Best Bourne Movie?

[Tacit Ronin]

I have to be honest I'm surprised Identity is in the lead, Ultimatum won a similar poll in 2007 at a canter.

It's funny what time can do to a film.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^True, Ultimatum had just been released then, so it winning wasnt really a shock, remembering it was why I did this poll though.

In all fairness, Supremacy and Ultimatum are superb movies, overall its a great trilogy, even Legacy was enjoyable despite me finding it a step down from the previous 3. I just think Identity has the most satisfying overall arc and ends perfectly.

 

[flickchick85]

Identity just felt more like a generic thriller to me. I mean, a damn good generic thriller, but still with a kinda generic feel, with a very straightforward, predictable, glossy Hollywood spy-thriller story. I really don't feel like the series forged its own cinematic identity (pardon the pun) until Greengrass came aboard. Not only did I find them more interesting thematically (the atonement aspect of Supremacy being particularly unexpected and poignant to me), but I also loved how they elevated Bourne to this almost mythic, larger-than-life status. I mean, at the end of Identity, I didn't feel like we'd met some iconic cinematic hero, but at the end of Supremacy, I was sure we had.

And the action scenes in them are still my favorites by a wide margin. Shakey cam doesn't bother me when it's used by someone who knows what they're doing, and I've always felt Greengrass was the master of it (and the lack of spatial coherence in some of Gilroy's attempts at mimicking his style in Legacy just re-affirmed how good Greengrass really was for me). I actually kind of love it in his movies.

 

[Liam_H]

Supremacy

Its been awhile since I've seen all three movies. But I remember thinking after watching Ultimatum, its the same movie as Supremacy.

 

[TheVileOne]

Ultimatum ends on such a great note and Legacy completely ruined it and basically undoes everything that was resolved in part 3. Boo!

 

[Hunter Rider]

Identity easy since its the only one I can see what's happening

t:

 

[Gianakin_]

Identity just felt more like a generic thriller to me. I mean, a damn good generic thriller, but still with a kinda generic feel, with a very straightforward, predictable, glossy Hollywood spy-thriller story. I really don't feel like the series forged its own cinematic identity (pardon the pun) until Greengrass came aboard. Not only did I find them more interesting thematically (the atonement aspect of Supremacy being particularly unexpected and poignant to me), but I also loved how they elevated Bourne to this almost mythic, larger-than-life status. I mean, at the end of Identity, I didn't feel like we'd met some iconic cinematic hero, but at the end of Supremacy, I was sure we had.

And the action scenes in them are still my favorites by a wide margin. Shakey cam doesn't bother me when it's used by someone who knows what they're doing, and I've always felt Greengrass was the master of it (and the lack of spatial coherence in some of Gilroy's attempts at mimicking his style in Legacy just re-affirmed how good Greengrass really was for me). I actually kind of love it in his movies.

 

[Fenrir]

Identity just felt more like a generic thriller to me. I mean, a damn good generic thriller, but still with a kinda generic feel, with a very straightforward, predictable, glossy Hollywood spy-thriller story. I really don't feel like the series forged its own cinematic identity (pardon the pun) until Greengrass came aboard. Not only did I find them more interesting thematically (the atonement aspect of Supremacy being particularly unexpected and poignant to me), but I also loved how they elevated Bourne to this almost mythic, larger-than-life status. I mean, at the end of Identity, I didn't feel like we'd met some iconic cinematic hero, but at the end of Supremacy, I was sure we had.

And the action scenes in them are still my favorites by a wide margin. Shakey cam doesn't bother me when it's used by someone who knows what they're doing, and I've always felt Greengrass was the master of it (and the lack of spatial coherence in some of Gilroy's attempts at mimicking his style in Legacy just re-affirmed how good Greengrass really was for me). I actually kind of love it in his movies.

Identity is winning mostly because it had better filmed fight sequences. Otherwise, Supremacy and Ultimatum are by far the better movies overall.

 

[jacobed]

That's how it is for me. I think story wise they get better as they go but man Greengrass' filming style is atrocious

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^I wouldnt say any particular of the first 3 were far better than the others, I just preferred the way Identity was directed compared to the others. Plus Identity had the most satisfying ending as well.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I think Identity is alot more fun, suspenseful, and interesting because you are discoverying the source and extent of Jason's ability along with him. The love interest made you more invested because you feared for her safety.

and of course zero shaky cam.

 

[Sweet Xstacy]

I won't say best because all 3 in the trilogy are fantastic.

