The Bourne Ultimatum opening analysis by Nathan

The Chase

-From the very first shot of The Bourne Ultimatum, we see the main protagonist, Jason Bourne, under massive pressure as he races away from the police. To have the film begin in this way means that it is immediately clear it doesn't follow Todorov's narrative theory. There is no equilibrium at the start of the film, so the spectator is thrown straight into the action which is incredibly exciting and thrilling. Enigma is created as we aren't told why he's running, or who he's running from in the first few shots. So the spectator is forced to question what Bourne is doing.-Intense, fast paced, orchestral music is used from the first second of the opening to the last, creating anticipation and exhilaration for the spectator throughout. It is parallel to the visuals, as when the action speeds up, the severity of the soundtrack increases. This close bond between the sound and moving picture builds a crescendo of intensity, as well as calming the mood where necessary, for example when Bourne seems to have escaped. The magnitude of sound and intensity does not change depending on what the police are doing, it solely changes due to the mood Jason Bourne is in, which forms a connection between him and the spectator, allowing them to sympathise with him. This sympathy we give means that throughout the film, we are desperate for him to succeed in whatever he does, making it more thrilling and daunting to watch.-The camerawork in this sequence is very shaky and has a clear handheld effect. It makes us feel like we are not just stood as a spectator watching the action, instead it makes us feel a part of the action. This turbulence generates a sense of urgency in the shots of both Jason Bourne and the police.-The setting of the train is a frightening one, as it is a tight and claustrophobic corridor that Bourne walks down, meaning that if he was to see an officer, he could well be trapped. This causes fear and excitement for the spectator, as we look even more closely to see if there is anyone around the next corner. Low key lighting is used at this stage to make it even more difficult to see whether someone is about to capture him. The engagement this creates for the spectator is captivating and engrossing, and allows us to feel even more a part of the film. To add to the fear factor, props such as guns are used, making us dread the worst, that Bourne could be killed. -Throughout the chase, high frequency cutting is used in order to increase the pace of the pursuit, including jump cuts which often use ellipsis to cut to a slightly later point in time. This use of editing keeps the entire chase exciting, as we sometimes just see a small snippet of a certain part. The constant changing of camera angle, shot distance, shot size and location makes the scene exhilitating for the spectator.
The Escape-When Bourne finally escapes the cops (though only for a short time), the tempo of editing and music continues due to the blood wound he rushes to try and recover.-After a brief diminuendo in the music when Jason Bourne finds the first aid building, it then becomes just as intense as before. This momentary halt in intensity gives Bourne a breather, and therefore makes the spectator feel like they're getting a breather too. -At this point, there is also a shot of longer duration to most of the other shots in the scene, showing the first aid centre. This is an establishing shot to the next scene, and helps give a sense of orientation to the spectator amongst all of the perplexity created by unsteady camerawork and fast paced cuts.-The ferocity of the music is then reintroduced, as is the high frequency cutting, as Bourne is now under pressure to find some aid for his wound before the police find him again. The way the break between these scenes is so short means that the intensity never really stops, and the spectator is kept captivated.-One Thriller convention used is when Bourne accidentally smashes a prop, in this case a bottle. This is a common thing to find in this genre, due to the extra suspense it creates. This is a moment of huge anticipation because the spectator, along with the protagonist, is unsure whether someone outside may have heard the smash. This uncertainty makes us apprehensive and creates tension as we worry for Jason Bourne's wellbeing, especially after the bond the filmmakers have already created between the spectator and protagonist during the opening sequence.
The Flashback

-The deviation from Todorov's narrative theory is again shown when Jason Bourne is shown to be having a flashback through the use of high key lighting and a blur effect added during editing, as well as a lower frame rate. We can also hear Bourne heavily breathing, a diegetic sound used to make us feel like we're inside of him. These conventions are used in other Thrillers to show flashbacks, including the other films in the Bourne franchise, so the spectator knows immediately that it is showing something from his past.-The way we alternate between these two periods of time highlights the way that it is part of Bourne's thoughts we are seeing. His facial expression shows that he has his eyes shut, connoting that he is picturing what happened to him. Enigma is created in this scene, as many questions are raised for the spectator. We are forced to dispute what it is that happened to him, where it happened and when it took place. These questions make the rest of the film more enjoyable, as it takes time for the answers to be revealed due to restricted narration. Restricted narration is used in this scene, we are only shown fragments of what he is thinking and therefore can't see what is going on. This makes the rest of the film more frustrating yet exciting, as we are looking forward to finding out the truth.

-Unrestricted narration is used when we are shown the police entering the building, as Bourne does not know they're there. This scene of unrestricted narration interchanges with the flashbacks of restricted narration, creating a fantastic piece of filmmaking, whereby we know more than Jason Bourne in one sense, yet less than him in another. As we see the police fast approaching, we are desperate for him to see them and make an escape, yet at the same time we are wanting to see the flashback in full and know what happened to him.