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There's a plot twist that happens quite near the start of The Bourne Supremacy that immediately convinces you that this film is not going to mess around. It's a startling event that emphasises how unpredictable and bold the film is, continuing very much in the vein of its predecessor The Bourne Identity. Supremacy could have struggled to find a narrative hook to propel the action along in as compelling a manner as the original, which was able to rely on the "amnesiac assassin trying to find out who he is" concept. The story came to a natural close at the end of Identity, though, and some sequels can struggle to satisfactorily restart the narrative. Not so with The Bourne Supremacy, which in that one moment grabs the attention and refuses to slacken its grip for the rest of the running time.
The film sees a change in director since the first instalment, with Brit Paul Greengrass now the man at the helm. The new director brings a new aesthetic but Supremacy remains resolutely a continuation of a story rather than a completely separate instalment; it is an excellent accompaniment to Identity, completely retaining its distinct feel and tone. Greengrass' extensive use of handheld cameras may give motion sickness sufferers problems but also contributes immensely to the numerous hard-hitting action scenes, making them some of the most exciting and impressive of recent years. In particular, the climactic Moscow car chase is spectacular and must rank among films like Bullitt, The French Connection and Ronin as one of the best such sequences ever made. It certainly puts Identity's (already very good) Paris-set Mini pursuit in the shade.
Unusually, the main thrust of the plot is over by the end of the film's second act around the 75 minute mark. The intensity does not let up, however, as after this Bourne still has Karl Urban's hitman to contend with. Urban has little dialogue in the film (and all of it in Russian), but like many similar almost-mute characters such as Star Wars' Boba Fett or Clint Eastwood's recurring "Man with No Name" persona, he makes a substantial impact through his actions alone. Some returning actors from Identity receive increased screen time here, including Julia Styles and the ever-dependable Brian Cox. Bourne's main nemesis for much of the time - although not a villain in the normal sense - is Joan Allen's Pamela Landy. It's refreshing that for once the antagonist is not someone bent on destroying the world or even killing anyone; she's just an intelligent woman doing her job. It makes it all the more gratifying when Bourne outsmarts her.
Identity and Supremacy, while very much maintaining a sense of continuity, are quite different beasts. Supremacy takes more risks and is a more intense, faster paced adventure. Importantly, however, it retains the moments of contemplation that enhance emotion and character; the low-key, poignant ending exemplifies how different this is from usual Hollywood popcorn fare. Still at the centre of it all is Matt Damon. It's extremely rare that sort of popular blockbuster receives recognition in the major awards categories but Damon's Bourne remains his best performance and deserves plaudits. The character-driven nature of the film, its unpredictability and its lead character's enigmatic appeal are what distinguish The Bourne Supremacy and its predecessor from other action films. The series' quality is remarkably consistent, with all evidence pointing to The Bourne Ultimatum being just as good.
The extras
For a single-disc DVD this is pleasingly well supplied with special features. Firstly, Paul Greengrass delivers an interesting and informative commentary. The other extras are presented in a similar format to The Bourne Identity's: short featurettes, but quite a few of them. It's particularly interesting to see how Greengrass' improvisational shooting technique affects the actors - he just tells them to do what they want and the camera will follow them, rather than forcing them to hit predetermined marks as in most films. The featurette "Blowing Things Up" is also certainly worth a watch, mainly because it proves that the stunts in the film are done for real. Seven minutes of deleted scenes, clearly snipped purely for pacing reasons, are included too. According to the box, the extras (excluding the commentary) clock in at 56 minutes. Concise but detailed, like the film.
The summary
A superb edge-of-seat thriller that grips from start to finish. A slight shortage of actual plot is made up for by brilliant action and a rare humanity. It's an exercise in precisely edited, white-knuckle suspense.
