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Ranking:
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Release Date: January 27th, 2009 Movie Release Year: 2007

The Bourne Trilogy

Overview -

The Bourne Identity
After being pulled from the sea with two bullets in his back, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) awakens on a fishing boat with no memory of his involvement in a top-secret, black ops arm of the CIA called Treadstone. The only clue to his identity is the number of a Swiss bank account in which he discovers an array of passports and weapons, as well as a fortune in cash. As he struggles to regain his memory, his former employers dub him a rogue agent and target him for termination. When an equally deadly assassin codenamed "Professor" (Clive Owen) is sent to dispose of him, Bourne rediscovers his extraordinary survival skills, including hand-to-hand combat, martial arts and multiple languages, and begins to understand who he really is. As he struggles to unlock the secret of his own identity, Bourne has to deal with his past in order to ensure his own future.

The Bourne Supremacy
When his lover is murdered and he is framed for the assassination of a fellow agent, Jason Bourne finds himself on the run again. But as he closes in on his girlfriend's killers, he realizes his former handlers are back on his trail. After his fingerprints are found at the scene of a murder in Berlin, an ambitious CIA operative (Joan Allen) becomes determined to stop him once and for all. Haunted by debilitating fragmented memories as he navigates the labyrinth of international espionage, Bourne (Matt Damon) must outwit, outmaneuver and outmuscle some of the most powerful forces in the world just to survive.

The Bourne Ultimatum
All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne (Damon) is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now, Bourne will hunt down his past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to uncover the truth behind his mysterious past -- all the while trying to outwit a new generation of highly-trained assassins as well as the relentless CIA operatives who will stop at nothing to prevent him from learning his true identity.

OVERALL:
Highly Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
BD-Live (Profile 2.0)
Video Resolution/Codec:
480p/i/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
Length:
345
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.35:1
Audio Formats:
Spanish DTS 5.1 Surround (768kbps)
Subtitles/Captions:
Spanish Subtitles
Special Features:
Deleted Scenes
Release Date:
January 27th, 2009

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

In 1980, Robert Ludlum published 'The Bourne Identity,' the first in a series of popular spy novels that would ultimately be loosely adapted for the big screen. The series tells the story of David Webb, a career foreign service officer and a specialist in Far Eastern affairs. Once a devout family man, tragedy leaves him with nothing, and so (thanks to the CIA and a bit of internal deception), Webb is reborn (get it?) as double agent Jason Charles Bourne. With its own mythology, devious villains, and breathless plotting, 'Bourne Identity' spawned four subsequent best-sellers, with Ludlum joining James Bond author Ian Fleming as one of the most elite names in spy fiction.

When 'The Bourne Identity' finally hit movie theaters in 2002 (a year after Ludlum's death), it had an instant leg up over the aging James Bond movie series. Like Bond, Jason Bourne came with a built-in fanbase, but unlike Bond he was free from the shackles of a then-aging film franchise. Gone were the stale quips, campy villains, and ridiculous gadgets and special effects that strained Bond's modern-day credibility. Instead, the series succeeded by going back to basics and concentrating on what we all love about spy flicks...actual spying!

Spawning two sequels -- which, defying the usual law of follow-ups, outgrossed the original -- all three films are now available on Blu-ray in 'The Bourne Trilogy.' Each works as a stand-alone adventure but, better yet, deepen in meaning and impact when viewed in succession. This is the rare trilogy with not a bad apple in the bunch, each an expertly-crafted exercise in suspense, drama, espionage, and action.

The Bourne Identity

As directed by Doug Liman ('Go,' 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith') and adapted by Tony Gilroy ('Dolores Claiborne,' 'Proof of Life'), 'Bourne Identity' works on all the levels it sets out to achieve. Liman and Gilroy adroitly interweave Bourne's regaining of his memory with what he must do to stay alive, upping both the nail-biting suspense and the human drama -- we're on the edge of our seat not just to see if Bourne will make it out alive, but also to see which new secret of his past he'll unravel next.

