HD-DVD Review: The Bourne Ultimatum
By
Brad Pipkins
Video Format: 2.40:1 1080p (VC-1)
Audio Formats: English Dolby TrueHD; English, French Dolby Digital Plus 5.1
Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, Albert Finney
Directed By: Paul Greengrass
Release Date: 12/11/2007
General
The Bourne Ultimatum is the third installment in the Bourne series. Following Jason Bourne, who is still running from the CIA and trying to find out who he truly is, Ultimatum throws in some new plot twists and reveals more about Bourne’s past than previous films. An excellent supporting cast, including Joan Allen, Julia Stiles and Albert Finney, really make this movie shine. Even though Matt Damn is not my favorite actor, I can’t imagine someone else filling Bourne’s shoes.
All three films come with the trademark “Shaky Cam” look that is so overdone in everything today. It has gotten progressively shakier as the films go on, with Bourne Identity being the least shaky of the three. It doesn’t bother me, but those susceptible to motion sickness and with larger screens may get a little woozy at certain parts.
Even so, it’s a staple of the series and one that makes the movies have a unique look. Well, the looked was unique until everyone started to copy them. It certainly doesn’t detract from the viewing unless you really harp on it.
Tech Specs
Video:
Another stellar transfer from Universal. The Bourne Ultimatum really shows that high definition can be worlds better with the proper transfer. The movie itself has a really subdued color palette that doesn’t leave much room for anything other than reds, oranges and colors of gray. It’s also a bit overexposed, meaning there is a lot of blown out whites and crushed blacks. But don’t worry, this was all intentional. What we have here on HD-DVD is the closest to the source possible right now. Blacks may be crushed but are incredibly deep. While colors may be lacking, I still found instances of that “pop” that everyone talks about. A really great treat considering some of Universal’s past efforts with catalogue titles.
Audio:
No surprise here either. Universal is starting to go steady with Dolby TrueHD tracks, and Bourne Ultimatum is no exception. The detail in sound on this disc is nothing short of spectacular. Gunshots, punches, vehicles… All ring out with exceptional clarity. The track may not pack the oomph that some others like Transformers do, but this is a completely different ball game. Actually, the thing that impressed me the most was the overall balance of the soundtrack. This movie was mixed extremely well. Some movies I have to clamor for the remote during loud action scenes then turn it back up for dialogue. Not so here.
Extras
Standard features apply here including deleted scenes, featurettes and behind-the-scenes footage and an audio commentary with director Paul Greengrass.
The Bourne Ultimatum also features Universal’s signature U-Control feature. A few things can be done while watching the film. Picture-in-picture allows you to watch interviews and related clips during the film, while Blackbriar files allow you to track agents and look at relevant documents while watching the film. It’s worthy to note that both of these detract from the movie, so those more interested in the film should watch with the U-Control off for the first viewing.
Menus/Navigation
Fairly straight-forward as is the case with any Universal release. Everything is laid out logically and it is very simple to get around.
Overall Impressions
I enjoyed the first Bourne Identity and The Bourne Ultimatum is certainly no exception. In fact, I rate it over Bourne Identity in terms of enjoyment factor. It’s a much faster paced thrill-ride than the second film, and is on par with the first one. If you can get passed the shaky cam stuff and get into the movie, you’ll find yourself saying, “I am Jason Bourne…”
Linear Mode
