1. The Bourne Ultimatum Analysis
By Marcus Lea

2. The film opens with a soundtrack of classic music. Because of the dramatic sound of
the music, it conveys the idea that drama and action is going to entail when the first
scene opens. Because of the low tones of the soundtrack, the music foreshadows that
the protagonist (Jason Bourne) is in danger, and that he will be in danger throughout
the film. Also, the low tones could suggests Bourne’s dark side, that he is not perfect
and is, or at least has been, a killer. The pace of the soundtrack is quick. This could be
argued to imply that a chase is happening or will happen soon. It also could be argued
that the director (Paul Greengrass) uses the quick beats of the music to symbolise
Bourne’s heartbeat, and therefore furthers the implication that action is happening
and that Bourne is in danger. One could argue that the dramatic sound of the music is
a key signifier of films in the thriller genre. This therefore suggests that, for the most
part, the film will follow most of the key codes and conventions: flawed characters,
violence etc. This is key because it conveys the idea of what the audience are
expecting from the film before it even starts properly. When the location of the first
scene comes onto the screen, a tapping noise accompanies it. This noise is very harsh
and militaristic. This can be argued to suggest the character of the protagonist, that he
is harsh and adaptable, because of the militaristic link. Therefore the audience can
infer that Bourne is practical, adaptable and resourceful. The noise is also reminiscent
of other films that include spying or military, and therefore could convey the genre of
the film.

3. The film opens with the location of the forthcoming scene -
‘Moscow, Russia’ - fading quickly onto a black background.
The colour of the words is white. This contrasts with the black
background and stands out clearly. One could argue that
because white and black have connotations with good and
bad respectively, and because the white words are in a small
font in the corner of the frame, that Greengrass is conveying
the idea that there is more bad than good, and that Bourne is
up against it to defeat the bad people. Also, because the white
writing is so clear and bright, one could suggest that the
director is imply that Bourne stands out from his enemies. The
location information is written in a militaristic font. This
suggests the genre of the film and also conveys the idea of
violence.

4. The scene opens with a close-up of Jason Bourne’s feet staggering over snow.
The camera is handheld, this means that it sways and shakes. This suggests
urgency because the camera angle is very humanistic and is shaking in a
similar way to how Bourne is staggering. This could be argued to connect the
audience to the protagonist. Because the handheld camera is so like someone
chasing him, it gives the impression that Bourne is being followed.
Alternatively, because the camera is following Bourne, one could argue that
Bourne is being presented as an antagonistic because the audience are
chasing him. This confirms the ideas conveyed by the opening soundtrack and
the editing; that Bourne is in danger and in a chase. The camera angle shows
a close-up of Bourne’s feet. This conveys the idea that Bourne is running
away. This then suggests that the protagonist is non-confrontational and
secretive. One could argue that the director uses the close-up of Bourne’s
feet staggering away as an extended metaphor for him running away from
what he used to be: a killer. The close-up of Bourne’s feet show that he has a
limp. This conveys the idea that the protagonist is imperfect. Bourne is
dressed in black. Because black is a universal symbol of evil, this could be
argued to symbolise Bourne’s flaws and his aptitude for violence.

5. The volume of the music increases as the scene fades into
focus. This implies that the forthcoming scene includes action
because of the rise in volume up to a crescendo. The fact that
the scene fades into focus conveys the idea of ignorance and
innocence, because the action is being viewed for the first
time. Also because the transitional effect of the fade is
reminiscent of an eye opening, the idea conveyed by the
camera angle is continued. Also, because the scene fades in
quickly from the introduction scene, the two scenes are
suggested to be linked, therefore locating the scene as
‘Moscow, Russia.’. The only sounds when the scene opens are
Bourne’s footsteps upon the snow and his laboured, heavy
breathing. His heavy breathing suggest Bourne’s fragility. It
also suggests his vulnerability, physically and mentally.

