What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?

There are a few that fits that description. Today, I’ll focus on The Bourne Ultimatum, which I saw at the cinema. It was well worth the price of admission. Since then, I caught it several times when I still watched telly. Ultimatum, the third instalment, was a critical and commercial success. Matt Damon, director Paul Greengrass, and writer Tony Gilroy were a dream team. David Straithairn portrays villain Noah Vosen. In one scene, he answers his cell with ‘Vosen’. Bourne (Damon) then uses the greeting to unlock the safe. I knew a lass who used her first name when picking up her phone. Hope she didn’t have a safe out back.

Reel

The film begins with ripples of Bourne in hiding. He’s trying to figure out this Blackbriar crap and crosses paths with Nicky Parsons (Julia Styles). He tracks down a British journalist who followed the story. They meet in packed Waterloo Station. The agitated Brit answers his queries. Bourne tells him, ‘This is real’ before being disobeyed. Simon is shot in the head by a sniper. Tis the second time in the franchise that a character conks out after Jason utters those words.

‘We’ve lost visual contact.’

My sister found that funny. Like gladiator commentary, except the language was reminiscent of NASA.

The trail leads him to Spain, where he finesses some mercenaries sent to silence him. He then turns the tables by calling in the attack, using Spanish phrases.

Vosen: ‘What the hell is this?’

The hunters become the hunted.

Across the ditch

The crumbs had Bourne taking the ferry from Gibraltar to nearby Tangier, Morocco. There, he finds the dirty unit manager who’s been feeding ‘the chamber of secrets’ to Simon. Though quick, Bourne ain’t fast enough. The manager unwittingly falls for a booby trap. So long, sucker.

As a dedicated Lone Ranger, Bourne tries to piece together the puzzle. He’s hounded by Desh, who’s from the same agency. They engage in one of cinema’s iconic hand to hand fights.

Perhaps it was the stunning locations. Or breathtaking action scenes. Likeable characters. The fast-paced plot. Big names like Greengrass and Matt Damon.Or all of the above.

Relatable

We can relate to underdog Bourne. He left his past lives behind. Though doing no wrong, he’s pigeonholed as the bad guy. His higher ups want him in a body bag before sunset. He’s picking the agency apart. He uses various passports, his language and sleuth skills, and street smarts. All while not remembering how he became Jason Bourne.

He has no superpowers like telekinesis. Not a mind reader à la Harry Potter. He does not leap over buildings like Superman, nor wield a hammer like Thor. He isn’t turning green when angered like the Incredible Hulk. He toes the line between controlled aggression and rational decision making. He ain’t rocking up in his Batmobile. He goes not ‘to infinity and beyond’ but sticks to the ground. Unlike James Bond, he often relies on his own scant resources. Improvises to get out of sticky situations.

This is what endears him to me. He’s like director Robert Rodriguez, the one-man army. It doesn’t matter if they send over 2.5 men or a dozen. Or if the whole agency is after his head. Whether he has a hand gun or a paring knife, he’ll make it out alive. Sure, he has his flaws. A sluggish memory. His partner and her family was killed. Connections drying up. He’s not getting any younger, richer, or fitter. He’ll work with what he has: time, effort, and willpower. As Bourne 3 posits: that’s more than enough.

Assasins’ Breed

He reminds me of Will Smith in Enemy of the State. Pam Landy is his Gene Hackman, an agency asset who wants to clear his name just as much. The main difference is that Bourne is a trained assassin, while Will Smith is forced to become one. While both fugitives, Bourne has way more experience in living off the grid. Likewise, he gets breaks that Will never did. See also: Denzel Washington in The Equalizer trilogy and basically any Liam Neeson-fronted action movie. Regardless, Ultimatum earned three Oscar nominations, the first in the series. It batted 3/3, quite deservedly so.

Since the third picture, I’ve caught The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne at the cinemas. Both have mixed reviews, even with Paul and Matt returning for the latter. Legacy was partially shot in the Philippines. The ending was set in Palawan. Despite casting Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, and Edward Norton, it felt underwhelming. Watching it at Bondi, my friend was disappointed. Legacy struggled with carving out its own identity. Kept referring to Ultimatum. The last two still raked in big dollars at the box office. However, the world class days of this film franchise have passed.

Bourne’s Finest

Both Bourne 1 and 2 are very good. However, Bourne 3 is the series’s finest in my opinion. It almost offsets Bourne 5, a nostalgic rejoinder that was basically a vain encore. Speaking of appendices, Rush Hour 3 was another one. My friends concurred that it tainted the first two. Yes, it was funny but pointless.

Being third in line rarely secures that honour. See also: The Godfather III and Shrek the third. Incidentally, in Toy Story a T-Rex was told to ‘use your head.’ They then mobilised it like a battering ram to open the door. Meanwhile, only Bad Boys 3, and Toy Story 3 come to mind.

Fleeting

Remember this: material possessions are temporary. What we lose today is replaceable tomorrow. Don’t be too attached to our things. Like Bourne, prioritise our well-being, decisions, and future. Live for today but make room for tomorrow. Avoid ruminating on shadows behind you.

There’s a reason why I saw this picture too many times. When I witnessed Bourne giving black eyes and maximising his meagre capital, I saw the man I longed to be. By continuously beholding his exploits, I was given a crash course on weathering the storm. Life will always have ups and downs. No two days will ever be the same. We must grow and adapt. Giving your all every day, because each sunrise is a precious gift.