OK. You know a movie is good when...

[lone_wanderer23]

...the Final Judgement comes literally right after it's announcement.

Enough already! Get on with it!

Fine, fine...

The Buison Judgment-atum

On the stand:

The Bourne Ultimatum

The charge:

Raising the expectations of the third movie in a trilogy up a notch.

The evidence:

Effects: If there was one ounce of CGI in this one, I'd be certainly pissed. But no, it's all real. Two HUGE car chases, and a rooftop sequence that really doesn't let you go, even after it's done.

Story: Taking place literally right after "The Bourne Supremacy", Jason Bourne (played by the role-defining Matt Damon) is still looking for his past. And this time, he's coming home (to the U.S.) to get his answers (by way of London, Spain, and Tangier). Lots of layers in this one too, in that 'you-know-who-the-bad-guy-is-but-don't-know-where-everyone-else-is' kind of feeling. Joan Allen is back as the CIA Agent Pamela Landy. And there's Julia Styles. Ah, Julia. How well you really broke out in this film.

Music: The music in this one really helped to set the pace. It helped to slow down scenes at times, and it also intensified things when they needed to be. And of course, they had a variation on "Strange Days" by Moby. But it was remixed. That was OK.

Value: Whether is the do-not-slow-down-for-anything-even-to-catch-your-breath pace, or the satisfaction of seeing the Bourne legacy come to a fitting conclusion, it's got something for everyone. Worth an "Opening Night" ticket.

Other Notes: The one thing about trilogies is that sometimes one of the previous ones can be left out. Not with 'Ultimatum'. From codenames to locales, and even lines are done very subtly. I think it would be a good idea to see (or rent) the first two. Not watching them won't hurt you too bad, but you'll feel a lot more 'full circle' if you do.

The verdict:

Based on the evidence, on the charge of Raising the expectations of the third movie in a trilogy up a notch. this Judgment finds "The Bourne Ultimatum"...Guilty.

The sentence:

See this movie. But, go to the bathroom beforehand. Blink, and you'll miss something. And that's probably Jason Bourne.