The Bourne Supremacy is a 2004 spy mystery thriller film. The title comes from the Robert Ludlum novel of the same name, but the film's plot is completely different (even contradictory) to the plot of the book. The title was used because it is a sequel to The Bourne Identity (the film of the same name had some basing on the book). The film was directed by Paul Greengrass, written by Tony Gilroy and Brian Helgeland[2] and produced by Doug Liman and Frank Marshall. Universal Pictures released the film to theaters in the United States on 23 July 2004 and it received a positive critical and public reaction similar to its predecessor, The Bourne Identity. The film was followed by a 2007 sequel entitled The Bourne Ultimatum.
The Bourne Supremacy continues the story of Jason Bourne, a former CIA assassin from their Special Activities Division suffering from psychogenic amnesia.[3] Bourne is portrayed by Matt Damon. The film focuses on his attempt to learn more of his shadowy past as he is once more enveloped in a conspiracy surrounding the CIA and Operation Treadstone. The film also stars Franka Potente as Marie Helena Kreutz, Brian Cox as Ward Abbott, Joan Allen as Pamela Landy and Julia Stiles as Nicolette Parsons.
Plot
Two years after the events in the film The Bourne Identity, Bourne and his girlfriend Marie Kreutz are living anonymously in Goa, India. Bourne is beginning to recover some of his memories, and is troubled by disjointed flashbacks of an assassination he carried out.
Meanwhile, in Berlin, an agent under the command of CIA Deputy Director Pamela Landy is exchanging $3 million for the "Neski Files", documents about the theft of $20 million from the CIA seven years earlier. A Russian assassin named Kirill plants two bombs in the basement: one on the main power line, the other on a subline with Bourne's fingerprint carefully applied to it and rigged to malfunction. When the power is disrupted by the first bomb, Kirill kills both parties to the exchange in the ensuing darkness, and steals the files and money, which he later gives to his employer, Russian oil magnate Yuri Gretkov.
Kirill then travels to Goa to kill Bourne, but Bourne spots him first and flees with Marie. As Bourne and Marie are driving away, Kirill shoots and kills Marie with a sniper rifle; the car veers off the bridge into a river. Kirill leaves, believing that Bourne is dead. Bourne tries to give Marie mouth-to-mouth resuscitation underwater without success. He then travels to Italy to find out why he has again been targeted.
After Landy's team finds the planted fingerprint and links it to the CIA's secret Treadstone Project, Landy flies to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. After getting clearance from CIA Director Martin Marshall, she learns that the fingerprint is Bourne's, but CIA chief Ward Abbott claims he does not know Bourne's whereabouts. Landy tells Abbott that the CIA agent who is believed to have stolen the $20 million was named in the stolen "Neski" files. Vladimir Neski, a Russian politician and reformer, was going to identify the thief, but was murdered in Berlin before he could, supposedly by his wife, who then committed suicide. Landy believes the latest killings were to cover up Bourne's involvement.
When Bourne arrives in Naples, Italy, he is detained by an Italian Carabinieri officer and a CIA agent, but Bourne knocks out the two men and escapes after copying the SIM card of the agent's cell phone. This enables Bourne to listen in on a call from Landy; he learns her name and phone number, and that he is the prime suspect in the recent killings. He drives to Munich, where he interrogates Jarda, the only other surviving Treadstone assassin. Jarda tells him that the project was shut down following Conklin's death. When Bourne realizes that Jarda had called for backup, Bourne strangles him in the ensuing fight.
Landy and Abbott travel to Amsterdam to debrief Nicky Parsons, Bourne's last Treadstone contact. Landy decides to bring Nicky to Berlin. Meanwhile, Bourne drives to Berlin and tracks down Landy to the Westin Hotel. He tails her to the local CIA substation. He telephones her and agrees to come in, but only with someone he trusts. He chooses Nicky. Over Abbott's objection, Landy sends Nicky to the designated meeting place. However, Bourne manages to abduct Nicky and escape the cordon Landy has set up. He learns that Abbott was the head of Treadstone, not Conklin. He then has flashbacks of his first assassination that place him in Berlin. When he questions Nicky, she denies he was ever assigned to Berlin. Bourne spares her life and leaves.
Upon listening to their conversation, transmitted by Nicky's bug, Landy begins to believe that Bourne is being framed. Later, Bourne goes to the Brecker Hotel and breaks into the room in which the Neskis were murdered. Flashbacks confirm he was responsible. Meanwhile, the hotel clerk has recognized him from a wanted poster and called the police. However, Bourne escapes after a footrace in the streets.
