Wednesday, August 22, 2007

A Bourne again Fan

Aside.

The film critic of the Daily Telegraph said ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ was the best big budget film of the summer so as MTL is, unlike me, a James Bond fan I thought he would enjoy it. I am a Bourne virgin – the film is the third of a series but over the last week I have seen the third, the first and then the second – in that order, so suppose I am now a bit of a Bourne tart.

They are excellent examples of that genre and Matt Damon, in spite of being a programmed killing machine, with amnesia, makes you care about him. He invests the part with a sort of robotic intensity apparent in his walking and running- and there are a lot of both - and the beat of the music drives the action, the fights and the chases generating excitement that leaves you breathless.

MTL found it too noisy and there is a sequence in New York involving cars with such crash , bang, wallop sound effects I was ready to shout ‘Enough already!’ the action is quite difficult to follow but it gradually seeps in and the more you watch the more it makes sense. I wonder if anyone here has read the original novel by Robert Ludlum because I couldn’t understand how he could have let himself be programmed in the first place.

It is not my kind of film at all but in retrospect I appreciated it – all the more after seeing the prequels. We do like Matt – he looks like Daniel, our step- grandson and he alternates between thugishness and a haunting beauty. There are two strong women’s parts – one young and one well into middle age – excellently played.

In spite of the noise and the violence I was gripped by the excitement. I won’t give the ending away but someone called out ‘Yay!’ and I think it was me.

13 comments:

f:lux said...

I saw the first Bourne film at the cinema, the second on the telly last night (well, most of it), and I'm now keen to see the third. I'm really impressed by them, even though I'm no big fan of this kind of action cinema (Bond really doesn't do it for me, not even when played by Sean Connery), because they sort of have the feel of older films like 'Get Carter' but brought up to date?

Oh and there's now an added incentive to see 'The Bourne Ultimatum' - so I can work out at which point in the film made you say "Yay!" ;)

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

What surprised all of us Pat is how my mother LOVES those noisy movies with fast action. I have to be in the right mood for them.

Pat said...

f:lux: now I shall be agog to hear what you think of it. And if you can work out why he got involved in the first place. Suppose I should read the book. Talking of older films - '39 steps' it 'aint

GG; in their way they are quite moral - well he has a problem finishing some of them off. And it so satisfying to see such power emanating from 'a nice young man' I'm with Mum:) Kerpow!

Unknown said...

Mum2, can't wait for the "Ultimatum" to come out on DVD, me and Dad are addicts. You ought to read the books!!

apprentice said...

My husband wants to see it, I may go now I know you've tested the water for me Pat!

DVD is never the same as all that Dolby stereo.

Nea said...

You might just have tempted me to go and see it, but only for the Matt Damon action.

Your review of the latest Bond film with yummy thingy whatsit in it did tempt me and he was definitely worth it.

Help, what is his name?

Pat said...

John: I'll look forward to reading the books. Glad you're a fan.

Anna; You may be a bit young for it
(John's Dad , GG's Mum and me)but Matt's a honey.

Nea: forget Daniel Craig - he's yesterday's man (MTL still prefers Bond) Matt is THR MAN. Hope I don't sound fickle?

kenju said...

It is being reported that some people who watch that movie have seizures from all the fast action. Mr. kenju saw it last Fri. and has had the symptoms of a stroke ever since, and is now in the hospital.

Pat said...

Judy: I have just sent you an e-mail and I am so shocked and sorry to hear this. I hope everyone will now think twice if they are at all vulnerable, before seeing it.

Larraine said...

Likewise, I really enjoyed it. I've seen all 3, in order, and enjoyed them all. The one criticism I had of this one was the vague sort of seasicky motionsickness that the camera action caused in me during the fast action scenes. Altogether, though, I liked it.

Larraine said...

Hoping that Mr Kenju is better... is there an update?
Meanwhile, this site is worth a look. There's been a lot of criticism of "queasycam"

Pat said...

larraine: I'm glad you didn't have lasting side effects. Unfortunately some people did and I didn't remember seeing any warnings

Pat said...

Larraine: ;he is in hospital - hopefully being stabilised and a little grumpy which is possibly a good sign he's on the mend.