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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Bourne Supremacy, The
Universal Pictures


6.9

based on 39 reviews
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based on 106 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for violence and intense action, and brief language

Starring Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Gabriel Mann, Joan Allen, and Marton Csokas

The Bourne Supremacy re-enters the shadowy world of expert assassin Jason Bourne (Damon), who continues to find himself plagued by splintered nightmares from his former life. The stakes are now even higher for the agent as he coolly maneuvers through the dangerous waters of international espionage - replete with CIA plots, turncoat agents and ever-shifting covert alliances - all the while hoping to find the truth behind his haunted memories and answers to his own fragmented past. (Universal Studios)

GENRE(S):	Action \| Adventure \| Drama \| Mystery \| Suspense/Thriller
WRITTEN BY:	Tony Gilroy Robert Ludlum (novel)
DIRECTED BY:	Paul Greengrass
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: December 7, 2004 Video: December 7, 2004 Theatrical: July 23, 2004
RUNNING TIME:	120 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

A conventionally heightened series of escapes and clashes and hide-and-seek gambits, yet the way the film has been made, nothing that happens seems inevitable -- which is to say, anything seems possible. There's a word for that sensation. It's called excitement.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

This is high-speed action realism carried off with the dexterity of a magician pulling a hundred rabbits out of a hat in one graceful gesture. The crowning flourish is an extended car chase through the streets and tunnels of Moscow that ranks as one of the three or four most exciting demolition derbies ever filmed.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Spy movies just got thrilling again.

Los Angeles Times Manohla Dargis

Rarely does pop come with such sizzle.

Salon.com Charles Taylor

As a piece of craft, and with the exception of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," it's miles beyond any studio film this summer.

Slate David Edelstein

The sequel is simply a tour-de-force of thriller filmmaking.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

Greengrass has a fine sense of pacing, keeping events moving. It's rarely hard to guess what's going to happen next, but events unfold with such gusto that there's barely time to notice that.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Taut, tightly paced and thrilling, with some of the best chase sequences -- whether by foot, taxi or Jeep -- in recent memory.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

Close to perfect example of an expertly designed and executed thriller.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Trumping its predecessor with a tauter plot, a lower body count and just as many edge-of-the-seat jolts.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

If you've forgotten the kick you get from watching a globe-trotting, butt-kicking, whiplash-paced action movie done with humor, style and smarts, take a ride with The Bourne Supremacy.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

Delivers the expected adrenaline-driven thrills with a fresh eye and a refreshing attitude.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Goes through its airport-thriller paces with dazzling kinetics and style.

Chicago Reader Staff (Not credited)

The action sequences are expert studies in controlled chaos.

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

Plot matters more here than spectacle; the film's real climax involves no demolition, but rather two characters in a room quietly discussing devastating events in their past.

Empire Chris Hewitt

The Bourne Supremacy builds on and exceeds the original, delivering, quite simply, one of the finest big-budget thrillers in years.

Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan

Solid summer entertainment set in a recognizably real world.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

The way Greengrass lets you feel the violence is impressive. Most movie heroes punch through armies without scraping their knuckles, but Bourne's a believable wreck by midpoint.

New York Post Megan Lehmann

The strapping Damon's lived-in performance makes us happy to follow Bourne wherever he may go.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

That the director, Paul Greengrass, treats the material with gravity and uses good actors in well-written supporting roles elevates the movie above its genre, but not quite out of it.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Leah McLaren

Directed by Paul Greengrass, the unflinching eye behind "Bloody Sunday," The Bourne Supremacy not only lives up to the promises of the novel by Robert Ludlum, but in many ways manages to improve on the first film.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Achieves an assaultive intensity that adds a level of visceral excitement to car chases, mano-a-mano showdowns -- even simple conversations. It's a style that takes some getting used to -- the images flit by at near-subliminal speeds -- but proves tremendously effective.

Variety Todd McCarthy

The action is confusing at first and the hyperventilated editing style at times goes beyond the pale, so pic ultimately emerges as an erratic but not unworthy sequel to its gritty, genre-invigorating predecessor.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

Supremacy certainly works on its own terms, but those terms are limiting. It's an entertainment machine about a killing machine.

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

Supremacy is, minor quibbles aside, a worthy successor to “The Bourne Identity.”

Film Threat Rick Kisonak

Over all, though, the picture fires on all pistons. The globetrotting's a good time-I can't think of another spy film that's featured as delightful an assortment of seamy international undersides.

The New Yorker David Denby

Putting it mildly, this style of shallow, panting composition isn't the way I’d like movies to go, but, of its kind, The Bourne Supremacy is incredibly skilled--much more exciting than its predecessor.

Austin Chronicle Kimberley Jones

All herky-jerky camera movements and no pussyfooting around with the interior lives of these characters.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

A serviceable thriller - no more, no less.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

Supremacy has thrills, but without Potente's presence, it loses its soul.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

The loss of the first film's hurtling who-am-I? story engine is keenly felt, and too much time is spent observing the characters get on and off planes, trains, and automobiles.

