Bourne review - James Bond is dead!

Post by **The Sweeney** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:31 am

Let's face it: James Bond is dead. With all respect to Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, and the other Bonds, that franchise is as stiff as one of the late author Ian Fleming's double martinis. 007 neither shakes nor stirs us. We'll admit, Monty Norman and John Barry's original Bond music still gets our blood up, but only in the nostalgic sense — the thrill is gone out of the Aston Martin DB5, M, Q Branch gadgets, Jaws and Oddjob, Miss Moneypenny, Pussy Galore and her sisters, and the other accoutrements of the too suave, too cool, too 20th-century spy. These days, sadly, even the lowliest technician has a license to kill. And amnesia — or is it unaccountability? — is the new common cold. We need an action hero to fit the times. Someone confused. Jason Bourne.

The prolific thriller author Robert Ludlum (1927-2001) wrote his three Bourne novels between 1980 and 1990 while the Cold War was still on, but all three movie versions — The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), and the brand-new The Bourne Ultimatum — reflect a type of character that almost anyone in the post-9/11, high-tech, terrorism-obsessed world can relate to. Bourne (Matt Damon), an American black-ops "rogue asset" whom we first glimpsed floating unconscious in the Mediterranean, has been deceived, abused, and discarded. He's the requisite highly trained human killing machine, yet what's left of his mind is bothered by memories, hazy recollections of his past life unsuccessfully erased by his masters. And he's determined to find out who he really is and who reduced him to his present state, and to make them pay.

Bourne isn't the first fictional spy to suffer an identity crisis, of course, but Damon, one of America's finest screen actors, brings his whole remarkable career to the role and makes Bourne the most sympathetic lone-wolf avenger in years. The boyish-faced killer, who never wears a tux or frequents casinos, struggles to make even the smallest of interpersonal connections aside from breaking people's necks. Hunted by his handlers and pursued by police everywhere he goes, Bourne desperately strains to overcome his lethal instincts and to find someone he can trust. All this happens at top speed through a string of picturesque European and Middle East locations — the Bourne movies are the prime example of travelogue-with-mayhem. The people he meets mostly disappoint him.

The Bourne Ultimatum is directed by Bourne Supremacy helmer Paul Greengrass, who also made one of 2006's best movies, the docudrama United 93 — shunned by audiences but acclaimed for its uncompromising, unadorned confrontation with real-life terror. Bourne's adventures have much of the same handheld-camera jittery feel, even though the procedural stuff is rather standard-brand. The CIA brass, intent on covering up their earlier misdeeds, form a coven of deceitful bureaucrats: David Strathairn, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn, Colin Stinton, and Joan Allen, reprising her role as Pamela Landy. She and fellow Langley spook Nicky Parsons (well played by Julia Stiles), two women agents, are the only two sympathetic characters Bourne interacts with as the action hurtles from Moscow to Turin to Paris to London to Madrid to Tangier to New York. Naturally there's no time for sex.

Key to the appeal of the Bourne franchise, aside from Damon's characterization and the superb location work, are the stunts and fights. The scenes in Tangier are especially exciting. Bourne, chased over rooftops above that hillside city's labyrinthine Medina, leaps across the narrow streets into other people's apartments and thrillingly subdues his opposite number Desh (Joey Ansah) in a long, exhausting fight in somebody's bathroom. The building-to-building chase compares very favorably to Daniel Craig and Sébastien Foucan's parkour scene in Casino Royale. That sequence, amazing as it was, required us to suspend our disbelief because the jumps seemed impossible. Bourne's stunts, on the other hand, look completely real, as do the bruises. Kudos to cinematographer Oliver Wood, editor Christopher Rouse, stunt coordinator Dan Bradley, and fight choreographer Jeff Imada. Throughout the film the CIA goons stalk their prey in crowded city streets with little concern for collateral damage to the public. The next time you read a news report about a reporter shot in London's Waterloo Station or a car bombing in Morocco, you should bear that in mind — state-sponsored terrorism is just as destructive as the rogue variety.

The English-born Greengrass is the perfect filmmaker for the Bourne series because he understands the context. His Irish political docudramas Bloody Sunday (writer and director) and Omagh (co-writer) gave us detailed portraits of violent expediency, and United 93 is one of the few 9/11 films that can withstand close examination. One of his next projects is Imperial Life in the Emerald City, a portrait of the American occupation of Baghdad, also starring Damon. We're already in line for that one. And then there's the matter of Bourne. Ludlum wrote only so many scenarios for his character, but that didn't stop 007 and it won't faze the other JB, either. Bourne, baby, Bourne.

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-08-0 ... aby-bourne

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:39 pm

Since I'm a big fan of the Bourne movies this sounds great!

True the 007 series is dead. Why not make a final film where he actually gets killed on screen?

Post by **The Sweeney** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:59 pm

Count_Lippe wrote:Since I'm a big fan of the Bourne movies this sounds great!

True the 007 series is dead. Why not make a final film where he actually gets killed on screen?

