MOVIE REVIEW: JASON BOURNE

Matt Damon reprises his role as the titular former CIA agent with a hazy past. Jason Bourne is the fifth installment in the action franchise, and the third to be directed by Paul Greengrass. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Paul Greengrass 

Cast: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel, Alicia Vikander

Release Date: Jul 29, 2016

Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of violence and action, and brief strong language. 

Runtime: 2 hr. 3 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller  

Review:

Jason Bourne marks the welcome return of Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass to the Bourne franchise.  The results are mostly good with only a few hiccups here and there, mostly script wise.  Matt Damon easily slips back into Bourne’s skin with solid results.  Damon has always given Bourne a tortured quality which is rare in the spy genre and one of the things that makes the franchise so interesting.  There are plenty of new faces in this entry with one lone returning cast member being cast off after setting the plot in motion.  Tommy Lee Jones, at his most scowly, serves as the big bad this go around and he’s serviceable even though his character is slightly underwritten.  Vincent Cassel suffers a similar fate the assassin on Bourne’s trail throughout the film which is a shame because it’s a waste of a fine actor.  Alicia Vikander, who you can tell is serious because her hair is pinned up throughout, does the best she can with the character she’s given.  A late act turn is fairly interesting but would have made for a more interesting plot line had it been explored throughout the movie.  The biggest issue with Jason Bourne isn’t that it’s a bad movie, far from it, its that it feels very familiar, following familiar beats we’ve followed through most Bourne films.  Still, Greengrass delivers some fantastic sequences especially the logistically impressive Greek riot sequence and collateral damage excess of the final act’s Vegas sequence.  The hand to hand fight to top off the film is probably one of the brutal fights I’ve seen in recent memory.  Jason Bourne adds up to a solid film even though it’ll leave you wishing there was a bit more innovation.     

B