Jason Bourne is a guy who's trying to remember his past and figure out who he is because he suffers from amnesia. In his quest, he was informed that his real name is David Webb and he was born in Nixa Missouri but he seems to totally ignore that, or at least they don't depict him trying to glean anything from this.
So I'm here to help fill in the blanks, like it or not. No spoiler warning.
Webb is an occupational family name meaning (in O.E.) "weaver". OK, so Jason/David's family is from the British Isles. He looks pretty Irish.
Nixa Missouri is in the Ozark Mountains. In 1717, the Ulster-Scots aka Scots-Irish began to move to the area which was mostly abandoned by the indigenous populatation during a famine in the 13th century.
the Ozarks, a mix of the Shire and Rivendell
Rich, slave-owning planters on the South Coast called the new inhabitants "hillbillies" because, as Protestants back in the British Isles, they had supported William III of Orange (Billy) and lived in the hills.
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William III of Orange
During the Civil War, Missouri was split between pro-Union sympathizers and those who were pro-Confederate. The state was represented by stars on both nations' flags. Confederate sympathizers called Border Ruffians waged war the impoverished hillbillies who were often pro-Union. The Chicago Tribune wrote of them as “a queer-looking set, slightly resembling human beings, but more closely allied … to wild beasts… They never shave or comb their hair, and their chief occupation is loafing around whiskey shops, squirting tobacco juice, and whittling with a dull jack-knife.” The next few years, in addition to the Civil War, the state became mire in what was known as the Bushwacker War.
The Ozarks continue to have a distinct culture. They call heavy downpours "gully washers" or "frog stranglers". They say "yins" instead of "y'all". Ozarkians frequently complain about characterizations of them as poor, crazy, sleazy, gun-toting, moonshine-making, backwards folk and then they go and sell stuff like a corncob as "Hillbilly toilet paper" in every gas station.
And then there is a mountain in the Ozarks called "Knob Lick mountain"
And every truck has a gun-rack in the window.
And they have both Branson
and the Precious Moments Chapel, founded by born-again Christian and family man Sam Butler who was famously always accompanied by adolescent Filipino boys.
Scene at Precious Moments Park
.
Ozarkians held the interest of film-goers and tv watchers, radio-listeners and comic-readers throughout the 20th century but particularly in the second third which gave us:
Lum & Abner 1932
Lil' Abner 1934
Beverly Hillbillies 1962
Snuffy Smith 1934
Ma & Pa Kettle 1947
Real Ozark Hillbillies
The slogan of Nixa Missouri is "The Progressive Choice of the Ozarks." It has a Motel 8, a McDonalds, a Taco Bell, a Kentucky Fried Chicken, a Sonic Drive In, Otts Pasta, Smitty's Supermarket and Restaurant and 5 strip malls.
So, despite Nixa's riches, Jason/David gave it up and left. He must've learned to code-switch and eliminate aspects of his idiolect that would betray his hillybilly origins. He got involved with the government and the rest is detailed in the films.
The lastest Bourne film, the Bourne Ultimatum is a lot like the previous installments. It met my expectations. Jason goes to France, New York City, London, Russia, Spain, and Tangier. He runs and chases and frequently metes out Krav Maga, a cool-looking fighting style developed by Jews first to protect themselves from Nazis in the 1930s, and perfected in Israel in the 1940s.
Israeli Security about to use Krav Maga on a terrorist
After the Bourne Supremacy, Bourne fans' most common complaint was director Paul "shakycam" Greengrass' heavy reliance on that early 90s fad which is used, I guess, to make us feel like we're really there... like we're invisible and shaking whilst we watch the action from behind potted plants, writhing and convulsing completely unseen by the film's characters. Or maybe it's supposed to be the distracting Brechtian technique that it is, calling attention to itself, reminding us that this is a film, not real life, so remain detached and reflective. Whatever the reason, he uses it less which still annoyed me because it doesn't need to be there at all. When my friend Hien saw it, he had to excuse himself to throw-up.
One other thing that totally confused me, and I am admittedly a bit slow, was Albert Finney as Albert Hirsh.
Albert Finney
In the previous Bourne movies Ward Abbot was played by Brian Cox
Brian Cox
I spent the duration of the latest film thinking they were one in the same, whilst scratching my head trying to remember events of the previous two films. Blackbriar. Treadstone. Names and details don't seem that important but all of the sudden, Albert Finney comes in doing what seems like a Brian Cox impression with slobbery mumbles and looking over his glasses. Maybe I'm the only person that confuses them (although Brian Cox has a bit of Marlon Brando in him too).