No spy flick would be any good, of course, without a great spy, and Damon was an unlikely but very smart casting choice as Jason Bourne. Usually best suited for introspective, dramatic characters, Damon's understated approach works surprisingly well here, expressing his character's full arc of emotions (from bewilderment to anger to remorse) often with just a simple facial expression. Unlike the superheroes that pass for super-agents in some spy flicks (Tom Cruise in 'Mission: Impossible,' anyone?), Damon does not seem superhuman, yet at the same time he's no dainty, tea-sipping James Bond (sorry Pierce Brosnan). Fallible -- fragile, even -- Jason Bourne always seems to be in real danger, which only raises the stakes. (Movie Rating: 3.5/5.0)

The Bourne Supremacy

Well, here's a new one -- a sequel that outpaces the original. For me, 'The Bourne Supremacy' joins the select ranks of such follow-ups as 'Aliens,' 'X2' and 'The Empire Strikes Back' in surpassing the film that spawned it. Perhaps 'Supremacy' isn't necessarily a classic on the order of some of those I just mentioned, but it is no small compliment nonetheless.

When we meet up again with Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) as 'The Bourne Supremacy' begins, he has set up a new life with Marie (Franke Potente) and promises retaliation should anyone from his former life as a CIA assassin attempt to contact him. But then a CIA operation to purchase classified Russian documents is blown by a rival agent (Karl Urban), he shows up to kill Bourne and Marie in the sleepy seaside village where they have been living under assumed names. His new life shattered, Bourne will soon discover that you can never fully escape the past, and is plunged into a life-or-death struggle that will pit him not only against his formidable opponent but the most corrupt corners of the CIA itself.

I liked everything about 'The Bourne Supremacy' better than the first. The story, the characters, the action and the cast. But what I appreciated the most is that the script and the filmmakers give Bourne more to do than just outrun bullets and crash cars. 'Supremacy' is not just another cookie-cutter James Bond sequel, but continues Bourne's emotional and spiritual journey. It's the last thing you would expect from a sequel, but 'Supremacy' is about such weighty themes as salvation and redemption. Which, if never free, remains obtainable if you make the right choices. (Movie Rating: 4.0/5.0)

The Bourne Ultimatum

As the final entry in the trilogy begins, Bourne is inadvertently drawn out of hiding by British investigative reporter Simon Ross (Paddy Considine), who has been trying to uncover the secrets of Project Treadstone, now upgraded to a new operation called Blackbriar. During the meeting with Ross, Bourne's memories are triggered once again, and he renews his quest to solve the riddle of his mysterious background. Of course, the CIA has been tracking his correspondence with Ross, and Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) is again back on the case. Only this time, she's got higher-ups (David Straithairn and Scott Glenn) breathing down her neck, and further complicating the government's pursuit is wayward operative Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), who will eventually risk her life and career to help Bourne. While racing across four continents, Bourne will not only have to use every trick in the book to elude capture, but must somehow make his way back to the States and into the inner-most sanctums of the CIA itself if he is to finally uncover the secret of his identity.

As directed by Paul Greengrass (who also helmed 'Bourne Supremacy'), 'Ultimatum' may be the most impressive of the 'Bourne' films in terms of elevating cinematic integration of exposition and action into an art form. This is pure information overload, but because the execution of the suspense sequences is so intense, we are held in a constant state of rapt attention. Watching 'Ultimatum,' the audience literally becomes Jason Bourne, and like him, we are constantly on alert for fear of missing a crucial bit of information integral to our survival. Slyly, Greengrass uses camerawork and editing as co-conspirators in this gleefully shameless manipulation, and the film simply never stops for a second to let us catch our breath. 'Ultimatum' truly relies on the intelligence of its audience, demanding that we pay attention -- even if we're left wrung out and exhausted by the end of the ride.

