Are you a man? I don’t mean do you have male genitals, I mean are you a manly man? You know butch. Rugged. Like a lumberjack! Do you like Ronin, The French Connection? Do you like car chases? Do you like gritty hard ass characters? Do you like Steve McQueen? I do and I effing loved The Bourne Supremacy. If however you are slightly limp around the hand/ arm joint and only liked The Bourne Identity for the relationship bits clear off.

This is as close to film noir as Hollywood gets these days. Bourne (played by Matt Damon) is trying to get on with his new life, with French chick, in India but is haunted by visions from his past life. It is whilst trying to live this new life that some Rusky comes after him and at the same time, he is framed for a double homicide in Berlin. Setting up nicely a double edged sword where the CIA think Bourne is after them and Bourne thinks the CIA are gunning for him. Which as a result of these events, they both are.

The scene where Bourne violently interrogates his old contact Nicky (portrayed by Julia Stiles) in a back room in a railway station, is hardcore, and shows just how far Jason Bourne is down the trained assassin road. This guy is stone cold. Some may find it hard to warm to this side of Bourne, my advice rent the first one before you go and see this one. Remind yourself of the relationship between Bourne and the French chick. Then go and see The Bourne Supremacy. Watch, remember and then think if this had happened to you, and you had Bourne’s skills and training, what would you do?

The supporting cast are quality. Veteran (old) actor Brian Cox is back and he really is smoking in this. Once again he is playing Bourne's old boss Ward Abbot.  Never forget who the baddy is! There is also this slightly younger new mecha-biatch trying to make her way in the CIA. who takes charge of hunting down Bourne (as it is two of her men who are killed at the start). She plays the part pretty well not letting her uber-bitch personality drop but obviously she is a strong, intelligent character and quite a good opponent for, although not a match for, young Jason.

Now I’ve heard the rumours if a movie has two car chases then it’s a turd. Well if that is a rule of cinema, I present you with the exception. The first car chase is a bit of a lame duck action wise, but story wise the end is where Bourne becomes a man on a mission. The second car chase, through the streets of Moscow, is a killer. It will leave your pants soiled, and tyre treads on your face. It’s nearly worth the admission price just to watch this chase then leave!

There are bad points, like I’ve hinted at, Bourne is not a particularly likeable guy in this film. Cold blooded and with very little dialogue, I feel he is a much more believable assassin in this one than the last, but I’m sure some will find it very difficult to connect with such a man. The biggest flaw however is the wibbly wobbly hand held camera work. It’s too much, too often for too long. I mean it’s like the director hired a squad of Weebles and told them to get on with filming. I literally started feeling sick in some places. Which actually helped with the feeling of suspense, maybe this is a new kind of third dimension in films. Designed to make you feel the emotions of the characters you’re watching. Or maybe it’s just crap.

Overall this film deserves your attention, it’s not quite as cool as it thinks it is (it’s not quite the French Connection) but it is still the grittiest, most action packed, well paced anti-hero production you are going to see coming out of Hollywood this year. For me this is a belter!