Russian taxis? Remarkably sturdy.

They just couldn’t leave him alone, could they?

Matt Damon returns to the world of espionage as amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne in The Bourne Supremacy. As the movie opens, Jason is living quietly in India with his girlfriend Marie (Franka Potente) and trying to puzzle out the mysteries of his past. Then a killer shows up and tries to, well, kill him of course – as killers do – and Jason goes on the offensive.

His quest intersects with a botched CIA operation and brings him face to face with old friends like Brian Cox, playing a cagy agency lifer, and Julia Stiles, once again miscast as a young operative. The Robert Ludlum story, adapted by Tony Gilroy (who also penned the first movie) features a decent mystery steeped in international intrigue, greed and corruption.

"Hurry up. Affleck's back there and I'm in no mood to listen to him whine about JLo."

Paul Greengrass directs with a minimalist style, relying heavily on jittery, handheld camerawork and a relentless pace. The action scenes are remarkably gritty for this type of movie, particularly a lengthy scene of hand-to-hand combat which seems even more brutal because there’s no music behind it. Cinematographer Oliver Wood contributes a bleak, muted look, washed in shades of grey. This all combines to give the movie a great sense of urgency and desperation.

Stars in action movies often overplay the emotional moments, maybe as a contrast to all the ass-kicking. Damon goes the opposite route, letting his low-key, grim determination in the action scenes flow into a quiet, almost concealed vulnerability during the softer moments. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Damon’s a damn good actor.

If, ultimately, The Bourne Supremacy comes across as a disposable popcorn movie with great production values, that’s because that’s exactly what it is. But with its international cast of spies, assassins and rogues, its exotic locations that criss-cross Europe and Asia, and its compelling story of a man haunted by his past, it’s a savvy, suspenseful, disposable popcorn movie with great prodution values, just like its predecessor. It’s not often that the sequel equals the original, but I think this one does. Keep your fingers crossed for the inevitable Bourne 3! 

Gorilla Pants rating: 3 out of 4 bananas