Having watched all three films on consecutive nights, I find the Bourne Trilogy an interesting saga in that each instalment improved greatly from its predecessor. Also, with Identity being released the same year as the questionable Die Another Day, Jason Bourne beat James Bond at his own game, a trend that continued throughout the series (I'm personally kinda bored with Bond these days, especially after the misfire that was Quantum of Solace). It is a series that has been elevated to the same recognition as other famous trilogies: Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, etc, and has made the character of Jason Bourne a household name and Matt Damon a credible action hero.
Which, in hindsight, is actually quite funny considering I don't rate Identity that highly. Liman is not a natural action director, point of fact: his prior films, his comedies, are good where as his subsequent films, his more action orientated efforts, blow. I have seen Identity a number of times and never once have I felt engaged or thrilled (excluding the chase with Clive Owen. That rocked). The Paris car chase feels lazy, as do most of the big set-pieces, and the whole thing feels as though it's been scrapped together in a hurry over a weekend, which is unsurprising considering the stories of a troubled shoot. As a set up, an origin story if you will, it's perfectly serviceable but it's nothing more.
Supremacy, for me at least, is where the series really kicked off. In place of Liman we get Paul Greengrass and whilst his trademark handheld style can be a little intrusive at times (why does the camera still need to shake so much during the opening conversation between Bourne and Marie?) he has more of a grasp of pacing and for the majority of the run-time, is able to wring tension from most scenes whether it be during car chases (and Supremacy does have a blinding car chase) or through heated discussions with those in the higher echelons of the CIA. There is an added level of immediacy here, something that was absent with Identity.
The trump card with Ultimatum is that, in essence, it's not strictly a bare bones sequel, rather a direct continuation from where Supremacy left off. We open during the aftermath of Supremacy's climatic destruction derby where Bourne, upon having another flashback, decides enough is enough. Tired of running, he now wants answers, starting by questioning Paddy Considine's Simon Ross. What's refreshing, especially after the dense plotting of Supremacy, is that, structure wise, there is little in the way of actual plot here, just many, many well constructed and executed chase sequences, by products of Bourne's enemies covering their tracks. With the Waterloo set piece, the series has it's crown jewel and the climax, absent of any big explosions or massive gun fights, adds an emotional resonance that brings the sage full circle.
Ultimatum is my favourite of the three and begs the question: do we really need a forth? As we watch Bourne's body floating in the waters around Manhattan, every lose end is neatly tied up and every question he has had with regards to his identity and his purpose has been answered.
The idea of adapting The Bourne Legacy, in which Bourne is now in his late fifties, seems a bit superfluous.
The Bourne Idenitity 3/5
The Bourne Supremacy 4.5/5
The Bourne Ultimatum 5/5
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