For fans of the Bourne movies, like myself, the franchise was a welcome departure from regular action movies. That is not to say that movies like Live Free or Die Hard are not exceptionally entertaining, but these films strike a different chord. The aforementioned Die Hard film was my favorite action film this year, before The Bourne Ultimatum, the third film of the franchise.

What makes this film so appealing is how intelligent it can be. This one does not just begin where the last one left off but directly links some scenes to those of the second film. It also gives the ability to have some scenes of high tension very early on in the film. The first time we see Jason Bourne using his skills he is using more of his evasion techniques rather than his combat abilities. The filmmakers prove that not all action is a set of explosions one after another.

As Jason delves deeper into who he was he delves deeper into his bag of tricks. I was impressed by the ability to make this movie have the same feel of the others yet set itself apart. Each of the Bourne movies have similarities such as the fighting or the incredible car scenes, but this one successfully moves forward. Jason has “grown up” in a sense as a character and the movies have grown up with him. If you liked the first two films, you will love this one. If you are not into thought provoking action films, stick with Die Hard. This movie sets a standard for action movies even higher than the first two movies.

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