The Bourne Supremacy [Blu-ray][Region Free]

The Bourne Supremacy is one of those films where the cast and the plotting are strong enough to survive some extremely bad direction from Paul Greengrass. Former documentarian Greengrass might be overcompensating for what is in essence a pretty commonplace revenge story, but it seems far more likely that he's inadvertently done his best to sabotage his own movie by over-rationalizing each scene without realising that when they're all put together his mixture of shakeycam incomprehensibility (often in scenes where there is no emotional or narrative need for it), redundant shifts of focus, overediting and overly dark photography just makes him come across as an unimaginative Michael Bay wannabe hack rather than creating an illusion of reality or placing the audience in his amnesiac hero's confused shoes. Indeed, he's giving the audience even LESS information and frequently obscuring the action because he's forgotten that just because HE knows what's going on doesn't mean the audience will. On the plus side, this is much less of a problem on the small screen than the big screen, where motion sickness and whiplash were real possibilities, but it's still disappointing considering that one of the great joys of the original was Doug Liman's old-school direction - it was genuinely refreshing to see action scenes where the director was showing you the scene instead of drawing attention to himself after so many years of MTV incomprehensibility. After the problems on the first film, there was no possibility of Liman returning. It's just a shame they couldn't hire a competent director.With such a handicap, it's surprising that it works so very well - especially since there are few narrative surprises (you can guess the villain long before a trusting sacrificial lamb gives him a crucial piece of information at the cost of his life simply by scanning out the cast list and looking for the first likely typecast suspect to jump out at you). But then the fun of the first film wasn't what it did, but how it did it, particularly the practical ways Bourne evades and eludes his pursuers: the first car chase exists in a credible milieu, constantly thwarted by traffic jams and crowds. The film even manages to find an environment where Joan Allen's eternal humorlessness actually seems appropriate, and it's a genuine surprise that the film's climax is an emotional scene that effectively damns its hero even as he tries to unburden himself of guilt. Impressive stuff despite the problems.

Let's face it, the era of James Bond is over. It's become cliched and repetitive, with similar structured plots involving girls, a few villains and Bond himself. The Bond films are mostly all masterful classics, but they're past it and have become old-fashioned. The Bourne Series, intelligent, suspenseful thrillers, packed with action, are the new action/thriller movies that have taken the throne of James Bond.The Bourne Supremacy, the second of the two films, is the continuation of the first movie, but equally its own film. I'd never seen the first film when I saw this, but I understood it and found it easy to follow. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), an amnesiac, is living in Goa, India but his past has not fully left him. A murder in Berlin is framed on Bourne and the CIA come hot on his heels. Determined to find his identity, as well as the cause of the framing of the murder, Bourne travels from Naples across Europe.What's great about the Bourne movies is that the action is clever and realistic, not over the top in anyway like the Bonds or xXx. It's authentic and well thought out with split-second editing. The film features one of the most audacious car chases ever filmed, better perhaps than the chase in the Matrix Reloaded.Another great feature of the Bournes, apart from the action, lively cities drenched in atmosphere is that they are character driven. This film contains a supporting cast of Karl Urban as a Russian hitman, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Thomas Arana, Martin Csokas and Julia Stiles as CIA employees, as well as Franka Potente as Bourne's girlfriend. The main feature though, is Bourne himself. He's clever, multi-lingual and enigmatic and not flawless. In some ways he's nervous and in others, very ruthless. Matt Damon proves him to be an interesting character.The Bourne movies are films that, if you liked the Bonds when they were in their prime, you will love. This film is totally worth the money. Pure entertainment.

The Bourne Supremacy takes what began in the Bourne Identity and creates a thoroughly violent yet personal look at the enigmatic world of spies. In the Bourne Identity we see him struggling with his lack of memory and realising as the story progresses what it is that he is capable of. The Bourne Supremacy assumes that he has worked out his capabilities; it is his memories that are still uncertain and confused.The Bourne Supremacy establishes itself, alongside of the Bourne Identity as the definitive spy film. Not seeking to immerse itself in cheesy one-liners or unbelievable gadgets (Bond) but rather we are painted the portrait of a violent, brutal, yet human, spy.The storyline is subtly different from The Bourne Identity and it is in this film that we see Bourne really come into his own. I will not divulge plot details; you have to watch it for yourself. I can only say that this film takes what started with the Bourne Identity and carries is in the way that everyone wants it to go - it's believable.With some great action sequences, highly believable characters, an environment so vivid that you feel you are there, and most importantly of all - superb acting from the entire cast. If you liked Identity, you will love Supremacy.

Over-acted, screen play dreadful, suspension of disbelief pushed beyond limit. For a franchise that promised so much in the finale, everyone involved decided to cash in on the name. Could have been a master-piece. Sad, really.

This is the second film in the Bourne series, and jolly good it is. Jason's a retired assassin, trying to live the innocent life in India, when his past catches up with him and he goes back to his old ways to a: avenge his girlfriend and b: find out more about himself. Fast paced and with great action scenes, with more edge than Bond, and more grit than Mission Impossible. If you like your spy and action films, then this is for you.Books you might like to read Cold Steel on the Rocks We Are Cold Steel