I’m going to break all sorts of rules and habits here, and start with the summary. The film is as good as the other 2, and completes the trilogy well. I’m not sure it’s any better than the other two, but it’s a pacy action film. As with the other two, don’t even bother thinking about it as a book conversion - you’ll just get confused. If you like 1 & 2, then see 3 - you won’t be disappointed.

Having said all that, I _was_ a little disappointed, but mainly because I had seen many positive reviews for the film, and expected it to be obviously better than 1&2, but I didn’t think it was.

And now for the rants.

One of my biggest problems with the first two films, and doubly so with this film, is the use of shaky, handheld camera work to make things feel “edgy” and as if you were “really there”. Here’s a hint to Mr Greengrass, and other directors who are using this method: don’t do it. It _can_ be really good (see Firefly and Serenity for good camerawork), but it can also be really nauseating, and very frustrating, particularly in chase and fight scenes, because you _don’t_ feel like you’re really there - you feel like you’re missing all the action. If you want to see the way it should be done, check out some proper fight films - Ong Bak, old Hong Kong martial arts films, hell - even the Matrix films. If you want to use a handheld, use it in a way that allows people to see the action, rather than using 100 cuts in 30 seconds.

I guess the other disappointment is still that they didn’t really attempt to engage with the books. I got the feeling a couple of times that they _thought_ they had, but they didn’t at really. Aside from the use of the names, and a couple of minor plot items in the first film, they haven’t approached the books at all. Which is a shame.

Now, at this point I could stop. Normally I probably would have done. However, I would like to go forward and try and explain what I would have done if I was making these films myself. This will, however, contain some definite spoilers for anyone wishing to read the books. Which you should. If you haven’t, then stop reading now

The 3 books are very different. (FWIW they’re not my favourite Ludlum books, although they are the most famous by far) They have distinctly different feels. Book 1 is very “hazy” as Bourne/Webb tries to find his identity. Book 2 is more assured, with it’s oriental theme. Book 3 is about the two aging “assassins” circling each other like tigers, gradually getting closer and closer to each other. I’ll tackle book 1 for the moment, and maybe look to the other two another time.

You’re never going to get the whole plot of the book in - it’s too big for 1 film. (There is a tv mini-series from the 80s with Richard Chamberlain as the eponymous hero; apparently it’s very true to the book, and over 3 hours long) You need to focus on the main characters, and the main element of plot. Thus you have the following people and elements:

• Jason Bourne / David Webb - the amnesiac. Confused by the skills he has, and the conflict he feels between the “good” that he feels, and the “bad” that he is implicated in. He’s also quite old by now - he doesn’t know it yet, but he’s already been married, had 2 children, and then fought in Vietnam, before becoming Jason Bourne for (IIRC) 18 months.
• Marie St Clair - a Canadian economist, initially kidnapped by Bourne, and then gradually captivated by the conflicting messages she sees in him. She becomes is his wife by book 2. She is the anchor that holds him together at times. Equally, there are times when he wants to push her away, as he becomes aware of who he think he is.
• Alexander Conklin - an aging CIA analyst. Convinced that Bourne has gone rogue, and determined to kill him off.
• Carlos the Jackal - mostly unseen - the infamous assassin for whom Bourne was the “bait”. Such an important character as he is the reason for Bourne’s existence, and yet just as determined to end that existence.
• As the film unfolds we need to see the conflict between Webb and Bourne. His memories are mostly of Bourne - they have been hammered into his brain - but his thoughts are often Webb’s. This conflict is extremely important in all three books, and it is only in the 3rd that there is finally a resolution that allows both Bourne and Webb to coexist happily in the same person.

There has been some debate that you couldn’t really use Carlos the Jackal, nor Vietnam, as the backdrop. However, rather than ignoring the plot like the current films, I would probably have attempted to update them some. Vietnam could easily be Iraq. Anybody could be a famous assassin to counterpoint Webb.

Anyway - that’s a few random thoughts. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed them - if so I’ll maybe think about books 2 and 3 a bit too.

mrBen

I haven’t posted (or done much of anything) for a while because a recent loss had thrown me off my game.

When I was asked to say something for today, I spent a long time thinking about what would be appropriate. I tried to think of a bible verse. One that was either deeply heartfelt and moving or a verse that meant something to Dale. The problem with that is that he wasn’t a particularly religious man, which left me with a problem. As a result, I found myself in the book of Leviticus, Chapter 13, verse 47 to 49, for those who are really interested, which deals with the Law Concerning Mildew. Now this has nothing at all to do with Dale and is about as obscure a reference as you can get. But you can guarantee that if he was sitting in the front row, he would roar with laughter.

