The Bourne Ultimatum

This is the best action movie of the summer.

Don’t think this is hyperbole, either. The movie is a tense, intellectual spy-thriller that features a stoic Matt Damon, a scary but believable CIA with the capability to reach into any cell phone in the world, and no discernable CG. The last is really impressive–cars were smashed to bits, actors moved through real crowds in REAL locations across the globe, and crazy stunts were actually filmed. In this era of special effects, it is refreshing to see a film performed in this manner. It ratchets up the tension and the authenticity of the action.

Transformers was good, Live Free or Die Hard was good, but this movie trumps both of them. I know that some people question Matt Damon’s ability to carry a movie such as this, but his skills at choreographed fighting and his willingness to do stunts that look absolutely crazy on screen really elevate my respect for him. He is perfect as Jason Bourne, bringing a nice emotional ring to an otherwise hardened assassin in his quest for his past.

And that’s really what the movie revolves around. I can’t say too much more without giving away plot details that are better left for the audience to discover, but Bourne is continuing his quest to discover his past and uncover the men behind the CIA program that turned him into a programmed killer. He does so by following a set of clues that take him all over Europe and North Africa before he finally ends up in New York City for a final show down with his former bosses.

This is a definite candidate for Pete’s movie of the year.