The theme for many sequels this summer has been featuring characters facing personal issues–in some cases effectively–and that continues with “”The Bourne Supremacy””. This latest outing with Matt Damon as the title character, and based on the novels from Robert Ludlum, features Jason Bourne dealing with his memories (pesky things, these are) and with more assassins. It seems he has been attempting to reside quietly, but the old business from “”The Bourne Identity”” just keeps pulling him back in.
The theme for many sequels this summer has been featuring characters facing personal issues–in some cases effectively–and that continues with “”The Bourne Supremacy””. This latest outing with Matt Damon as the title character, and based on the novels from Robert Ludlum, features Jason Bourne dealing with his memories (pesky things, these are) and with more assassins. It seems he has been attempting to reside quietly, but the old business from “”The Bourne Identity”” just keeps pulling him back in.This follow-up to “”The Bourne Identity””, directed by Paul Greengrass (the first movie’s director, Doug Liman, is executive producer this time around), picks up two years later with the protagonist living in India with his girlfriend Marie (Franka Potente again, this time very blonde-ish) trying to have a sedate life. His continuing nightmares, featuring now deceased boss Conklin (Chris Cooper), impedes these efforts, and so Bourne again attempts to recall his past as an operative/assassin/super-agent. Matters are complicated further when a suspicious individual (Karl Urban) shows up to rub Jason out–rudely interrupting this quiet existence.Bourne heads to Europe–only to run into more pursuers. Apparently, a CIA agent and his contact were killed in Berlin, and fingerprints were found at the scene belonging to…Jason Bourne. The CIA and local police departments are now after the lead, who believes that Threadstone–the covert group introduced in “”The Bourne Identity””–is back to finish the job from the earlier film, i.e. eliminate Jason Bourne.On the other end, field agent Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) heads up the team sent to apprehend the seemingly renegade operative. She reluctantly partners with Ward Abbot (Brian Cox), the senior staff member from film number one and who has his own ideas of running this project. Also returning are Danny Zorn (Gabriel Mann) and Nikki (Julia Stiles–the latter profiles agents and is also the only one to be left alive after encountering Bourne in his previous outing).As to be expected, both from this franchise and the genre in general, things are not what they seem. This keeps one involved in the flick, though also might things a little confusing at times, especially for those who haven’t seen the earlier movie. For those who have read the books, by the way, the locale and set-up are well, certainly different (no Chinese premier in this one).The strength of the movie, and potential strength of any sequel (which many fail to live up to), is that with much of the exposition out of the way, it dives into the story and moves at a quicker pace. The film moves from India, quickly to Italy, then to Germany and to Russia, culminating in a chase scene through the Moscow streets that involves the police, Russian security forces (the FSB), and Bourne himself, among others. In addition to the actions scenes (which also includes Bourne escaping from a Berlin hotel while evading cops, and a fight with an agent in Munich), there is the efforts the main character makes to uncover his lost past/source of his nightmares.[pagebreak]All the various plot threads and characters, however, make this very confusing, especially for those folks who are not big on spy thrillers (“”Bourne”” movies or otherwise). Questions keep popping up—who is this person, why is Bourne going to this place and doing such and such? The thing with this film is that at least characters do things for a reason, such that their actions, for the most part, make sense by the end.This isn’t to say that those in the film don’t make silly mistakes. Bourne finds one of the agents by calling up a hotel, for instance (!)–or even that he keeps sneaking up on people as easily as he does (true, he is Bourne–super operative, but still…) only to be knocked down a couple of pegs later on. Still, this is summer entertainment, and for that the movie more than serves its purpose.The actors do a decent job, though given the talent their performances are nothing too special. “”The Bourne Supremacy”” is not about great acting though, but instead is more about the action, the rapid pacing (this outing is over 10 minutes shorter than the previous flick—it feels shorter than that), and the plot twists. Damon does well in the title role, portraying someone who has to deal with conflicts from within (bad dreams and, again, those darn headaches) and without (tracking down the folks who set him up, and hiding from the CIA and the security forces in every country he visits). Cox is good here in his return bit as Abbot, while Allen is decent in her part of Landry, who is under pressure to find Bourne and determine why things went wrong in Berlin (i.e. 2 people being killed).The other gripe–well, not really a gripe, but the camera work is a little different this time around, as befitting the emphasis on action. Some of the scenes utilized hand held cameras, and hence there is some jerkiness that takes some getting used to. It’s still a little jarring a first, before one gets adjusted to it.Despite “”The Bourne Supremacy””‘s delving more into Bourne’s mind, and his issues, this time around, the movie is not that deep. This is fine though, as it is entertaining–this is summer after all–and keeps one trying to figure out what will happen next, and what will be revealed about Bourne. Then there is the theme–without giving too much away–of ‘what goes around comes around’, something realized late in the movie and putting a notch above the average action/adventure flick.This is another entertaining film in the series, and now it remains to see if those involved can keep it up for the next film.Grade: B+EM Reviewby Andrew Haas7/23/04