[Movie Review] Jason Bourne (2016)
Official Website
Director: Paul Greengrass
Writers: Paul Greengrass, Christopher Rouse
Runtime: 123 min
Main Cast:
- Matt Damon as Jason Bourne
- Tommy Lee Jones as CIA Director Robert Dewey
- Alicia Vikander as Heather Lee
- Vincent Cassesl as Asset
- Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons
Review: by Erika
If the franchise was coming to an end, it certainly wasn’t going to be with Legacy (Jeremy Renner’s installment). Jason Bourne is back and maybe better than ever in this beloved action espionage franchise. Though it’s not my favorite franchise, I’m always willing to catch a Bourne flick. While not a popular opinion, I actually enjoyed Legacy quite a bit. I thought I’d heard talks of there being a film with both Renner and Damon and I’m personally all for it! But for now it’s about Jason figuring out just who he is.
It’s been a decade since Jason Bourne (played by Matt Damon) escaped the clutches of the agency that trained him to become a deadly assassin. He can’t lay low forever, so in order to draw him out, CIA director Robert Dewey (played by Tommy Lee Jones) assigns hacker and counterinsurgency expert Heather Lee (played by Alicia Vikander) to find him. Lee uses her own skills to track down another former operative Nicky Parsons (played by Julia Stiles) who may have the drop on Bourne. Her efforts pull Bourne back into the world he desperately escaped with a foe even more formidable than before.
What I Liked:
By what’s now the 5th film of the franchise, I think they definitely have the formula down. It has all of the signature signs of a Bourne film that fans have come to know and love. The action is as top notch as ever, especially the car chase at the end. I feel like this movie was on a mission to prove that the franchise still has more to give. There may be dissenting opinions on the matter but for me I think it does. This movie gave me the feeling that things are coming full circle for Jason and he’s evolving.
What I Didn’t Like:
To write about what I didn’t like would be too much of a spoiler, but I do think it was very predictable while watching the film and I wish the writing team decided on another direction. There were moments of wasted potential. In terms of the actors, I do like Alicia Vikander but I don’t think she brought anything new to this franchise so her addition felt contrived. It’s as if they really wanted to jump on including the hottest and most in-demand actress right now to fill a few more seats. However, I think this series has the legs and reputation to do that on its own.
Honk if you’re Bourney!
Summary
It wasn’t the best of the franchise, but it’s a solid entry and Bourne fans should generally leave the theatre feeling satisfied. I would recommend it. I also recommend and fans to check out some of the press for the film. One of my favorites is probably Matt Damon and Jimmy Fallon going to “couples therapy.”
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You can find more of Erika’s work at Your Urban Fantasy!
Images Courtesy of IMDB