I'm a big fan too. I hope EON sit up and take note, instead of giggling away, planning more Carry On one-liners, embarrassing humour and ridiculous comedy, which we've heard nasty rumours of for the next one.

Hopefully Bourne will make Bond 22 even darker than CR.

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:47 pm

Bourne and Bond could meet!

Bourne could then destroy Bond in violent hand to hand combat scene!

agent english · Post by **agent english** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:18 pm

Count_Lippe wrote:Bourne and Bond could meet!

Bourne could then destroy Bond in violent hand to hand combat scene!

Whats the point of this post................your obviously not a genuine
Bond fan.......are you??

Post by **The Sweeney** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:25 pm

english agent wrote:
Count_Lippe wrote:Bourne and Bond could meet!

Bourne could then destroy Bond in violent hand to hand combat scene!

Whats the point of this post................your obviously not a genuine
Bond fan.......are you??

I know what he is a fan of......

posting large, obscure, random pictures!

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:39 pm

Of course I'm a Bond fan, why do you think I'm not? Would I have found this site and started posting if I'm not?

agent english · Post by **agent english** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:43 pm

Count_Lippe wrote:Of course I'm a Bond fan, why do you think I'm not? Would I have found this site and started posting if I'm not?

But where is the positive debate? arguments? alternatives? etc

Who do you want in the BOND role...........Homer Simpson.....doh???

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:49 pm

As I've said before I don't mind if they put this series to rest since I'm mostly into the old Bonds as well as other 60s spy movies.

I'm just joking a little and people get provoked

agent english · Post by **agent english** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:01 pm

I think the series will continue for sometime yet, it keeps adapting to
the current times..............but as you have mentioned i dont think it
will ever capture the magic from the mid sixties.........i mean its not
a new fad now is it.............no matter who plays the lead role.

I think the series will always do well...........but not ever again reach the
blockbuster limits of say Thunderball in 1965 when it grossed an equivalent of around $400 mil at the US boxoffice alone.

Count_Lippe · Post by **Count_Lippe** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:38 pm

Yeah, Thunderball was the peak of 60s Bond-mania!

Post by **carl stromberg** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:09 pm

When I first started reading The Sweeney's first post at the top I thought it was his thoughts - then I realised it was an article. (You put the link at the bottom!).

Bond is a much stronger brand than Bourne and will endure. I think the author of the article was just trying to come up with a little twist for his review.

The Bourne films are very fresh and entertaining but I don't think they can make many more, especiallly as Damon is leaving after the third one.

I'm a big fan too. I hope EON sit up and take note, instead of giggling away, planning more Carry On one-liners, embarrassing humour and ridiculous comedy, which we've heard nasty rumours of for the next one.

It's a topic for another thread, but I think Eon will slip back into their usual style of Bond film - the Brosnan Bond team are still there. This time Brosnan won't be there to carry for the film - for those who like "Carry On" Bonds like me!

Post by **The Sweeney** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:01 am

carl stromberg wrote:It's a topic for another thread, but I think Eon will slip back into their usual style of Bond film - the Brosnan Bond team are still there. This time Brosnan won't be there to carry for the film - for those who like "Carry On" Bonds like me!

If they dare to venture down that dark, nasty road of slapstick comedy and gadgets again, then I'm washing my hands of the franchise!!

poirot · Post by **poirot** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:59 pm

I think Bourne will end up being to the 00's (ironically) what Bond was to the 60's. It will certainly be regarded as one of the best action trilogies of the decade.

Bond is the bigger brand thanks to its 40+ year history, but Bourne changed the genre (including Bond). It's much like 1999: The Phantom Menace broke all kinds of records, but it was The Matrix that made everyone rethink their approach to special effects and science fiction.

Post by **Skywalker** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:14 am

The Sweeney wrote:
carl stromberg wrote:It's a topic for another thread, but I think Eon will slip back into their usual style of Bond film - the Brosnan Bond team are still there. This time Brosnan won't be there to carry for the film - for those who like "Carry On" Bonds like me!
If they dare to venture down that dark, nasty road of slapstick comedy and gadgets again, then I'm washing my hands of the franchise!!

I dare you EON.

Post by **007** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:34 pm

poirot wrote:I think Bourne will end up being to the 00's (ironically) what Bond was to the 60's. It will certainly be regarded as one of the best action trilogies of the decade.

Bond is the bigger brand thanks to its 40+ year history, but Bourne changed the genre (including Bond). It's much like 1999: The Phantom Menace broke all kinds of records, but it was The Matrix that made everyone rethink their approach to special effects and science fiction.

That's a good point. I think the Bourne films p*** on the current Bond films from a great height but Bond still has a huge PR push and an indestructible brand name.

Post by **bjmdds** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:26 am

The Sweeney wrote:
carl stromberg wrote:It's a topic for another thread, but I think Eon will slip back into their usual style of Bond film - the Brosnan Bond team are still there. This time Brosnan won't be there to carry for the film - for those who like "Carry On" Bonds like me!
If they dare to venture down that dark, nasty road of slapstick comedy and gadgets again, then I'm washing my hands of the franchise!!

Funny Sweeney, I kind of feel that way now.