8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.6 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Jason Bourne dodges a ruthless CIA official and his agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.
Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy ConsidineAction | 100% |
Adventure | 75% |
Thriller | 57% |
Mystery | 19% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD/DVD)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Most sequels languish under the law of diminishing financial and creative returns, but the Bourne franchise seems to be a statistical anomaly, an action series where each new installment is somehow better, bolder, and more aptly realized than the last. And this really is saying something, as The Bourne Identity—the first in the trilogy—basically defined action films for the new millennium with its cerebral, effortlessly exciting take on the spy-versus- spy sub-genre. When director Paul Greengrass (United 93) took the reins from Identity’s Doug Liman for the sequel, The Bourne Supremacy, he introduced the much-discussed shaky-cam aesthetic, which nauseated some viewers while others praised the frenetic mirroring of style and substance. (As an aside, the nausea-inducing effect is much diminished at home on Blu-ray, no matter how big of a screen you have.) More than just a visual upheaval, however, Supremacy delves further into the shadowy world of Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne, a psychogenic amnesiac and one-time spy who’s out to collect—by whatever means necessary—the scattered puzzle pieces of his identity. This theme of self-discovery literally and figuratively comes home in the third film, The Bourne Ultimatum, which brings our impossibly skilled superspy back to where it all began—the covert government program where his personality was reprogrammed into that of a capable killer. Essentially, he’s Wolverine in X2, with elite spy training instead of adamantium claws, but just as deadly and conflicted.
You really don't want to be on the receiving end of that pistol...
With a visual experience that's quite similar to The Bourne Supremacy's, The Bourne Ultimatum's 1080p/VC-1 transfer takes the already-polished look of its predecessor and buffs it until it positively shines. From a dark, snow-covered night in Moscow to the blazing afternoon heat of a Tangier marketplace, the film's various color schemes are expertly reproduced here. The palette is appropriately muted most of the time—sleek, modern grays are in abundance—but when strong color is called for, the transfer delivers in spades. Skin tones fit nicely in that natural pocket between ruddy and pallid, and the weighty contrast gives the image a striking presence that's never diluted or washed-out. As with The Bourne Supremacy, black levels can be a bit oppressive at times—especially during the darker indoor scenes—but if my memory serves me correctly, this is exactly what the film looked like in theaters. If shadow detail is occasionally crushed, it's all in service of director Paul Greengrass' visual aesthetic, which favors a moody atmosphere over an image that's unnaturally bright. Clarity never suffers though, and Ultimatum is tack sharp throughout almost all of its runtime. Minus a few scattered soft shots, textures pop in convincing bas-relief, background detailing is striking—see the crowded Waterloo train station—and even small details, like the zipper on an assassin's jacket, seem real enough to touch. Just as importantly, compression issues and the unnecessary tinkering of DNR and edge enhancement are completely absent, leaving a fine-grained image that's sharp, clean, and believably filmic.
Likewise, if The Bourne Supremacy put your home theater system through the paces, Ultimatum's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track will have it doubled over and gasping for breath after a brutal sonic workout. The film won Oscars for Best Sound and Best Sound Editing at the 80th Academy Awards, and both the intricacy and sheer pulverizing intensity of the audio design are even better on Blu-ray. From a porcelain teacup settling gently on a saucer to the most earth-shaking, metal-rending explosion, this track is, if not always completely realistic, entirely convincing and perfectly realized. It all begins with the wall of wrap- around sound that envelops the viewer in the film's world from start to finish. Whether it's the commuter hustle of Waterloo Station, the bleeps, bloops, and keyboard strokes in the CIA situation room, gulls squawking above a chaotic Moroccan marketplace, or the hectic street sounds of New York City, this track puts you right in the middle of it all. And this is just what it sounds like when it's quiet. Add the Bourne-induced action into the mix and you've bullets pinging through the soundfield with pinpoint precision, tires squealing on the pavement, metal wrenching and glass spraying across asphalt during multi-car pileups, deafening explosions triggering massive waves of LFE output, and, of course, the exaggerated but oh so satisfying sound of Bourne pummeling his aggressors with fists that might as well be made of concrete. Somehow, within all this frenetic audio action, dialogue remains expertly prioritized, leaving no line unheard. And I haven't even touched on John Powell's brilliant score, which provides the martial pulse for the film's brisk editing, or the well-implemented impressionistic sound design of Bourne's periodic flasbacks. Crank up your receivers, Bourne fans, and prepare to be annihilated.
Commentary by Director Paul Greengrass
"I wanted to set the tempo high from the off...from the first frame I wanted the tempo to be
high." Greengrass' quiet but endlessly insightful commentary is largely concerned with the film's
pacing, and I'm not sure I've heard a better explanation of the importance of balancing action
and character in a big budget thriller. An excellent listen all around.
Deleted Scenes (SD, 12:22)
A standard assemblage of deleted scenes, most of which seem to have been cut, appropriately
enough, for pacing.
Be Bourne Spy Training
"Welcome, Covert Ops Trainee, to the Spy Aptitude Test." Here, you're shown five movie clips and
are asked to answer multiple choice questions that test your ability to visually capture
information, Jason Bourne-style.
Man on the Move: Jason Bourne (SD, 23:58 total)
Bourne is quite the jet setter, and these behind-the-scenes featurettes follow the production of
The Bourne Ultimatum through six countries. Features sections for Berlin (doubling as Moscow),
Paris, London, Madrid, and Tangier.
Rooftop Pursuit (SD, 5:39)
Camera geeks will love seeing the cinematographers operate the CableCam, a camera that's
literally mounted on a zip line. We also get to see a stuntman holding a camera and following
Matt Damon's flying leap from a rooftop and through a window.
Planning the Punches (SD, 4:59)
Joey Anseh, who plays Desh, shows off some of his capoeira moves, and stunt choreographer Jeff
Imada leads us through rehearsals for the film's big hand-to-hand fight in Tangier.
Driving School (SD, 3:23)
It wouldn't be a Bourne film without a crazy car chase or two (or three), and here we see
Matt Damon practicing his own driving stunts, like a flawlessly executed reverse 180.
New York Chase (SD, 10:46)
"New York is not a place where people do car chases," says Matt Damon, but that doesn't keep
the Bourne crew from trying—and succeeding. In this segment, we get to see all the absolutely
insane stunt work that goes into filming a grade-A chase scene.
U-Control
I'll be honest; I'm not the biggest fan of Universal's U-Control, which allows you to experience
supplementary materials while watching the film. Why? Well, mostly because I'd rather be
watching the film. But to each his own, and if you're into U-Control, you'll likely be pleased with
the various "tracks" which are offered here. "Blackbriar Files" gives us a high-techish interface
that shows info on places and people in the film, "Bourne Orientation" redundantly over-explains
plot points, and "Picture in Picture"—the only track that's really worth your time—gives us a
variety of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the director, actors, and crew members.
There's also a one-off "Volkswagon: Get More Info" segment, which provides some stats on the
Toureg V10 TDI.
BD-Live Functionality
My Scenes Bookmarking
With the reboot of the Bond franchise and the emergence of a new superspy named Jason Bourne, the '00s have been a great decade for cinematic espionage. The Bourne Ultimatum is one of my favorites among the recent crop of spy flicks, packing more thrills per minute than most other action films could hope for in an entire runtime. To put it simply: the action comes hard and fast, Paul Greengrass' direction is astute and assured, and Matt Damon is better than ever. The film also looks and sounds absolutely fantastic on Blu-ray, and comes with a generous supply of bonus features, including an excellent commentary track by Greengrass and an abundance of picture-in-picture featurettes. Highly recommended.
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