The Bourne Trilogy Flipper Discs - BD/DVD Review
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Page 1 of 3 Universal / 2002-2007 / Rated PG-13 / 343 Minutes / Street Date: January 19, 2010
Before we look at the realities of these "Flipper Discs" (Blu-ray on one side, DVD on the other), let's discuss these three excellent films. From DVDFile's review of The Bourne Trilogy Blu-ray box set: "Based on the famous 1980 Cold War thriller by Robert Ludlum, our story begins when Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is found floating in the Mediterranean Sea, near death and with no memory of who he is or what had happened to him. His first hope for regaining his memory is a miniature projector implanted under his skin. It projects a secret account number for a Swiss safety deposit box, where he finds passports for his different identities, lots of cash in various currencies, and a semiautomatic handgun, which he leaves behind. He talks a young German woman, Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente), into driving him to Paris for the princely sum of $20,000. She’s wary but desperate. When the CIA begins to close in, attacking with lethal force, Bourne must race against the clock to unravel the mystery of just who he is and why he seems to be the world's most wanted man. The Bourne Supremacy begins about three years after The Bourne Identity ends. Jason and Maria have settled into a comfortable life in remote India. But forces are afoot that will change and challenge. Bourne is framed for the murder of an operative and an intelligence source in Berlin, and to sterilize Bourne as a threat, an asset is sent to assassinate him. It doesn’t go quite as planned, and Bourne’s wrath and lethal skills are unleashed.
His pursuers include CIA agent in charge Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) and her immediate superior, Ward Abbott (Brian Cox). A younger agent named Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) reports to Landy, mans a computer, and is an onsite coordinator rather than a field operative. Bourne's problems stemmed from the CIA finding a partial fingerprint on an explosive device intended to take out the third leg of an electrical system where the Berlin murders took place. Abbott becomes obsessed with killing Bourne on sight.
It becomes clear who’s framed Bourne and why, but that isn’t the point. Bourne is still trying to understand who he is, why he’s lost his memory, how he came to be so lethally and covertly skilled, and why he’s become a target. Since The Bourne Ultimatum comes next, it’s no surprise that he survives lethal traps, ambushes, assassination attempts, and manages to walk away from a bridge leap, crashing cars, and killing attackers with a mere limp and a single bullet embedded in his shoulder.
 Perhaps because the director was retained from the previous installment of this franchise, The Bourne Ultimatum begins a mere ten minutes after The Bourne Supremacy ends. Bourne manages to escape from Moscow, only to find that he and Project Treadstone are the subjects of investigative reporting in Britain. He seeks out the reporter and during a tense meeting in Waterloo Station that doesn’t go well, picks up another clue or two to drive him forward.
He’s still desperate to discover who he truly is and how he came to be what he is. Now he’s learning about an enhanced program called Blackbriar and the game is again afoot. But this time, the opposition has been ramped up. It’s post-9/11, and the CIA is running a covert operation out of New York City that is headed by Noah Vosen (David Strathairn); he has independent authority to take lethal action against anyone or anything anywhere in the world. But, just as with the previous two films, there is more at stake than it initially seems. Illegalities and corruption still infect the fabric of the service, and Bourne has again become a convenient scapegoat.
But there is a substantial difference in Ultimatum; Bourne has won the support of two from within the CIA. These new allies will be pivotal in helping protect him from harm and helping him unravel the truths about of his history. With each film, the number of international locations seems to escalate. Before the closing credits roll, Bourne will have visited Moscow, Madrid, Paris, London, Tangier, Turin, and New York. And in each, he leaves behind bodies, destruction, and collateral damage.
The trilogy is a testament to Bourne's dogged determination, his remarkable skills, his quick thinking intelligence and creativity, and an unbelievable physiognomy that can withstand punishment that would kill any normal human. And the believability of this incredible character and the audience’s caring about him is a testament to Matt Damon."
But if fans of the films haven't yet purchased the Bourne Trilogy BD set, should they go for these "Flipper Discs" instead? Let's investigate the evidence....
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