Anyway, despite what I felt were relatively minor but annoying flaws, I came out of the theatre really wanting to get into a fight that involves whatever's in reach and to drive wrecklessly through the streets and alleys and I think that's the real point.
So I'm here to help fill in the blanks, like it or not. No spoiler warning.
Webb is an occupational family name meaning (in O.E.) "weaver". OK, so Jason/David's family is from the British Isles. He looks pretty Irish.
Nixa Missouri is in the Ozark Mountains. In 1717, the Ulster-Scots aka Scots-Irish began to move to the area which was mostly abandoned by the indigenous populatation during a famine in the 13th century.
the Ozarks, a mix of the Shire and Rivendell
Rich, slave-owning planters on the South Coast called the new inhabitants "hillbillies" because, as Protestants back in the British Isles, they had supported William III of Orange (Billy) and lived in the hills.
William III of Orange
During the Civil War, Missouri was split between pro-Union sympathizers and those who were pro-Confederate. The state was represented by stars on both nations' flags. Confederate sympathizers called Border Ruffians waged war the impoverished hillbillies who were often pro-Union. The Chicago Tribune wrote of them as “a queer-looking set, slightly resembling human beings, but more closely allied … to wild beasts… They never shave or comb their hair, and their chief occupation is loafing around whiskey shops, squirting tobacco juice, and whittling with a dull jack-knife.” The next few years, in addition to the Civil War, the state became mire in what was known as the Bushwacker War.
Border Ruffians
The Ozarks continue to have a distinct culture. They call heavy downpours "gully washers" or "frog stranglers". They say "yins" instead of "y'all". Ozarkians frequently complain about characterizations of them as poor, crazy, sleazy, gun-toting, moonshine-making, backwards folk and then they go and sell stuff like a corncob as "Hillbilly toilet paper" in every gas station.
And then there is a mountain in the Ozarks called "Knob Lick mountain"
And every truck has a gun-rack in the window.
And they have both Branson
and the Precious Moments Chapel, founded by born-again Christian and family man Sam Butler who was famously always accompanied by adolescent Filipino boys.
Scene at Precious Moments Park
.
Ozarkians held the interest of film-goers and tv watchers, radio-listeners and comic-readers throughout the 20th century but particularly in the second third which gave us:
Lum & Abner 1932
Lil' Abner 1934
Beverly Hillbillies 1962
Snuffy Smith 1934
Ma & Pa Kettle 1947
Real Ozark Hillbillies
The slogan of Nixa Missouri is "The Progressive Choice of the Ozarks." It has a Motel 8, a McDonalds, a Taco Bell, a Kentucky Fried Chicken, a Sonic Drive In, Otts Pasta, Smitty's Supermarket and Restaurant and 5 strip malls.
So, despite Nixa's riches, Jason/David gave it up and left. He must've learned to code-switch and eliminate aspects of his idiolect that would betray his hillybilly origins. He got involved with the government and the rest is detailed in the films.
The lastest Bourne film, the Bourne Ultimatum is a lot like the previous installments. It met my expectations. Jason goes to France, New York City, London, Russia, Spain, and Tangier. He runs and chases and frequently metes out Krav Maga, a cool-looking fighting style developed by Jews first to protect themselves from Nazis in the 1930s, and perfected in Israel in the 1940s.
Israeli Security about to use Krav Maga on a terrorist
After the Bourne Supremacy, Bourne fans' most common complaint was director Paul "shakycam" Greengrass' heavy reliance on that early 90s fad which is used, I guess, to make us feel like we're really there... like we're invisible and shaking whilst we watch the action from behind potted plants, writhing and convulsing completely unseen by the film's characters. Or maybe it's supposed to be the distracting Brechtian technique that it is, calling attention to itself, reminding us that this is a film, not real life, so remain detached and reflective. Whatever the reason, he uses it less which still annoyed me because it doesn't need to be there at all. When my friend Hien saw it, he had to excuse himself to throw-up.
One other thing that totally confused me, and I am admittedly a bit slow, was Albert Finney as Albert Hirsh.
Albert Finney
In the previous Bourne movies Ward Abbot was played by Brian Cox
Brian Cox
I spent the duration of the latest film thinking they were one in the same, whilst scratching my head trying to remember events of the previous two films. Blackbriar. Treadstone. Names and details don't seem that important but all of the sudden, Albert Finney comes in doing what seems like a Brian Cox impression with slobbery mumbles and looking over his glasses. Maybe I'm the only person that confuses them (although Brian Cox has a bit of Marlon Brando in him too).
Anyway, despite what I felt were relatively minor but annoying flaws, I came out of the theatre really wanting to get into a fight that involves whatever's in reach and to drive wrecklessly through the streets and alleys and I think that's the real point.