The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen

Like its various post-Cold War European locations, the film remains chilly and distant. Every time you feel like you're finally grabbing hold of something involving, the picture once again spins frustratingly out of reach.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

A refreshing alternative to the hypertrophied spy thrillers in which exaggerated action sequences, over-the-top super-villainy and high-tech gadgetry trump character and plot.

LA Weekly Joe Donnelly

In Supremacy, Damon is left to play basically one droning, humorless note, which, unfortunately, he does with his eyes closed.

Premiere Aaron Hillis

What’s missing here is the amnesiac hook that made "The Bourne Identity" such a sleeper hit.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

The movie is mostly a series of frenetic clashes, dubious near misses and car chases. It lacks the human interest and snowy splendor of the first movie, directed by Doug Liman.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Almost everything that made "The Bourne Identity" refreshing -- the wit, the irony, the suspense, the novelty of its premise -- is gone in The Bourne Supremacy, and what's left is the spectacle of Matt Damon, with perfect posture and senses primed like a cat, making his way through a routine action thriller.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

This time it's just chasing, fistfighting, and shooting. A disappointment from the director of "Bloody Sunday."

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

I had some trouble with the plot, but I'm not the only one -- so did the screenwriter.

The average user rating for this movie is 6.9 (out of 10) based on 106 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

jack s. gave it a5:
I wouldn't take any extremist sides, but overall the story was fairly straightforward (which is a blessing for this kind of genre), and yes, while the camera could indeed induce nausea, it was a very obvious character of the film itself. Natural/ambient light should be the prerequisite for every film made. Unrealistic car chases coupled with insane walk-aways are unforgivable, but tight, choreographed fisticuffs were passable as the real deal. A bit of a quick-ending wrap up made it somewhat hurried, but characters remained true, and almost a bit stereotyped (unbeatable Bourne, bumbling crony, maiden-in-distress, et al.). A solid mediocre rating.

Jason H gave it a5:
This movie probably could have been much, much better. The camera simply sucked, saying that it made the experience more "real" and that it's "creative" is a load of crock. All that it does is give me a headache, a stomache ache, and no idea what the hell is going on. Another poor feature of the movie was it's lack of humor. Identity had a perfect balance of humor and action, which fit well with a character slowly uncovering his past and incredible abilities. In this movie, suddenly bourne is a master at what he does. He no longer discovers himself, he no longer makes jokes. He's become a flat character by comparison.

atomzer0 gave it a6:
Camera action made me sick. It was like the cameraman was trying to rollerblade on gravel and kept falling and turning and jerking. I understand why they did it that way, but it didn't work for me. I'd give it a 9 if not for the "creative" camera motion.

Randy H. gave it a2:
Seemed like a great movie. I'm not really sure, because I had to look away through much of it or squint one eye shut to try and stem the nausea that the shaking, frentetic camera views inspired. Who thought this was a good way to film a movie? This artsy-fartsy director should be banned from any future filmmaking. Even the quiet moments in the movie when two people were just talking, the camera was moving and zooming in and out like the cameraman was smoking crack. I was looking forward to this third installment of the Bourne series, but by the end of the film I was looking forward to some Pepto Bismol. Complete waste of time and money, in my opinion.

Simon B. gave it an8:
I frankly don't get how people review movies on this site. I've seen the most preposterous of comments on movies that are straight out excellent. The Bourne Supermacy follows what Bourne said in the first movie. He threatens Treadstone by saying they won't know what's coming until the counter-strike is finished. That promises a fast-paced movie ON THE START. Plot-lines that were VERY obvious seem to be so oblivious to others that they decide to pluck their thought-motor out and call it a day. If some complain about the camera movement, well to them I would answer: "How would you imagine yourself in a fight?" ... Exactly. When you're in a fight like Jason gets into, you don't see everything around you. It's a fast-paced blur without conscience. Everything becomes instinct. And this is what this movie is about: Instinct. Instinct of survival. If the movie is too fast for you, try watching it in slow-motion.

Joey K. gave it a0:
This movie is absolutely horrible. The first one was great. This one was an insult. Frankly, I'm downright outraged that this one got a better metcritic score, because it is utter garbage. There is very little actual action. 3/4 of the movie is just footage of Matt Damon walking really fast and looking beihind him. Seriously. And when ther actually IS something that SHOULD be interesting, you can't see it because whenever there's a fight, the first thing they do is kick the epileptic camera man in the balls. If you like faked, boring "suspense," see this movie. If you like action movies, or liked the first one, for the love of God stay away from this crap.

Sterling C. gave it a10:
This movie is the perfect sequel to The Bourne Identity and is mandatory for fast-action fans.

Bourne Supremacy, The Universal Pictures

Bourne Supremacy, The
Universal Pictures