Movies - TV
The Moscow Car Chase In The Bourne Supremacy Is The Best Action Scene Ever
By JEREMY MATHAI
The “Bourne” movies largely pioneered the now-ubiquitous use of intentionally shaky handheld camerawork. This action technique was epitomized with expert-level precision and purpose in the final car chase in director Paul Greengrass' “The Bourne Supremacy,” a frenzied and frenetically-edited sequence that shows off the most intense thrills this franchise ever had.
The chaotic camera movements and messy editing never once let audiences linger on any one shot, but it was the absolute best approach to capturing the needs of the character and story. Matt Damon's pained expressions and a few establishing shots keep viewers grounded, as the sequence relies on kinetic editing and forward momentum through a complex arrangement.
The action is also simplified while increasing Bourne's obstacles to escape, as the complicated geography in an unfamiliar city is communicated through fast cuts and shifting perspectives from pursued to pursuer. Sudden narrative twists and turns are given time to breathe, using Damon and Karl Urban's synchronized reaction shots to convey story without dialogue.
Boosted by John Powell's propulsive score, the sequence reaches its peak of “How the heck did they film that?” territory, as cars are battered into walls and into each other without the action ever slowing down. The magic of this sequence crescendos to a brilliantly-staged reversal that allows Bourne to gain the upper hand and end the chase in decisive, bone-crunching fashion.