But my absolute favorite is Supremacy. That's the one I can watch over and over again. I love how it shifts from the warm colors of Goa to the cold bleakness of moscow. They stepped up the music game in that one as well. It had an interesting story with the flashbacks and Abbot falling apart at the seams. He and Landry's back and forth in the war room was superb. "His mind is broken. We broke it!" It has one of the best foot chases (I know most people love the car chase) I've ever seen in film. Some incidental moments of badassery i.e. the FBI agent interrogation, the timing of the jumping the train tracks, jumping on the ship and hanging off the side. And of course the ending brought me to tears. "It's just a picture" "No it's not" I know it's not perfect but it is absolutely my favorite bourne film.

 

[bullets]

I have to go with Supremacy. It's been a while since I've watched the Bourne trilogy , but my favorite scenes are in Supremacy. I love all three films though. I thought Legacy was good but it didn't leave me completely satisfied.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Ultimatum.

Dat ending.

 

[Hunter Rider]

^I wouldnt say any particular of the first 3 were far better than the others, I just preferred the way Identity was directed compared to the others. Plus Identity had the most satisfying ending as well.

I think Identity is alot more fun, suspenseful, and interesting because you are discoverying the source and extent of Jason's ability along with him. The love interest made you more invested because you feared for her safety.

and of course zero shaky cam.

Agreed on both counts, the latter two movies are soulless IMO and that kills my investment in them, and story-wise all had a decent amount of intrigue.

 

[TheVileOne]

I'm not sure how you come to soulless HR. I mean soulless? If anything I found Legacy to be pretty soulless.

I thought the ending was pretty powerful for Supremacy. Bourne giving that young woman the truth.

 

[Sweet Xstacy]

Legacy isn't even in the conversation. Not a bad movie. But it just doesn't belong imo.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Agreed on both counts, the latter two movies are soulless IMO and that kills my investment in them, and story-wise all had a decent amount of intrigue.

I wouldnt say the latter 2 were soulless, but they were definately missing something Identity had. In hindsight killing Marie might have been a mistake in the sequels, although it sets Bourne on his journey again I guess.

But without Marie, Jason had no one to warm to in the sequels, no one to let his guard down in front of, on the odd occasion he tried, with Nicki in Ultimatum, the next scene she is leaving, so you didnt get the same feeling.

I'm not sure how you come to soulless HR. I mean soulless? If anything I found Legacy to be pretty soulless.

I thought the ending was pretty powerful for Supremacy. Bourne giving that young woman the truth.

That was a very powerful moment, and probably is what elevates Supremacy above Ultimatum for me, though I still prefer Identity to both.

 

[Liam_H]

For people saying the shaky cam during action scenes are atrocious, where would you say its done correctly? Or are you saying that particular style doesn't work at all?

Cause I think its done very well in Supremacy and Ultimatum. You still understand whats going on while in other movies/directors they have no idea how to use it.

 

[flickchick85]

Yeah, I don't find the action "better-flimed" in Identity at all. More cleanly-filmed, sure, but that's not automatically better, imo. Not when you're dealing in the extremely messy business of government-trained super-assassins, one of whom is acting largely on the fly and always having to think on his feet and act before you or I even have a chance to consider his options. Bourne's entire mode of operation is about immediacy, and I feel the camera style fits that like a glove. There's not a single shot in Identity that gives me the visceral rush of that window-roof jump in Ultimatum, not a more thrilling and intense fight in the series than the Bourne vs. Desh one in that movie, and the car chase in Supremacy doesn't just trump the one in Identity for me, it's also one of the best I've ever seen. And a huge reason for all of that is this supposedly "atrocious" filming style. Short version: I Paul Greengrass and his shakey cam. t:

 

[jacobed]

For people saying the shaky cam during action scenes are atrocious, where would you say its done correctly? Or are you saying that particular style doesn't work at all?

Cause I think its done very well in Supremacy and Ultimatum. You still understand whats going on while in other movies/directors they have no idea how to use it.

The only time I've seen shakey cam work is Saving Private Ryan. Ultimatum had this amazing fight in it ruined because you can't see anything that's happening

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Katheryn Bigelow also uses shakey cam well.

 

[Gianakin_]

Greengrass is the director that uses shakey cam the best, imo. He did go a liiiiiiittle bit overboard in Ultimatum, though.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^I thought he used it to better effect in Ultimatum than he did in Supremacy, things were more clear in the 3rd movie and you could see things better, especially in the main fight.

I just dont like the style in general personally, I dont think it "gets you more into the scene at all" as the directors intend, it annoyed me in Batman Begins and The Hunger Games as well.

 

[Gianakin_]

Yeah, it's not my kind of style, either.

But I do believe the Damon/Csokas Supremacy fight was much clearer than the Bourne/Desh fight in Ultimatum.