The Bourne Ultimatum
“Driving School” Featurette
Even if you’re Jason Bourne, you still have to learn how to drive. That is exactly what Matt Damon did in preparation for The Bourne Ultimatum. Obviously, if you’re someone like Bourne, you’re not going to be driving like everyone else on the road. You’re going to be doing these maneuvers and tricks that only a well-rehearsed assassin can accomplish. Buckle up as you watch the “Driving School” extra under the “Making Of Featurette” section to see just how much training it took to have Matt Damon become an absolute force behind the wheel.
Just like in any Bourne movie, the chase sequences, whether they be on foot, on a motorcycle, or in a car, are nothing short of intense. However, the scenes in The Bourne Ultimatum take it up a notch. As you can tell while watching this behind-the-scenes content, the car chases in particular take it to a completely different level, especially the one at the Port Authority.
While he’s being pursued, Jason Bourne steals a car on the rooftop of the Port Authority and begins to back out of the spot. As he does, a car is seen racing towards him, leaving Bourne no other option than to drive in reverse for the duration of the segment. Believe it or not, driving backwards is not the easiest thing to do. That is something that everyone involved in the production soon found out.
As you’re watching this extra, you’ll see how much effort was put in to capturing every second of the action. For example, the crew mounted a camera on a crane to get profile shots of Matt Damon as he was steering the car away from his pursuer. Of course, Jason Bourne himself did a lot more than just merely putting the car in reverse. Matt Damon also had to practice swerving in and out of some pretty hard turns, all the while still going backwards.
Dan Bradley, the 2nd unit director for the film, oversaw Matt Damon’s training in a lot in Bayonne, New Jersey. Dan Bradley says that when Matt Damon was shooting The Bourne Supremacy “he was spinning the car completely around 720 degrees” on his first day. Not only does Matt Damon excel in acting, but he is also one talented driver. Maybe if he retires from acting, he’ll start a career in Nascar. When asked if doing a dramatic scene is better than driving, Matt Damon only had one thing to say: “It’s much more fun doing this. It’s not even close.”
Don’t pump the brakes just yet, because you can continue to watch more thrilling The Bourne Ultimatum exclusives when you buy the movie on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM*.
*Bonus features are only available at select digital retailers. Check the retailer for details.
Like this article? Read more about the making of The Bourne Ultimatum here: