Film: "The Bourne Ultimatum"

I watched The Bourne Ultimatum on Friday night. It's funny, I really didn't know the title before going into the movie (instead, identifying it as "That Bourne movie," or "The one with Matt Damon"), and I probably will not be able to tell you any of the minute plot points two weeks from now. That said, the film was very entertaining.

Echoing many critics - Ultimatum is a fantastic chase movie, with gripping action sequences, intriguing backroom drama and unexpected twists. Matt Damon and Joan Allen were great in their roles, and it was nice to see Julia Stiles again, though I had no idea she would play such a vital part in this movie. Director Paul Greengrass's style does take some getting used to, however - his closeups of fight scenes must have been difficult to shoot, and yet, easily mask prying audience eyes attempting to distinguish stuntperson from star. Lastly, recently back from Europe, I certainly appreciated the London and Paris city settings, and was excited at recognizing landmarks (Waterloo and Gare du Nord stations!) that I had just seen in person.

With the variety of cinematic fare available this summer, I can't recommend any one film that will appeal to every taste. But as far as thrillers go, you will not be disappointed.