Spider-Man 3. Shrek the third. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. These are all franchises that have been released this summer. None of them has the same fresh feel to it as ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’, the third installment in the Jason Bourne series.

In fact, the film is one of the best action films I’ve seen in quite some time. The first two Bourne flicks were both quality films, but they don’t quite capture the desperation and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants action that comes across in this film. In fact, the only thing I can genuinely compare it to is some of the better films in the James Bond franchise. There are chase scenes, international locales, snipers, CIA black-ops, etc. But what else would you expect from a Bourne film?

But what makes this film stand out from the previous two is the odds that Bourne is up against. He has to deal with the full force of the CIA’s capabilities, yet somehow manages to stay one step ahead. He always knows where to look, where to go, and how to elude his captors (and kick their ass). On a final note, director Paul Greengrass is beginning to establish himself as a bankable director (his previous film was ‘United 93’). I for one will be first in line to see his next film.