'Ultimatum' is quite satisfying because unlike so many other series of its type, it doesn't cheat us of the closure to the story and the character arcs set up in the first two films. Bourne does finally decipher all the clues to his past, and his case with the CIA is closed. Of course, the filmmakers have still left themselves just enough wiggle room to bring Bourne back for a series of new adventures some day, but I can't say I blame them. Like the end of the 007 flicks always say, "James Bond will return..." -- so why not Jason Bourne? Regardless of whether there will be any future 'Bourne' films, 'Ultimatum' is a perfectly fitting capper on a truly superlative cinematic trilogy. (Movie Rating: 4.0/5.0)

Video Review

Ranking:

All three 'Bourne' films are presented on their own BD-50 dual-layer discs, each in 1080p/VC-1 video. ('Bourne Identity' is framed at 2.35:1, while 'Bourne Supremacy' and 'Bourne Ultimatum' are 2.40:1). The transfers appear identical to the previous HD DVD versions, and remain both generally consistent and impressive throughout.

The Bourne Identity

'The Bourne Identity' enjoys a clean source, with the film's somewhat grainy texture looking film-like instead of irritating. The transfer does have a somewhat tweaked feel, with whites often on the verge of blowing out and a heavy black crush which can eradicate the finest details in the shadows. As a result, contrast seems exaggerated, though the sense of depth gets a boost. Colors tend to be a bit muted, but that's due more to the film's style than it is any actual desaturation during the telecine. Blues, greens, and some of the reds do have vibrancy (though don't expect any shiny pastels here) and are not noisy or smeared. The transfer is also sharp and above-average in terms of detail, and compression artifacts are not apparent. (Video Rating: 4.0/5.0)

The Bourne Supremacy

Next is 'The Bourne Supremacy,' where I noticed a couple of minor instances of print speckles, but an otherwise spotless master. Throughout, detail and sharpness are quite good, giving the film's exotic locales a very pleasing sense of depth. Colors can be bold, especially the rich greens and oranges; however, many passages of the film are intentionally subdued (especially the extended action sequence in Moscow and the chilly CIA scenes), so expect some inconsistencies. Black levels and contrast can also fluctuate. For example, the interior scenes at the CIA headquarters appear intentionally darkened, to the point where colors suffer from being artificially pumped up, which sometimes obscures detail (notice for example the actors' faces, whose skintones look "painted on" rather than natural). Conversely, the opening daylight exteriors in Bourne's tropical paradise have a very natural, bright, detailed appearance. But all in all, 'Supremacy' stands tall with the other transfers in this set. (Video Rating: 4.0/5.0)

The Bourne Ultimatum

Finally, we have 'The Bourne Ultimatum,' which edges out the other two to get my vote as the best of the bunch. The source is grainy almost throughout, but it's otherwise clean with no blemishes, dirt or other defects. Contrast is appropriately on the hot side, but blacks hold firm and there is little severity to the "crush" on the low end of the scale, leaving shadow details surprisingly supple. Colors are almost uniformly desaturated, and most scenes skew towards blue or green, so don't expect rich orange fleshtones. Still, hues are quite stable and never bleed or fuzz-out, so I was generally impressed with the level of depth and detail, considering the source. Universal has also delivered a top-notch encode -- even with the intense level of fast motion throughout 'The Bourne Ultimatum,' the image never breaks up or suffers from compression artifacts. (Video Rating: 4.5/5.0)

Audio Review

Ranking:

Universal gifts all three 'Bourne' flicks with new English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround soundtracks (48kHz/24-bit). Though the previous HD DVD of 'Bourne Ultimatum' boasted a Dolby TrueHD mix, both 'Bourne Identity' and 'Bourne Supremacy' were Dolby Digital-Plus only, so those two benefit the most from the upgrade. (Each film also receives DTS 5.1 Surround dubs in French and Spanish.)

