The Bourne Ultimatum (2007): Matt Damon Returns for the Third "Bourne" Chapter

     In the final installment of the original trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Matt Damon reprises his role as amnesiac CIA agent Jason Bourne. Paul Greengrass returned as director, giving the action sequences his signature rapid-fire, hand-held feel. Julia Stiles and Joan Allen reprised their roles as well, and Albert Finney, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn joined the cast. While all the "Bourne" films were well-received, The Bourne Ultimatum was the only one to receive Oscar nominations, and the film won in all three of it's editing and mixing categories. The "Bourne" series was picked up again five years later, with The Bourne Legacy (2012), comprised of different characters, as Matt Damon refused to return for a fourth film.

    Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is still on the run, and still suppressing memories of who he really is... 

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

     His past haunts him, coming back in flashes... 

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

     A new group of CIA personnel are after him... 

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007

     as he is getting closer to the truth... 

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

     finding his way back to the beginning... 

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

      figuring out where it all started... 

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

     and who is responsible...

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007

The Bourne Ultimatum. 2007: Matt Damon

The Bourne Supremacy (2004): Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox and Joan Allen

     Originally, there were no clear intentions to make a sequel to The Bourne Identity (2002). The cast and film makers didn't want to belittle the film. Screenwriter Tony Gilroy, however, conceived of a   follow-up story that peaked the interest of Matt Damon. The ball was rolling for The Bourne Supremacy (2004). Director Paul Greengrass was brought on, giving the film the needed feel and fast-pace, with his trademark hand-held camera and choppy jump-shots. Matt Damon, Franka Potente and Julia Stiles returned. Brian Cox, Joan Allen and Karl Urban were brought on in new roles, to fill the gaps left by all the characters that had been killed in the first film. Full of action and Greengrass' distinctive style, The Bourne Supremacy is an entertaining and fitting sequel.

     Two years after the European events of the first film, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) are hiding out in India... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Matt Damon

     It is not far away enough. Bourne has been framed for a crime in Germany, and an assassin (Karl Urban) is sent to kill him... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004

     The sniper kills Marie instead, in a tragic mistake... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Matt Damon

     Now, Bourne has newfound cause for anger and intent in his actions... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Matt Damon

     New CIA personnel are involved (Brian Cox and Joan Allen)... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004

     and Bourne must get to the bottom of things... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Matt Damon

     and find out who wants him dead (and killed Marie)... 

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Matt Damon

     and who set him up...

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Matt Damon

The Bourne Supremacy. 2004: Franka Potente

The Bourne Identity (2002): Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper and Clive Owen

     Loosely based on the novel of the same name by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Identity (2002) was the result of a long arduous process by director Doug Liman. He was very particular about story elements, setting, film techniques and keeping the studio as far away as possible. The end result is a powerful action film, but a very expensive one... having gone about $8 million over budget. The Bourne Identity was a huge success, though, and set off three more installments in the Bourne series. The great Paris car chase is notable and Matt Damon claimed one of his most memorable characters in Jason Bourne.

     An Italian fishing boat, sailing off the coast of France, spots an unresponsive man floating in the water and takes him on board. The man has two gun shots in his back, but is alive. After some healing and recuperation it is learned that the man (Matt Damon) is suffering from amnesia... 

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

     A chip implanted in his hip leads him to a bank in Zurich, where he finds a safety deposit box filled with cash, passports (with different aliases) and a gun. He takes on the top name in the pile of documents: Jason Bourne... 

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

     A guard at the bank tips off the CIA (led by Chris Cooper), who have been watching the bank and are after Bourne, and he must fight his way out, during which time he discovers his instinctive combat skills... 

The Bourne Identity. 2002

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

     Jason encounters a woman, Marie (Franka Potente), at the American embassy and offers her $20,000 to drive him to Paris...

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

      She complies, but they find danger and are pursued in Paris as well. They must run...

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

      All the while Jason and Marie are getting closer to each other... 

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

     and Jason is trying desperately to find out who he is, who is after him...

The Bourne Identity. 2002

     and why...

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Matt Damon

The Bourne Identity. 2002: Franka Potente

The Brothers Grimm (2005): Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Monica Bellucci and Fairy Tales

     Directed by Terry Gilliam, The Brothers Grimm (2005) is a creative and exaggerated portrayal of legendary folklorists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. The story casts the brothers as conmen in early 19th Century French-occupied Germany, duping villagers into paying them to expel fake witches. However, when a real evil queen sorceress, dormant for 500 years, seeks to steal the youth from young girls in a nearby town… the phony exorcists must summon real courage to face a genuine fairy tale curse. Many references to famous fairy tales are present, including Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Gingerbread Man and Snow White. The set designs are artistic and stylish, adding a unique twist on historic medieval architecture. Matt Damon and Heath Ledger are an odd but good pairing as the Brothers Grimm. Lena Headey is tough in her supporting role. Monica Bellucci steals the show, though, looking radiant and enticingly sexy as the beautiful youth-obsessed Queen. Peter Stormare costars.

Monica Bellucci

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

The Tower

Terry Gilliam concept drawing

Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Lena Headey

Lena Headey

Heath Ledger

Monica Bellucci

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Lena Headey

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Monica Bellucci

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Monica Bellucci and Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Matt Damon and Monica Bellucci

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Monica Bellucci

Little Red Riding Hood

Monica Bellucci and Heath Ledger

Monica Bellucci

Lena Headey and Heath Ledger

Matt Damon and Monica Bellucci

Matt Damon

Gingerbread Man

Monica Bellucci

Heath Ledger

Monica Bellucci

Lena Headey

Matt Damon and Lena Headey

Lena Headey

Heath Ledger and Matt Damon

Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci and Matt Damon

Monica Bellucci

"The Brothers Grimm"- movie trailer