6. The next passage of note is a close-up of a running tap, then cuts to a
flashback. The motivated cut conveys the idea of Bourne being mentally
unstable, that anything might trigger his lost memories. This adds to the
previously discussed idea that Bourne is flawed and is unstable. Because the
camera shot that frames the shaking tape, and because the camera angle is a
point of view shot, suggests that Bourne’s body is injured and his mind
damaged. This once again suggests Bourne’s fragility. In the flashback the
picture is slightly distorted. Therefore the passage is quite disorientating. This
suggests the state of Bourne’s mind, how distorted and confused he is. It also
conveys the idea of how distorted and damaged his memories are and how
severe his amnesia is. During the flashback, the director uses quick cuts that
jump around to suggest the lack clarity and order in Bourne’s memories.
Greengrass also uses quick cuts from ‘reality’ to flashback to convey the idea
that Bourne is having trouble separating the two. It also distorts Bourne’s
‘reality’ and makes it disorientating as well as the flashbacks.

7. The use of water as the trigger for Bourne’s flashback links to the action
happening in the flashback. Because of the brutal torture depicted in the
flashback, the audience are conveyed the brutal, inhumane nature of Bourne’s
adversaries. This then, for the first time, means that Bourne is suggested as
being good because he is against people who use violence and torture to get
there way. The setting in the flashback is bleak and clinical. Also, because the
setting is so institutionalized, one could suggest that this is the first real hint to
what type of establishment did this to Bourne: the government. Because the
bleak, unwelcoming setting has connotations of being clinical, and because the
word ‘clinical’ suggests medicine and science, one could argue that Greengrass
is inferring that experiments went on it the plain setting, and that Bourne
himself is an experiment. Because of the idea that Bourne was experimented
on, this conveys the idea that the people who did these experiments are
inhuman and evil. It also dehumanises Bourne, something that is very
uncomfortable for the audience. During the flashback, the dialogue is slightly
muted and distant. As before, this could suggest that Bourne’s memories are
distorted and damaged. Also, because the dialogue sounds distant, one could
argue that the director is suggesting that these memories are suppressed and
painful.

8. The next passage of note starts with an over-the-shoulder shot, then cuts to a mid shot of Bourne
holding a gun, then to a mid shot of a Russian policeman and then back to Bourne. The passage opens
with an over-the-shoulder shot, showing Bourne in front of the camera and the policeman in the back.
Because the camera is positioned behind Bourne, one could suggest that Bourne is protecting the
audience. This therefore presents him as a heroic character who stands up against those who abuse
their power etc. This is the second time in the opening that Bourne is presented as being good, and the
first time that he has been presented as being heroic. The next camera angle in the passage is a mid
shot of Bourne holding a gun. The camera is swaying slightly through this passage, but a lot less than it
has been. This suggests that the action is nearly over. It also conveys the idea that Bourne is in control
because the camera shake is decreasing and therefore he is calming down. The passage then cuts to the
policeman. The camera is still swaying slightly, but unlike Bourne, the policeman is moving all over the
frame. This suggests that he is nervous and that he sees Bourne as threat. Because Bourne has recently
been presented as a heroic character, the audience are pleased that Bourne is a threat, because he
therefore is a threat to those who are evil etc. As with Bourne, the mid shot frames the policeman as
being (mostly) in the middle of the frame. This therefore suggests that he is good and is just doing his
job. The use of the gun as a prop suggests that the film is going to mostly be a traditional thriller and is
going to keep to most codes and conventions. The gun is a signifier of violence. Therefore when Bourne
doesn’t uses it and puts it down, one can infer that he tries not to use violence if at all possible. This
then presents Bourne as being human and having morals.

9. The music decreases in volume when Bourne get the gun. This
suggests that he is not in danger and that the action is nearly over.
However, because the music decreases in volume instead of stopping
completely, the director is suggesting that the danger and action might
not be over. Bourne and the policeman talk to each other in Russian.
This suggests Bourne’s adaptability and that he can survive and cope
anywhere. Bourne’s first words in are: ’My argument is not with you.’
This implies that he has morals; that he is not just a killer, that he only
kills those he has too, not innocent bystanders. It also introduces the
idea of a mission: which is a code and convention of the thriller genre.
This once again suggests that Bourne is humane, that he has a reason
for his actions. The only editing of note is the motivated cuts between
Bourne and the policeman during their conversation. This suggests
their focus on each other and that they are oblivious to the outside
world.