The Bourne Ultimatum

The third outing for Jason Bourne was roundly praised on its cinematic release in August this year and this DVD suits the breathless chases and superb stunts that made the big screen viewing a slightly headache inducing experience with its roving "shaky-cam" and swift cutting.

The plot begins on the same night as the ending of The Bourne Supremacy in Moscow, with a wounded Bourne seeking medical supplies. Beginning to unravel the secrets of the Treadstone project, a subsequent strand of his identity is thrust back into his life through Operation Blackbriar (a renamed Treadstone proposed by Ward Abbott at the end of The Bourne Identity). The locations mount: Turin, London (with a superb chase through Waterloo station - part exciting due to knowledge of the location, but also a bravura sequence), Spain, Tangiers and ultimately New York and a showdown with sympathetic Pamela Landy and wily Noah Vosen (Joan Allen and David Strathairn providing excellent support).

Whilst the ending is a little disappointing (inevitably leaving the door open to what has become a Bond-shaped stop gap until the next 007 outing), the action is directed with such flair by Paul Greengrass that even Damon's bland reading of the title role seems just the right pitch for the character to not get in the way of the story.

Extras: Audio commentary with director Paul Greengrass, deleted scenes and 5 featurettes (Man on the Move: Jason Bourne, Rooftop Pursuit, Planning the Punches, Driving School and New York Chase).

Released 10th December 2007 by Universal Pictures UK.

Written by Simon Cole.