The Bourne Identity

'The Bourne Identity' kicks things off, and the film's sound design remains quite effective. Surround use gets a nice boost -- the rear channels are more pronounced, with better panning and improved heft. The driving, hybrid techno score by John Powell (featuring contributions by Moby) is also better dispersed throughout the soundfield. Localization of discrete effects is excellent, with pinpoint accuracy of even minor sounds clear and distinct. And low bass, while impressive on the HD DVD, is even better here. Unfortunately,'The Bourne Identity' is not wall-to-wall action, and it's in the more chatty stretches where this track still disappoints, with relatively weak sustained atmosphere, and a flat soundfield that does little to support the film's cold and chilly locations. Otherwise, kudos to Universal for bumping this up to DTS-HD. (Audio Rating: 4.5/5.0)

The Bourne Supremacy

Also getting a boost is 'The Bourne Supremacy.' As you'd expect, the sound mix is just as aggressive. Discrete sounds are positioned all over the rear channels during the action scenes, and plenty of seamless pans and whooshes, and refined imaging that is a tad stronger. Dynamic range enjoys an added expansiveness to the high-end, and slightly stronger bass. Dialogue balance remains just as sharp, too, as surprisingly for a movie that can get as loud as this one, nothing gets obscured. Another excellent DTS-HD mix. (Audio Rating: 4.5/5.0)

The Bourne Ultimatum

Ironically, 'The Bourne Ultimatum' enjoys no real upgrade in the conversion from Dolby TrueHD to DTS-HD, but it's still the best of the set, and a reference track. The film's mix is exciting because it understands the value of contrast -- Bourne's moments of quiet introspection are heightened by the loud bursts of action, and vice versa. When the bullets aren't flying fast and furious, the techno-fueled score is always humming along, so there's never a dull moment. Realism and heft to the entire 360-degree soundfield is exceptional, with great clarity to discrete effects and seamless pans between channels. Subtle ambiance is better than I anticipated, with bleed of the score again excellent and the attention paid to fine sonic details fantastic. Director Paul Greengrass often makes clever use of subtle aural cues to inform us of Jason Bourne's state of mind (a ringing telephone, footsteps outside a door etc.) and it's all rendered here with creativity and great care.

Lest anyone think there is no bombast to 'Ultimatum,' think again. Dynamics are fantastic, from the subwoofer-shaking low bass (there is some serious rumble in nearly every one of the film's many action scenes) to the finely-attenuated higher end of the spectrum. Finally, unlike so many other action films, dialogue is actually important to 'Bourne Ultimatum,' and happily the mix is perfectly balanced. Feel confident that if you crank this puppy up, you can safely put down your remote for the rest of the flick. (Audio Rating: 5.0/5.0)

Special Features

Ranking:

The DVD and HD DVD versions of the three 'Bourne' films all contained a variety of standard extras. These are ported over in their entirety here, so completists should have no cause for concern. Universal has not upgraded any of the 480 video sources to full HD, but at least all of the content is here. Subtitle options are provided in the same languages as the main feature: English, French and Spanish. (A note on the packaging: 'The Bourne Trilogy' comes housed in an elegant, silver-ish outer box that's quite sleek, with each film also receiving its own individual Blu-ray keepcase inside the box. There are no supporting collectibles included, or any kind of booklet.)

