Jason Bourne - Review
Director: Paul Greengrass
Cast: Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel, Julia Stiles, Riz Ahmed.
Bourne is most definitely back, ladies and gentlemen, and he's buffer and with more angst than ever before. After a nine year reprieve from the amnesiac assassin, director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon re-team and deliver a satisfying, action-packed thriller.
Flying under the radar of the CIA and living the life of your average-Joe by bare knuckle fighting, Bourne (Matt Damon) is pulled back into the web of deceit as Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) uncovers the depths of Treadstone, the shady organisation that created him. Finding himself once again on the run from the government, Bourne must contend with those trying to secure him whilst confronting the question marks of his own past.
Does the synopsis sound familiar to you? Well that's because it's pretty much a carbon copy of The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy AND The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne's predecessors (note: I have not watched The Bourne Legacy, but then again, who has?). Bourne has trouble recollecting his checkered past. He is monitored and hunted by members of the CIA behind the relative safety of their compute screens. He tussles with a ruthless "asset" dispatched by the CIA whilst in liaison with a sympathetic agent who he forms a tenuous alliance with. But hey, like they say; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Whilst they may not diversify the plot, the creative team behind Jason Bourne certainly up the ante in terms of the actions set pieces. Even against the backdrop of the bright lights of Las Vegas, the trademark verisimilitude the franchise boasts is still ever-present. It's no spoiler that the Vegas strip is home to the film's most elaborate piece of action - a car chase between Bourne himself and Cassel's asset and it is truly a remarkable feat. Not only will it be remembered as the franchise's best car clash, but potentially even in the history of cinema. Unsurprisingly, the scenes of combat between Bourne and his adversaries are as visceral as ever and you will genuinely believe that the characters are inflicting some serious physical pain on each other. With every crunch of a bone or slice of a knife through the air, narrowly missing contact, you'll be hard pressed not to wince or shriek, "Ouch! That's gotta sting!"
Reactions would not have been as external and encompassing had it not been for the film's star himself, Matt Damon. Damon re-assumes the role so comfortably and completely sells his action sequences, even when Bourne pulls the classic move of fight improvisation as he turns your typical household object into a deadly weapon. His previous role as the quippy botanist Mark Watney in last year's Oscar nominated The Martian is a stark contrast to his portrayal as brooding Bourne, but the star remains as enigmatic as ever. Recent Academy Award winner and the most in-demand actress of the moment Alicia Vikander is a welcome addition to the franchise. Her accent may be non-distinct, but Vikander brings nuance and a steely determination to tech expert and hacker Heather Lee. Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel and returning cast member Julia Stiles all contribute strong performances, with the latter's character of Nicky Parsons making her biggest impression in the franchise thus far.
Admittedly, Jason Bourne is a vehicle to facilitate the navigation of one outstanding action sequence to another, but the film is enthralling nonetheless and one hell of a ride.
EB
Cast: Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel, Julia Stiles, Riz Ahmed.
Bourne is most definitely back, ladies and gentlemen, and he's buffer and with more angst than ever before. After a nine year reprieve from the amnesiac assassin, director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon re-team and deliver a satisfying, action-packed thriller.Flying under the radar of the CIA and living the life of your average-Joe by bare knuckle fighting, Bourne (Matt Damon) is pulled back into the web of deceit as Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) uncovers the depths of Treadstone, the shady organisation that created him. Finding himself once again on the run from the government, Bourne must contend with those trying to secure him whilst confronting the question marks of his own past.
Does the synopsis sound familiar to you? Well that's because it's pretty much a carbon copy of The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy AND The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne's predecessors (note: I have not watched The Bourne Legacy, but then again, who has?). Bourne has trouble recollecting his checkered past. He is monitored and hunted by members of the CIA behind the relative safety of their compute screens. He tussles with a ruthless "asset" dispatched by the CIA whilst in liaison with a sympathetic agent who he forms a tenuous alliance with. But hey, like they say; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Whilst they may not diversify the plot, the creative team behind Jason Bourne certainly up the ante in terms of the actions set pieces. Even against the backdrop of the bright lights of Las Vegas, the trademark verisimilitude the franchise boasts is still ever-present. It's no spoiler that the Vegas strip is home to the film's most elaborate piece of action - a car chase between Bourne himself and Cassel's asset and it is truly a remarkable feat. Not only will it be remembered as the franchise's best car clash, but potentially even in the history of cinema. Unsurprisingly, the scenes of combat between Bourne and his adversaries are as visceral as ever and you will genuinely believe that the characters are inflicting some serious physical pain on each other. With every crunch of a bone or slice of a knife through the air, narrowly missing contact, you'll be hard pressed not to wince or shriek, "Ouch! That's gotta sting!"
Reactions would not have been as external and encompassing had it not been for the film's star himself, Matt Damon. Damon re-assumes the role so comfortably and completely sells his action sequences, even when Bourne pulls the classic move of fight improvisation as he turns your typical household object into a deadly weapon. His previous role as the quippy botanist Mark Watney in last year's Oscar nominated The Martian is a stark contrast to his portrayal as brooding Bourne, but the star remains as enigmatic as ever. Recent Academy Award winner and the most in-demand actress of the moment Alicia Vikander is a welcome addition to the franchise. Her accent may be non-distinct, but Vikander brings nuance and a steely determination to tech expert and hacker Heather Lee. Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel and returning cast member Julia Stiles all contribute strong performances, with the latter's character of Nicky Parsons making her biggest impression in the franchise thus far.
Admittedly, Jason Bourne is a vehicle to facilitate the navigation of one outstanding action sequence to another, but the film is enthralling nonetheless and one hell of a ride.
EB
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