After a barrage of comic-book heroes, it’s a relief to watch a movie this clever and entertaining. In Reykjavik, activist and former Central Intelligence Agency operative Nicky Parson (Julia Stiles) steals top secret files about Central Intelligence Agency “dark ops”, planning to put them online for the world to see. Bourne’s always had an issue with his own motivation, frantically searching through his past muddied by government programming for a slice of identity. And when he fails, a Central Intelligence Agency agent named Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) suggests she can bring Bourne back into the program.
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Jones is the latest in a distinguished line of Bourne foils that has included Brian Cox, Chris Cooper, David Strathairn and Joan Allen.
The screenplay by Greengrass and Oscar-winning series editor Christopher Rouse is nothing if not routine.
What happens behind the story can be more interesting than the scurrying around in the foreground.
A satisfying return to the franchise, without exceeding its predecessors, Jason Bourne has the requisite amount of action, tension, realism and story expansion for a thrilling good time.
Some scenes inevitably echo passages from earlier episodes. Those four films have grossed over $1 billion in their worldwide theatrical run, so the fact that they are bringing Damon back in as Bourne this weekend isn’t really shocking.
It could have, though, if only writer-director Greengrass had spent as much time developing the script as he did all of the madness on the Strip. Others imitate his darting, nervous visual style, but can’t match his focus, command of screen space, and explosive sense of action.
Will Jason Bourne have an after-credits scene to reward viewers willing to stick around to the bitter end of the spy flick?
You’ve also got rival super assassins, a killer vehicle chase and Moby on the soundtrack. A more affordable, less charismatic actor was secured for one underperforming installment before the original guy was coaxed back for a much-ballyhooed homecoming sequel set largely in Las Vegas. Bourne displays no sentiment, no hesitation, even when replaying his father’s death by vehicle bombing.
Oscar victor Tommy Lee Jones returns to wicked form in the villainous bureaucrat role, a juicy part. That’s not the case for Asset (Vincent Cassel), an assassin looking for payback after Bourne (Damon) did something that resulted in multiple years of imprisonment and torture.
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Plus, stay tuned to Nerdist for a juicy tidbit from Vikander about her upcoming role as Lara Croft in the forthcoming Tomb Raider reboot. Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd employs the series’ customary handheld, shaky camera to capture the chaos, a sharp contrast to the disciplined, determined actions of Bourne and (most of) his pursuers.
