Mini-Movie Review: The Bourne Ultimatum
In The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne will conclude his journey to find the answers to his mysterious past. While the answers yielded may not be enough for even the simplest of viewers, the action sequences are sure to keep you glued to the big screen. During one car chase sequence I found myself literally on the edge of my seat grasping the armrests. Paul Greengrass creates some amazing artfully shot intense action sequences of the likes that have never been seen before. Julia Stiles has her most interesting turn yet. Greengrass shot New York City like he has with the foreign countries in the rest of the series. This is a New York City you have never seen before on film.
Some people may feel that the ending is too neatly wrapped up, especially for a film series which is identified for it’s misanthropic realism. I was angered that Universal had spoiled so much of the movie in the movie trailer and poster advertising. The United States portion of the film is just the third act of this film, and that great “office” moment shown in the trailers is very close to the film’s finale.
Friday Box Office: 3:10 To Yuma w/$5M; Shoot ‘Em Up #5 for Weekend
As expected, 3:10 TO YUMA has won the 3-day weekend. After grabbing just over $5M on Friday, it will likely top $15M for the weekend.
Oscar winner Russell Crowe and Batman Begins star Christian Bale have lassoed the Friday box office crown, and 3:10 TO YUMA (Lionsgate) will ride away with a surprisingly easy 3-day weekend win. The James Mangold-directed remake of the classic Western of the same name grabbed just over $5M on Friday, and appears to be headed for a weekend of $15.15M. If the number holds, 3:10 TO YUMA will have delivered the 2nd-best 3-day opening for a Western in the past 20 years.
TOP 5 OPENING WEEKENDS FOR WESTERNS RELEASED IN THE PAST 20 YEARS
1. Maverick (1990) - $17.2M
2. 3:10 to Yuma - $15.15M (projected)
3. Unforgiven (1992) - $15M
4. Open Range (2003) - $14M
5. The Missing (2003) - $10.8M
Michael Myers, as expected, has no legs. After a $3M take on Friday, the slasher flick HALLOWEEN (MGM/Weinstein) will limp to a meager $8.55M weekend. That’s a huge fall of 72% or so from its opening 3-day (although, to be fair, it was a 4-day weekend which means a very strong Sunday). Still, enough blood will flow for Rob Zombie’s remake/re-invention to hold onto 2nd place for the weekend.
By Monday morning, SUPERBAD (Sony) will have passed the $100M mark. The Judd Apatow-produced comedy generated $2.2M in Friday ticket sales, which should translate to a $7.37M weekend. Meanwhile, Jason Bourne will finish #4 for the 3-day, and THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (Universal) will have surpassed $210M by the end of the weekend. The Paul Greengrass-directed thriller added $1.7M Friday (#5 for the day), but it should reach an estimated $6.11M for the 3-day.
Rough weekend for the other 2 wide studio releases. SHOOT ‘EM UP (New Line), the super-charged action pic starring Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti, has been crushed by the male-driven 3:10 TO YUMA. It was #4 for the day with about $1.96M, but will finish a disappointing 5th for the 3-day. SHOOT ‘EM UP will wrap up the frame at $5.73M or so. Sony/Screen Gems dumped a misguided comedy called THE BROTHERS SOLOMON on 700 screens, and it may be on DVD by next weekend after a Friday per theatre average of just $271 for $190,000 total. It’s headed for a weekend of a mere $550,000.
Among new limited releases, the Tibetan fantasy film MILAREPA: MAGICIAN (Luminous Velocity) set the pace on Friday with $3,147 on its single screen. We’ll see how it holds through the weekend, but for now, I’m tentatively awarding it the weekend PTA crown with about $11,000. I’m looking for IDP Films’ long-shelved FIERCE PEOPLE to finish the weekend at #2 in PTA at just under $11,000, followed by an $8,000 PTA for THE HUNTING PARTY (MGM/Weinstein) starring Richrd Gere. Thinkfilm’s Sundance-winning doc IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON from Ron Howard will likely finish 4th with $7,000, and 3:10 to Yuma should round out the top 5.
For the complete story, go to Fantasy Moguls.
Jackie Earle Haley Offered Watchmen Role
Rumor has it that Oscar nominated actor Jackie Earle Haley has been offered the part of Rorschach in Zack Snyder’s big screen adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen. When Paul Greengrass was attached to direct the film, actor Paddy Considine was signed to play the part of the masked vigilante. But now Considine claims on his official fan site that Warner Bros has made Haley an offer. Haley, who is probably best known for his award nominated performance in Todd Field’s Little Children, would be perfect for the role.
Wearing the inkblot-like mask he considers his true face, Rorschach (real name Walter Kovacs) continued his one-man battle against crime long after superheroes became both detested and illegal. Rorschach believes in moral absolutism and objectivism, where good and evil are clearly defined and evil must be violently punished.
Filming is scheduled to begin September in Vancouver.
The Bourne Ultimatum International Teaser Trailer
The International teaser trailer for The Bourne Ultimatum (poster) is now online. While the new trailer doesn’t reveal/show much, but one can’t argue that it’s not intense.
Here is what we know: Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) continues to trace his past in order to find a future. He must travel from London, Madrid, Moscow, and Paris to NYC (home) and Tangier as he continues his quest to find the truth of his life all the while trying to out-maneuver the scores of federal officers, Interpol agents, and police officers with him in their crosshairs.
The co-stars include: Joan Allen, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Julia Stiles, and David Strathairn. And the film is again directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy).
The Bourne Ultimatum hits theaters on August 3rd 2007.
Source: Yahoo UK