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The Bourne Supremacy (2004) More at IMDbPro »

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168 out of 233 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent movie with a disappointing touch..., 13 February 2005

Author: Sean from United States

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.

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110 out of 155 people found the following comment useful :-
More of the same, but it's welcome, 27 December 2004

Author: The_Void from Beverley Hills, England

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...

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103 out of 151 people found the following comment useful :-
Get Ready For More Bourne!, 23 January 2005

Author: bhawkdown_1 from NJ

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.

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69 out of 108 people found the following comment useful :-
Spy Movies Haven't Been This Cool Since The '60s, 11 February 2005

Author: hokeybutt from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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.

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46 out of 71 people found the following comment useful :-
Sequels seem to be getting better every day, don't they? This is the best action film of the summer., 9 October 2004
Author: Li-1

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Rating: *** 1/2 out of ****

2004 boasted one of the better batch of summer offerings in recent memory, and The Bourne Supremacy stood tall and mighty above the rest (well, almost all, Shrek 2 was another great movie), proving that it's still possible for Hollywood to make a gripping action thriller that doesn't rely on CGI or gimmicky concepts. This film is actually superior to its predecessor (a fine film in its own right), moving at an even faster pace, delivering even more kinetically-charged action sequences, and sporting a plot that's more intriguing and rife with conflict.

Picking up two years later where the original left off, former government assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is still trotting the globe with his girlfriend Marie (Franke Potente), hoping he's put his sordid past behind him. But at the behest of a mysterious employer, a Russian hit-man (Karl Urban) tracks him down, killing Marie and leaving Bourne for dead. There are even further complications, as Bourne has been framed for the murder of two CIA operatives, thus pitting agency deputy director Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) on his trail. As Bourne tries to evade the CIA and discover the reasons for why he's been framed, past memories continue to haunt him and may even bear connection to his current dilemma.

The Bourne Supremacy is structured in much the same manner as its predecessor, giving us an anti-hero who finds himself the target in a mystery he must unravel, meanwhile trying to piece together his past. In between the expository/character scenes are heaps of slick, thrilling action scenes which, despite the familiarities in their set-ups, are more than adequate proof that martial arts battles and car chases can be exhilarating if executed with precision and a fresh eye. The Bourne Identity accomplished such a task so effortlessly I feared this follow-up would only seem like a pale imitation, but I'm glad my apprehension was unfounded. Director Paul Greengrass surpasses what Doug Liman accomplished, filming and editing almost the entire picture with relentless energy through gritty camera-work and quick edits.

Far and away the film's standout sequence is its climax. In fact, those disappointed by Identity's lack of a big action finale will find little to gripe about with Supremacy's concluding setpiece, one of the wildest, most exhaustingly thrilling and memorable car chases ever filmed. I don't usually give this much attention to just one scene, but Greengrass brings everything together perfectly during this chase through frenetic filming and editing and employing genuine automotive stunts in favor of CGI-laden crashes. Only Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead featured a more thrilling climax in any film this year.

But even with the first-rate action, what makes Supremacy such an effective thriller is Matt Damon, who provides an unconventional and even morally ambiguous but likable protagonist. Bourne is easily more intriguing than both James Bond and Ethan Hunt combined. Should the franchise extend beyond Damon's involvement, it'll be a difficult task for his successor to match his work in the past two films. The supporting cast doesn't have nearly as much to work with as Damon, but acquits themselves admirably, particularly Joan Allen (looking more attractive with each passing year) and Franka Potente.

The story admittedly boasts some questionable logic; why would Bourne bother checking into that one hotel when it'd be much easier and would draw far less attention to him if he just snuck in? I grant that his move may have been intentional, but with more risk than was necessary. I also have no idea how one of the film's villains (whose identity is a surprise) planned on getting away with that murder he committed. But on the whole, the plot is engaging and the mystery builds to a surprisingly emotionally satisfying resolution. Here's to hoping The Bourne Ultimatum can deliver just as terrific a mix of action, plot, and suspense.

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51 out of 82 people found the following comment useful :-
The Name Say It All, 10 March 2005

Author: Mr_Sensitive from THAILAND, BANGKOK

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-)

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31 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
A much more interesting, camp-free James Bond, 17 July 2006

Author: Flagrant-Baronessa from the kingdom of far, far away (Sweden)

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

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42 out of 67 people found the following comment useful :-
Entertaining but misses the point of why Identity was so good, 26 January 2005

Author: raddude-chan from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

While definitely an engaging film that had me enthralled, The Bourne Supremacy is missing a key element that made The Bourne Identity such a great action film. That element was the bold decision to kill Franka Potentate's character in the first Act of the film. In Identity, Potentate gave a nice balance of humanity to Jason Bourne's character. The contrast between the cold blooded killing tactics and the warmth and awkwardness that Damon shows in his scenes with Potentate lent great sympathy and likability to him. By eliminating Potentate, Bourne loses that important balance that instead leans towards his brutal side. To make up for it, the Director decides to add on a cheesy ending with Bourne and the daughter of his victims.

Also, by eliminating an essential character for Bourne to play against, Damon has very few lines of actual dialog. I bet if you counted the words spoken, that both Joan Allen or Brian Cox had more lines spoken than Matt Damon. It's a shame because Damon is a fine actor who shows great vulnerability despite being a stone cold killer.

Lastly, Hollywood must stop the cliché use of hand-held cameras for action films. Designed to give the audience a feeling of chaos, hand-held cameras have instead become lazy film-making. A great director doesn't need to shake the camera to create scenes of chaos. Rather, the great ones create chaos on the screen all with a stationary cameras and tracking shots without leaving the audience nauseous.

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30 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
A sequel that holds up., 2 March 2006

Author: theshadow908 from London, Ontario

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

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19 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
Greengrass's style for these kinds of movies is just perfect…, 21 December 2008

Author: ironside (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico

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…

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