The Bourne Identity

  • Audio Commentary - Probably my favorite extra on all the 'Bourne' discs is this screen-specific audio commentary with director Doug Liman. Universal inexplicably dropped the track from the "Explosive Edition" DVD (in fact, Liman doesn't appear on any of that set's extras), so it is great to see it return here. Though Liman has gained a reputation in Hollywood lately for being "difficult," he certainly gives great commentary. Precise, thoughtful and highly-informative, he talks extensively about just about every aspect of the film that a fan would want, from adapting the book to casting, throughout the tough shoot in foreign locales (complete with challenging, non-English-speaking crews) and complex effects scenes, to Liman's holistic approach to achieving the proper tone and feel of the movie via all its formal elements. A truly excellent track.
  • Featurette: "The Birth of Jason Bourne" (SD, 14 minutes) - The 14-minute "The Birth of 'The Bourne Identity'" is standard-issue EPK fare, including on-set interviews with executive producer Frank Marshall, screenwriter Tony Gilroy, stars Matt Damon, Franke Potente and Clive Owen, plus more cast and crew members. Filled with the usual basic overview and plot recap, this one's pretty useless for anyone with more than a remedial knowledge of the Jason Bourne character.
  • Featurette: "From Identity to Supremacy: Jason & Marie" (SD, 5 minutes) - This offers thoughts from Damon and Potente on their characters, as well as what's to come in 'Bourne Supremacy.' Far too short and commercial to be of much interest.
  • 'Featurette: "Access Granted: An Interview with Screenwriter Tony Gilroy" (SD, 4 minutes) - A short piece that sees the writer explain the challenges in adapting Ludlum's original novel to screen, particularly the (controversial) removal of a key character in the book.
  • Featurette: "The Bourne Mastermind" (SD, 6 minutes) - The next vignette introduces us to the late author Robert Ludlum via his two friends, editor Martin Greenberg and actor James Karen. Less about the creation of Jason Bourne, and more about Ludlum himself, this one offers much needed context on how the project came to be.
  • Featurette: "The Speed of Sound" (SD, 4 minutes) - This one interviews four of the film's sound designers. Too bad this is so basic that it never touches upon any particular scenes or effects at all.
  • Featurette: "Inside a Fight Sequence" (SD, 5 minutes) - Features some on-set production footage of director Doug Liman as he constructs a key scene with Damon and stunt coordinator Nick Powell.
  • Featurette: "Cloak and Dagger: Covert Ops" (SD, 6 minutes) - Highlights one-time CIA agent Chase Brandon giving a very brief history of the organization, plus thoughts on just how realistic a character Jason Bourne is.
  • Featurettes: "The Bourne Diagnosis" (SD, 3 minutes) - Finally, we have a quick chat with UCLA psychiatrist Reef Karim, who suggests that Bourne's amnesia in the film stretches the bounds of realism (just a little).
  • Deleted Scenes/Alternate Ending (SD) - Dubbed "Declassified Information," this section kicks off with four main Deleted Scenes totaling 7 minutes: "Private Jet," "Bourne and Marie by the Side of the Road," "Psychologist Discusses Bourne" and "Bourne and Marie Practice on Subway." None of these scenes are particularly interesting or enlightening, and were all arguably wise cuts. There is also an "Extended Farmhouse Sequence" that also doesn't offer much beyond what's in the flick. Finally, we have the Alternate Opening and Ending, which were much-touted on the "Explosive Edition." Shot in response to 9/11, the opener turns the whole flick into a flashback(!), while the ending is all touchy-feely and pretty bad. Offering a fresh 4-minute Introduction to this new material are Marshall, Gilroy, and actor Brian Cox.
  • Music Video (SD) - A clip for Moby's "Extreme Ways" is offered, in standard-def video.
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Rounding out the first disc, we have the film's theatrical trailer, in full HD.