That’s how I remember Dale.

Dale and I met at university, where we both spectacularly failed to get our degrees, which I know is something he did regret. But out of that time at university, he made lifelong friendships and because of that, he knew his time there wasn’t wasted. Although we quite often were!

The one thing that had always struck me about Dale was his way with people. He could make people feel at ease without really trying. People always made a beeline for him because they knew that he’d value their presence, and that he would make them feel like the centre of the universe if only for a short time. He was kind and he was generous. I have many stories that I could tell about Dale and perhaps it’s a bit worrying that so few of them are appropriate. But then, we all have stories like that of Dale.

He could be outrageous and controversial, but never hurtful or offensive. He was passionate. Especially about Gail. There was one Sunday evening recently, when I received a panicky phone call from him. That day, Gail had had to go down south for a couple of days for work, which meant Dale would be left to his own devices for a few days. Now, myself and perhaps any other man, would go “Brilliant. I’m going to sit about in my pants, drink beer and enjoy freedom for a couple of days.” But not Dale. We sat in the pub that evening and all he could talk about was Gail and how much he missed her. And that’s one of my most enduring memories of him.

It’s things like that that set him apart from anyone else I know.

If left unattended, I can go on at some length about what we got up to, how much fun we had and how much his friendship meant to me. Instead, I’ll say this:

He was my friend. And I miss him.

(Or why it’s only a matter of time before the flat is broken into…)

Yesterday Ruthy and I got back from work to find that one of the flats on the floor below us had been broken into.  The police were there and their door (the flat door, not one belonging to the police) was a right old mess.

Now, flats get broken into all the time.  That’s life, unfortunatly.  But a year ago the other downstairs flat was broken into.  Not good.  I dunno what was taken on either occasion but I’d hate to have someone break in, whether or not they take anything is immaterial.

Of course, if they targeted my flat they’d have to fight through the mess and the comics and all the rest of the guff I have strategically lying about the place.  (Did you think there wasn’t a reason for the comic boxes stacked worryingly high?)

But why am I getting all concerned about it now?  I suppose it’s just my natural paranoia.  I think we tend to float through life not concerning ourselves about certain things until it happens to or around us. In a day or two it’ll be out my mind completely.

After all, is there anything I can do to stop it happening?  If someone really wants to break into a property, is there anything we can do to stop them?

BigAl 

Despite not getting the job I interviewed for the other day, I have decided that I want to get back into cycling (hopefully including a commute once I get a new job). The reasons for this are many, but not least:

1. Playing football once a week isn’t really getting me any fitter or thinner, although I do enjoy it
2. Playing football more than once a week isn’t financially viable, nor do I have the time for it, nor enough friends to play with
3. I _don’t_ like running
4. I _do_ like cycling

Once upon a time I rode everywhere. I even did some touring with my Dad - I think the most we ever managed was about 110 miles in a day - on my old 3-speed hand-me-down. But I haven’t ridden a bike in anger for 10 years now - my old mountain bike is rusting away in a friends garage, and I suspect will need more than a little cash spent on it to make it roadworthy. Plus, it was always a bit big for me, and gave me back ache on longer rides. So I may need to splash out on some new wheels - most likely a decent 2nd-hand touring bike (similar to a road bike).

However, if any of the local moosers happens to have an old road bike that’s in decent nick that they wouldn’t mind lending me, and will fit a 5′11″ bloke with a beer belly, then let me know.

mrBen

Just a quick blog from work… 

It feels odd being here.  After 4 years at the evil national utility company and having a small period of unemployment until my job working with the Out Of School Project, being back in a office job just feels odd.

But not in a bad way.

For one, it’s a better job for a better organisation.  And it’s not got the same kind of pressures.  But then, Penny hasn’t shown me the financial stuff yet so the learning curve gets really steep next week… 

And it’s a really good counterpoint to the job with the kids.  And to a degree I’m my own boss.

BigAl

Start next week in my other part-time job.
Had the interview today and got offered it tonight.  Happy days.

Now working as Administrator for the church. 

BigAl

I suppose I’m blessed that, finally, I have a job that I actually look forward to going to.

Yeah, I’m dog tired.  Yeah, I have little energy for anything in the evenings.

But I’ve had one bad moment in four weeks of work.

That might not seem like much, but you haven’t worked in some of the shit holes I have.

Damn, I really want to say more, but I’m just shagged out.

Tomorrow I’ll say more.  I’m not in all day and I have an interview in the afternoon for something else to fill in the time.  And hopefully I’ll be more awake when I next have a chance to blog. 

BigAl