A larger orchestral ensemble is heard in The Bourne Supremacy, with a nearly full brass section accompanying the strings, electronics, and solo bassoon once again performed by Michael O'Donovan. A band-oriented percussion section is similarly offered as well for contemporary appeal, but the most emphasis of any element in The Bourne Supremacy is strongly placed on the strings. Powell had created a choppy string motif to represent Bourne's endeavors in the first film, along with a staggered and non-heroic string theme over the top of that rhythm, but much of that material was overpowered by other elements in that score. The composer does not make the same mistake in The Bourne Supremacy, allowing the strings to really represent the sophisticated side of Bourne's capabilities; they are strictly business in a rhythmic sense, never making light of Bourne's recurring ostinato motif (finally re-asserting itself by "To the Roof" and "Berlin Foot Chase"), and never extending themselves to romanticism outside of, perhaps, the final, apologetic score cue. The solo bassoon is a curious sound to serve as the identity for Bourne's internal dilemma, but Powell does faithfully present it at moderate volumes in the more reflective cues (such as "New Memories"). The full-blown action music is surprisingly minimal in The Bourne Supremacy, resorting only twice to crashing electronic mayhem and instead marching with precision in cues such as "Berlin Foot Chase," which adds a sharp piano to that primary Bourne action motif. The electric guitar causes the score to devolve slightly in "Bim Bam Smash," although Powell decently avoids the temptation to present Bourne in a "cool" fashion, only dabbling on the edge of heroism or "coolness" in the slower rhythmic sections. Both the guitar performances on the Indian beach in "Goa" (a neat twist on the secondary reflection theme) and the aforementioned rhythms in "Nach Deutschland" are a pleasant turn of events for Powell's development in the Bourne franchise. On album, Powell's music for this entry is more enjoyable than its series peers in its clarity, and the final score cue, "Atonement," begins to show a more varied and interesting side of both the film and its music. This theme of reflection doesn't receive as much forward progress in The Bourne Ultimatum as one would hope, however. The Moby song "Extreme Ways" at the end, while unrelated to the score, is a good fit with the attitude of Powell's music, slightly pained and distorted in its mix but adequately defiant and determined in tone. While Powell's work for The Bourne Supremacy may not yield any truly exquisite moments, it has more focus and sophistication than its predecessor, and it suits the film and its album well enough to satisfyingly match the title character's continuing development.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download