Run Bourne Run

As alternative titles go, Bourne To Run isn't a bad one since Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) spends the vast majority of his time in The Bourne Ultimatum running. And running. And running. And when he isn't running, he's beating the crap out the baddies with his bare hands. And feet. And a book. Yep, it's more of the same from what Damon insists will be the final instalment in this wonderous furious and frenetic saga.

The strength of the Bourne movies has been twofold: firstly Damon who owns this role completely and has done since film one. His hitman with amnesia has strength but also vulnerability. And the contrition he started showing last time out is fully rendered here. As much as he wants to know he was, he wants redemption too.

The second key element in the Bourne series has been realism. In the action, in the stunts, in the approach to espionage. It's was no wonder that the Bond team took note. Doug Liman laid the groundwork, picked up on by director Paul Greengrass for Supremacy who amps up his customary handheld camera without losing focus on plot or action, throwing the viewer into the middle of this frenzied series of chases. Some may not like the sped of his edits but you can't deny the power of his cinematic grasp. The early sequence in London's Waterloo Station is set piece as a work of art, beautifully staged and dazzingly executed, as Bourne tries to steer Paddy Considine's journo out of danger by directing across the busy concourse. Ditto the Tangiers chase. The plot zips along with abandon, Moscow, Italy, Paris, London, Tangiers, before Bourne finally winds up in NYC, taking the fight home.

On the downside, the fact the CIA were ALWAYS after him, did get a little repetitive (both Identity and Supremacy varied the pursuit/chase scenario better) while the uncovering of his "secret" past (the tank etc) smacked a wee bit too much of Wolverine in X-Men. That said, it's a fine and fitting end to a terrific trilogy. Whether it's better than the first two, I'm not sure, but it is certainly as good.