The Bourne Supremacy

  • Audio Commentary - The most informative extra by far is this screen-specific audio commentary by director Paul Greengrass. For having to fly solo, Greengrass does a fine job, and actually does not focus that much on production specifics. Rather, he delves into great detail on the development of the story, which is pretty much a complete departure from the Robert Ludlum novel aside from sharing its title. Greengrass does get into a few nitty-gritty production bits by the second half of the track, but it was typical "how to stage an action scene" stuff, so perhaps that is why I enjoyed the first half more.
  • Featurette: "Matching Identities: Casting" (SD, 5 minutes) - The first featurette gives us a brief look at the the film's impressive ensemble, though I hoped to hear a bit more from Matt Damon on why he decided to return to the franchise for a second go-round.
  • Featurette: "Keeping it Real" (SD, 4 minutes) - At last -- we learn why Greengrass decided to make everyone sick with that shaky camera work. I'm still not convinced.
  • 'Featurette: "Blowing Things Up" (SD, 4 minutes) - Here, the filmmakers take considerable pride in their film's avoidance of CGI effects in favor of the real thing. Yeah!
  • Featurette: "Crash Cam: Racing Through the Streets of Moscow" (SD, 5 minutes) - Another back-patter on how to mount a convincing car chase without CGI and blue screen.
  • Featurette: "On the Move with Jason Bourne" (SD, 3 minutes) - A breathless travelogue that tries to cram in the film's globetrotting locations in less than four minutes. Total padding.
  • Featurette: "Bourne to Be Wild: Fight Training" (SD, 4 minutes) - Gives us a quick overview of the film's middle-act shaky-cam masterpiece of fight choreography.
  • Featurette: "The Go-Mobile Revs Up the Action" (SD, 6 minutes) - Runs the longest of the featurettes, and focuses specifically on a new camera technology that allowed the filmmakers to film the Moscow car chase so convincingly.
  • Featurette: "Anatomy of a Scene: The Explosive Bridge Chase Scene" (SD, 5 minutes) - The last of the segments actually has no explosions in it, unless you count Damon having the balls to actually jump off a bridge into a garbage truck. Finally, "Scoring with John Powell" gives us a few minutes on the creating of the film's score, which honestly I didn't find that memorable anyway.
  • Deleted Scenes/ (SD, 10 minutes) - In total there are five deleted scenes. Four are forgettable, but the last one is noteworthy, a meeting between the film's CIA team that pretty much explains the entire convoluted story of the movie. I guess it was removed because it may have spelled things out too much, but I think it really would have helped slow viewers like me, who have trouble keeping up with these intricate spy thriller plots.
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Finally, we have the film's theatrical trailer, in full HD.

The Bourne Ultimatum

  • Audio Commentary - Director Paul Greengrass again flies solo here. Although he gets a bit bogged down at the beginning of the track with the technical, he quickly opens up the discussion to talk at surprising length about the intricacies of the story, both in comparison to the original novels as well what needed to be restructured in order to make 'Ultimatum' work as a self-contained film. Greengrass also doesn't shy away from some of the controversies that surrounded the shoot, particularly the endless reshoots (which star Matt Damon complained about at length to the press) and working in multiple foreign locations. A great track.
  • Featurette: "Man on the Move: Jason Bourne" (SD, 24 minutes) - This "on location" travelogue is an often breathless look at the fast-paced shoot, divided by location into five parts: Moscow, Paris, London, Madrid and Tangier. The mix of behind-the-scenes footage and on-set cast & crew interviews (with Greengrass, producer Frank Marshall, star Damon, as well as Joan Allen, Julia Stiles and Brian Cox) doesn't re-invent the wheel, but it's edited in such a deft and entertaining manner that it's superior to most EPKs.
  • Additional Featurettes (SD, 22 minutes) - These three vignettes further pick apart the film's most exciting action sequences: "New York Chase" (11 minutes), "Planning the Punches" (5 minutes) and the "Rooftop Pursuit" (6 minutes). This is culled from the same batch of making-of material as the main featurette but is again expertly edited, especially "Planning the Punches," which somehow manages to make the staging of a scene with a zillion cuts actually comprehensible.
  • Deleted Scenes (SD, 12 minutes) - This assemblage of scenes is comprised mostly of extensions, with the majority of new material adding to the scenes at the CIA, as well as a bit more with Damon's character's memories regarding his eventual metamorphosis into Jason Bourne. Though formatted for 16:9 screens, the scenes appear to be upconverts from standard-def.

(Supplement Ratings: 'Bourne Identity' 3.5/5.0; 'Bourne Supremacy' 3.0/5.0; 'Bourne Ultimatum' 2.5/5.0)

'The Bourne Trilogy' stands as the best set of three films in recent memory. Each works on its own as a crackerjack spy thriller, yet maintains a consistency of character, tone, and theme that enables the trilogy to work as a cohesive whole. This Blu-ray box set is excellent, too, with great video and audio (upgraded to DTS-HD), and a commanding set of extras and exclusives. If you are at all a Jason Bourne fan, have no hesitation in picking up this collection immediately.