character Pamela Landy reminds me of Harvey Keitel in Thelma and Louise. I suppose they will complete make a new plot for the next movie and call it the "Bourne Ultimatum" and not follow any of the third book. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 8/10 (would have been 9/10 if the chase scenes were not so camera jumpy).

Fans of Identity won't be Disappointed,

[lesleyharris30 · 8/10 · 25 November 2014]

The Bourne Supremacy is a brilliant movie with a very well developed storyline and a fantastic cast.Matt Damon is back and as great as ever in his second outing as Jason Bourne,and his acting is very inspired and you don't feel like he did this sequel for the paycheck any bit.Fans of the first movie,Bourne Identity,certainly won't be disappointed,it's just as good,if not better.Idenity had a lot of scenes that were very calm and consisted of pretty lengthy dialogue,this didn't bother me but I liked that this movie was pretty much action and suspense all the way through,it kept me excited and at the edge of my seat.My only problem with Supremacy in comparison to Identity is that Bourne is not as likable,there are several scenes,particularly towards the end,where he comes across as a simply bad person,which at times was difficult since we are suppose to support this character,but it wasn't a huge issue.Action packed and intense,the Bourne Supremacy is very enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great action or thriller.

Jason Bourne is once again forced to take up his former life as a trained assassin when a CIA operation goes wrong.

Best Performance: Matt Damon