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In Jason Bourne, we finally have an action hero we can all relate to. After all, who hasn’t been turned into a precision killing machine by a secret government program at some point in their lives? I know I have, and this third installment of the brilliant series took me right back to the first time I stepped foot in the interrogation room.

In spite of, or because of, the flashbacks to the very legal water boarding that I undertook, I found even more reason to love this movie now that it’s on DVD.

Bourne (Matt Damon) is still on the run from Treadstone, the top secret government program that created him and several other international assassins. After being left for dead and hunted down mercilessly, Bourne takes his turn on the offensive, trying to discover the secrets of his past life and the people responsible for making him what he is – a brutally efficient killer with a conscience.

This movie is about revenge. It’s about atonement. And, let’s be honest, it’s about a serious amount of kicking ass. All of that action translates well from the big to the small screen. The fight scenes remain intense, and the chase sequences as frantic as ever.

Plus, after you’re done reliving the action, there’s a healthy amount of cool extras. Short features take you around the world to watch the crew shooting in exotic locales like Tangier and Berlin. These mini-documentaries also offer insight into the not-so-glamorous aspects of filmmaking alongside the innovative shot-capturing methods of director Paul Greengrass.

The extras also include sections on stunt driving – Damon learning to pull a reverse 180 on a track, and the complete sequence from planning to shooting of two stunts. The first is Bourne’s reversing at full speed off the roof of a parking structure. The second, a look at what happens when a police car is sandwiched onto the dividing rail of a highway. If you enjoy seeing cars crashing over and over again like I do, you should be especially giddy over these sections.

Those are probably the most entertaining features, but there’s also sections on the fight choreography and a fascinating commentary track featuring Greengrass for rejects that are into that sort of thing.

Overall, it’s a great movie packaged with some intense and educational extras. The DVD comes with the normal gamut of languages and Dolby options for your polyglot, audiophile pleasure. It’s being released conveniently for Christmas sales, and of course it makes a great gift. Just be careful when giving it to your Grandpa who worked black ops during World War II. Flashbacks are only fun when you’re the person having them.

Grade: A

Release Date: December 11, 2007 Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 116 minutes Number of Discs: 1 Cast: Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn, Colin Stinton Director: Paul Greengrass Studio: Universal Studios Also Available On: HD-DVD