Extras on DVD enhance the experience of watching the film.

There are 12 minutes of deleted scenes including one in which we see the fallout from the film's conclusion for the characters working within the CIA. There is more footage of Paz, the assassin that Bourne repeatedly crosses paths with. Also, more with Simon Ross and we also see how Bourne found out about him.

"Man on the Move: Jason Bourne" takes us through several of the countries that Bourne visits during the course of the film. We see how Berlin doubled for Moscow and get an idea of the work required to take a film crew all over Europe. Their goal was to immerse an audience in a city without resorting to showing the usual touristy landmarks.

"Rooftop Pursuit" examines the exciting chase in Tangiers. We see the special cameras that were used to capture the action.

"Planning the Punches" takes a look at how the fight in a small, Tangiers apartment was put together. A lot of planning and practicing was involved. It is fascinating to see how much was done to pull it all off.

"Driving School" examines how Damon was trained to do some of the film's car stunts. He went through a series of moves under the guidance of an expert and we see him actually pull them off, albeit under safe conditions.

"New York Chase" takes a look at how the New York City car chase was choreographed. Amazingly, they actually did it all on location with no CGI. This certainly makes you appreciate the final result all the more.

Finally, there is an audio commentary by director Paul Greengrass. He says that he wanted to set a high tempo right from the first frame because that is what these films are all about. The director talks about the challenge of making a film that would appeal to fans of the series and also to those who hadn't seen any of them. Greengrass talks about pacing and moving the film along without losing the audience in the process. He delivers a solid, thoughtful track.

As good as it gets!

As action movies go this is about as good as it gets. In keeping with it's two predecessors this movie rattles along at a high octane pace and never lets up, racking up the tension to brain busting levels, so don't blink or you'll miss some vital clue as to what's actually going on! Damon reprises his role as super-agent Jason Bourne, completely overshadowing those other `JBs', Bauer and Bond, in the process and once again succeeds, largely, in outsmarting the baddies masquerading as goodies, in the form of David Straitharn, looking far more creepy than Chris Cooper ever managed, and Albert Finney, looking suspiciously like Brian Cox! Joan Allen is also back as the anti-heroine Pam Landy and the result is a more than satisfying thriller in which paranoia rules.

All three films are firmly in the tradition established by the likes of Alan J Pakula - in the 1970's with The Parallax View and All the President's Men - and Sidney Pollack with Three Days of the Condor and, the much more recent, Enemy of the State, directed by Tony Scott in that they deal with the uncomfortable issue of the accountability or otherwise of non-elected government officials and the seemingly limitless paramilitary and technological power relinquished to their control by our supposedly responsible government representatives! However, satisfyingly and, of course, herein lies much of the trilogy's appeal, in Bourne's case, it is these very villains who end up being paranoid, never knowing when the ultimate weapon, of their creation, is going to appear and exact a well deserved retribution.

Bourne Again Genre!

After the first two stunning Bourne instalments everyone wanted to know if the conclusion would be just as good. Well it has surpassed my expectations and once again pushed the bar much higher in this genre. Right from the start the pace is fast, as though you are carrying on watching the second film.

The one criticism I have of the early part is the meeting at Langley between Pamela Landy and CIA Director Ezra Kramer discussing Jason Bourne. Considering what happens later on in this film I felt that this should have been much more edgier. I would have expected Kramer to put Landy on the back foot over Bourne and making it clear that she hadn't covered herself with glory over the affair. That would have made Landy later in the film being shipped off to CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen's shady operations much more understandable. Similarly the DVD deleted scenes includes one where Kramer appears before a Senate Select Committee and this really should have been in the film to set out Kramer's character more fully.

The confrontations Jason Bourne has in this film are wonderful though. You get to understand just how good he is and why the CIA really fear this man. The Treadstone operation really put their all in the development of this asset and their constant nightmare is Bourne on the loose. Men and women in the CIA who would normally taken the tightest situations in their stride suffer uncharacteristic failures when Bourne's actions become known.

My favourite parts of this movie are the fight between Jason Bourne and Desh Bouksani, absolutely stunning. The speed of these two is breathtaking and by the end you too will be breathless. Also Jason Bournes distraction machinations against Vosen in New York is wonderful and inspired. I know some feel that Paul Greengrass' in your face action scenes are overdone, but you really do feel that you're right there in the middle of the action and he has perfected this feeling for the viewer in Ultimatum. Whereas the car chase in Moscow during Supremacy was too long and overdone, things are kept shorter and much better in Ultimatum.

Is there room for more Bourne? Absolutely! Don't take any notice of those who say that this ties things up nicely and the franchise should be left alone. Bourne is hot property and he will be back. The situation surrounding Nicky Parsons is still very much unresolved. What is it that Jason Bourne doesn't remember? Has everything rotten in the CIA been resolved now? I very much doubt that. I feel that the whole Treadstone/Blackbriar programme runs even deeper and the conspiracy could go much higher. Has Pamela Landy now crossed those in very high places? Will there be repercussions for all concerned? We shall see...

I am really pleased with the DVD. For once most of the deleted scenes, many of which seem to very out of place to the actual cut, don't leave you feeling that they should have been included. There's a whole long list of features and if you are getting this for the holiday then you will be able to sit back and allow yourself to become completely immersed in the bonus features.

Overall The Bourne Ultimatum is an outstanding film and this is a very pleasing DVD. Following the release of The Bourne Supremacy other film makers in the action genre realised that they had to raise their game in the post Bourne movie world. Now with the release of The Bourne Ultimatum those same movie makers must be scratching their heads and wondering if they can really compete in this Bourne again genre!