At the CIA substation, Danny Zorn tells Abbott that he has something to show him privately. Zorn and Abbott return to the scene of the bombing, where Zorn points out that the second bomb was unnecessary and voices his suspicion that Bourne is being set up. Abbott unexpectedly stabs him to death. When Landy is later informed that Zorn's body has been found, she immediately suspects Abbott and goes to confront him.
Abbott calls Gretkov and informs him that Bourne is still alive, and that they could be implicated in the theft of the $20 million. After telling Abbott he is on his own, Gretkov hangs up. Bourne then steps out of the shadows. He is tempted to kill Abbott, who tries to goad him into it, but out of respect for Marie's beliefs, Bourne spares his life. Instead, he shows that he has taped the telephone conversation, and leaves a handgun on Abbott's desk before leaving. When Landy shows up, Abbott first points the gun at her. He then calls Zorn's death "collateral damage" and kills himself.
Bourne travels to Moscow to find Neski's daughter. The police, alerted by Landy, chase him. Kirill joins the hunt and wounds Bourne. After an extended car chase, Bourne forces Kirill's car into a concrete divider, then watches as Kirill dies. Then he walks away.
Gretkov is arrested by the Russian police after Landy provides them with the tape sent by Bourne. Neski's daughter returns to her apartment to find Jason Bourne waiting for her. He confesses that he killed her parents. Thinking of Marie, he explains, "When what you love is taken from you....you would want to know the truth." He apologizes and leaves.
The final scene (later revealed to take place during The Bourne Ultimatum) jumps to New York City, where Bourne phones Landy to ask why the CIA is still looking for him. After Landy thanks Bourne for supplying the Abbott tape, she tells Bourne his real name (David Webb), birth date, and place of birth. Bourne declines her offer to come back to the CIA and tells her she looks tired. Startled, Landy turns around and looks out of her office window.
The DVD contains an alternate ending in which Bourne collapses in a park after confessing to Neski's daughter, waking up in a hospital, and being told his real name by Landy before he escapes.
Cast
- Matt Damon as Jason Bourne: an amnesiac and former paramilitary assassin of the CIA's Operation Treadstone (which is most similar to their storied Special Activities Division).
- Joan Allen as Pamela Landy: a CIA Deputy Director and Task Force Chief, pursues Bourne after he is implicated in the deaths of two of her operatives in a recent op.
- Brian Cox as Ward Abbott: a CIA Deputy Director formerly in charge of Treadstone who wants Bourne dead.
- Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons: formerly handled logistics for Treadstone and was Bourne's contact in Paris; she is taken from her post-Treadstone assignment to assist in the search for Bourne.
- Marton Csokas as Jarda: a former Treadstone operative based out of Munich.
- Karl Urban as Kirill: a Russian secret service agent and an expert assassin who is working for Gretkov.
- Karel Roden as Gretkov: Kirill's employer.
- Franka Potente as Marie Helena Kreutz: Bourne's girlfriend who is killed when Kirill comes for Bourne.
- Gabriel Mann as Danny Zorn: formerly Conklin's righthand man, is now on Abbott's staff.
- Tomas Arana as Martin Marshall: CIA Director who authorizes the hunt for Bourne.
- Tom Gallop as Tom Cronin: Landy's righthand agent.
- Michelle Monaghan as Kim: Landy's number two agent.
- Oksana Akinshina as Irena Neski: teenaged daughter of politician Vladimir Neski, who along with his wife, was killed by Bourne.
Reaction
The Bourne Supremacy grossed $288,500,217.[1] Reviews on Internet critic sites suggest an overall positive disposition towards the film, though the film was criticized for its shaky camera work, which has made various action scenes difficult to see,[4] an often criticized stylistic choice which carries on with The Bourne Ultimatum.[5] However, some reviewers have said this gives "a gritty, realistic feel".[6] Despite these criticisms, Rotten Tomatoes scores the film at 82 percent.[7] At the 2005 Taurus World Stunt Awards, veteran Russian stunt coordinator Viktor Ivanov won the "Best Vehicle" award for his driving in the Moscow car chase scene. Dan Bradley, the film's second unit director won the overall award for stunt coordinator.[8] The film ranks 454th on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.[9]
Awards
Soundtrack
References
External links
