I'm making my way back through the "Bourne" movies so I can go see "Jason Bourne" which is in theaters now. Last night I watched "The Bourne Supremacy". While it's been a while since I've seen "Ultimatum", I think "Supremacy" may be the best film in the franchise series.
There's quite a bit to like about this movie. In it we find that Jason Bourne is still struggling with amnesia in the wake of the events of "The Bourne Identity". As the film opens we find that he's making a life for himself far away from the eyes of the CIA, only to be framed by a foreign body such that he winds up on the run from the US government once more. The plot revolves around his attempt to clear his name and bring those responsible for the setup to justice.
Unlike the first movie, this film is more re-watchable in that whereas once you've seen the original film you pretty much know where it's going, the "Supremacy" is a new chapter that stays fresh even on multiple views. In other words, it's hard to forget the gist of the first movie's plot and its eventual outcome--but the "Supremacy" takes the basic concept of the franchise and crafts a tale that could have been told as any chapter in the series. If you've not seen it in a few years, you'll likely find yourself just as engrossed in it upon a second viewing as you were the first go around.
I also find that this film just simply has the best plot of the series, and has a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. New characters are introduced that make the film fun and exciting, and by the end of the show you feel like you've got your money's worth.
That said, I've given this movie 9/10 stars. I stop short of the perfect 10/10 simply because this is a sequel that a person might be a bit lost on without having seen the first movie. That, and while it's fantastic, it's fantastic in a way that just seems to fall a teensy bit short of iconic in the way that a perfect 10 might. Still a superb movie, though. Extremely well done.