Bourne

[Conundrum 1]

I'm not sure why, but for some reason I'm "eh" about seeing the third one. The first and second were great, though. I'm sure I'll get around to seeing it eventually. I've heard many good things about it.

[PLFXpert 0]

Don't feel bad. Bill and I just saw the first one today. We haven't been able to leave the house for a while...and we have the second & third ones to watch next.

It's like Bourne fans are pushers and we're the last kids on the block to not buy some goods. Geez.

I enjoyed it.
It was good but, for whatever reason I didn't come away super-excited about it.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[squirrel 0]

Quote

I'm not sure why, but for some reason I'm "eh" about seeing the third one. The first and second were great, though. I'm sure I'll get around to seeing it eventually. I've heard many good things about it.

just watched the third..."eh" was my response.

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[PLFXpert 0]

Just saw the second one--supremacy.

It was OK. A good movie. Definitely a lot better than most action flicks.

I hate to sound like a smarty-pants, but it was predictable from beginning to end. The only point which came as a surprise to me (and it's a moot point) was in the last car chase when the police car smashed head-on into Bourne's car (the taxi) from the side.

I see what people love about the Bourne flicks so far, though. We'll likely watch the last installment tomorrow or sometime this week.


(Yes, I realize the moment's past, but I'm talking about it anyways. )

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[MikeJD 0]

Quote

Just saw the second one--supremacy.

It was OK. A good movie. Definitely a lot better than most action flicks.

I hate to sound like a smarty-pants, but it was predictable from beginning to end.

Just curious, in what sense do you mean it was predictable? I found it anything but.

'Ultimatum' is more so because the character and theme are so familiar by then. I think all the films are great, but I'm glad Doug Liman directed the first one. Greengrass' style is a bit different and I think might have got tiresome and yeah, definitely predictable, over the course of three movies. I hope he quits while he's ahead.

There are a couple of brief shots during the final car chase in 'Supremacy' that just made me laugh out loud, like a kid, with excitement: when the two cars emerge onto that multi-lane street in front of the oncoming traffic, and when the taxi is shunting cars out of its path in the tunnel.

While I thought 'Ultimatum' was great, I wasn't so keen on the final scenes with Albert Finney. It all seemed a bit tacked on and hokey to me.

[PLFXpert 0]

It was obvious Marie would die.

Once he switched seats with her in the first car chase, it was obvious that was when she'd die. First, b/c the chaser had already seen Bourne in the driver's seat. Thus, if he were to fire a shot or anything else, that would be his target. It was then obvious after she was shot, that it might come up later somehow that he was responsbile for her death (it did in the latter scene with Abbott but not to the point I thought it might. I thought there might be more guilt there on his part then they really showed. Edit: it just seemed like an oversight on his part and I'm surprised it was not addressed more.)

It was obvious the Treadstone guy, Abbott, had something to do with Bourne's fingerprint. I called that right away when the Landy lady started investigating. There were many hints to that effect.

It was obvious why he used his passport (would have been a really stupid mistake otherwise).

At this point, it's also obvious Bourne killed Neski (can't remember at exactly what point that was clear--but early on) and these are what his flashbacks are.

I will say, I thought after Bourne reviewed the papers he already remembered the killing before going to the Brecker Hotel--I thought he was doing that intentionally and would purposefully lead Landy there to help her unfold the case.

Then it gets predictable again--obvious Bourne would visit Abbott next.

The last high-speed chase wasn't exactly predictable, but while you found it excited, I found it long and drawn out.

I figured in the first movie that at some point his real birthname would be revealed and it would not be "Bourne", and that did come up at the end of the second movie.

Second Edit: Again though, I thought this was a very good movie. I'm extremely critical of action flicks b/c there's always major problems with them concerning plot, cohesiveness, believability and over-use of effect. As far as action sequences and plot, and cohesiveness & even believability I thought Bourne (both thus far) was done really well.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[tigra 0]

I loved all of the Bourne books which is why I HATE the movies. They took one major element of Jason Bourne's character and completely twisted it. I'm sure the films are good action films, but the books have so much more to offer.

[PLFXpert 0]

Actually, I didn't think the third one (Ultimatum) was more predictable than the second (just saw it). It definitely was predictable in parts but not as necessarily to the plotline as the second.

For example: It was obvious in the second Nikki somehow knew Bourne on a more personal level--one always assumes intimately. She was the only one who didn't seem to doubt Bourne's amnesia. And in the third installment, when she first saw him she wasn't scared.

I don't think it's that difficult--the idea behind it (and they said it numerous times) from the very beginning is Bourne (and the like) do not make mistakes. Thus everything he does in each movie one simply must ask "Why?" and it doesn't take a genius to figure out in less than 30 seconds if you're not wrapped up in the "action" of it all.

I like the third one better than the second and on par with the first. But it should be noted I had to stop the third at least six times for 5 to 30-minute intervals due to external circumstances.

Good movie.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[MikeJD 0]

Quote

I loved all of the Bourne books which is why I HATE the movies.

Funny, I had the opposite experience. I tried to read The Bourne Identity because I'd enjoyed the film, but I didn't like Ludlum's writing style at all - I gave up after a few pages. Obviously it's just a matter of personal taste.

But you shouldn't hate the movies because you love the books!

[PLFXpert 0]

Fourth Bourne in the works.

Edit to add opinion: Don't do it!

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[FreeflyChile 0]

I hope they give Sarah Silverman a cameo.. after all she's f*#&^&ing Matt Damon

[happythoughts 0]

I read most of Robert Ludlums books. I enjoyed the Bourne series, and actually thought the movies were great. Rarely are movies as good as the books.

However, after a point, they started blending together. They all had the same plot. It was mostly running in and out of countries. Kind of a tour guide with spies.
I quit reading them.

The new sequels are by Lustbader. A lot of his books are more character, not action, driven. A lot of characters with odd psychological twists.

Ludlum used normal people with heroic tendencies to fight the bad guys. Good movie fodder.

Lustbader's characters are mentally warped and struggling and there is no "good guy". Too complex to translate to a movie screen. No one can identify with them.

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

A lot of his books are more character, not action, driven. A lot of characters with odd psychological twists.

This is my preference in most entertainment mediums--movies, books, music...

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.