BLU-RAY REVIEW

Bourne Ultimatum, The

Featured In Issue 139, March/April 2009

Picture4.5
Sound5
WSR Score4.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
61106536
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
Violence and intense sequences of action
(Retail Price):
$119.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
116
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2007
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
01/27/09
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Paul Greengrass
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
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(Production Designer):
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(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1, DTS 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
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(French Language):
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(Chinese Language):
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(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne (Damon) is hunted by the people who made him what he is, a highly trained assassin. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, Bourne must now go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Jason travels the globe as he continues his quest to uncover the truth behind his mysterious past. Will the CIA, with its new generation of relentless assassins, find Bourne before he finds them and gives the CIA operatives an Ultimatum? Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum. (Stacey Pendry)

Special features include audio commentary from Director Paul Greengrass, deleted scenes (SD 12:22), a five-part making-of documentary: Man On The Move: Jason Bourne—locations from Berlin to Tangier (SD 23:58), and the following featurettes: New York Chase (SD 10:46), Planning The Punches (HD 04:59), Rooftop Pursuit (SD 05:39), and Driving School (SD 03:23). There is also a spy-in-training aptitude test—Be Bourne Spy Training. Plus Universal's exclusive U-Control picture-in-picture reminders, the Bourne card battle strategy game, Lackbriar files, and BD-Live interactivity.

The 2.40:1 1080p VC-1 picture quality is identical to the previously reviewed HDThe 2.38:1 1080p VC-1 picture quality is identical to the previously reviewed HD DVD edition. The picture exhibits good resolution, with fine details in the picture delivered well. Details in the shadows are also readily apparent and black levels are solid, although there are still scenes that look a bit murky. The picture has a similarly gritty and harsh appearance as the previous Bourne releases. The color palette generally is lacking of bright, vibrant colors, but is well balanced, though, somewhat bland. Contrast is nicely rendered. Overall, the picture is consistent with the previous releases in the series. (Danny Richelieu/Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack, like the previous Dolby® Digital and Dolby TrueHD 5.1-channel versions, is an all-out barrage from start to finish, with each of the channels incorporated into the soundscape constantly. Deep bass, dropping below 30 Hz, is delivered through each of the full-range channels when used, and the LFE channel is incorporated well, with even deeper bass. Bass is deep and tight and really infuses the room with low-end energy. Phantom imaging is employed quite frequently, creating a lively experience. Dialogue intelligibility is generally good, but fidelity can be somewhat lacking at times, with relatively poor spatial integration. Still, this is a standout release that is immensely enjoyable. Overall, the lossless DTS® encoding is superb, with incredible fidelity and dynamic range, making it very demo-worthy. (Danny Richelieu/Gary Reber)