Film review: Jason Bourne (3 out of 5)

Another summer and another franchise wheels out its latest offering.
Matt Damon as Jason BourneMatt Damon as Jason Bourne
Matt Damon as Jason Bourne

Except Jason Bourne wasn’t created out of a desire to just keep things ticking over - that was left to The Bourne Legacy back in 2012 with a different cast and director.

From the start, director of the past two (Damon/Bourne) movies Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon were only going to do another if the plot was right.

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And there’s no doubting that this film follows on from The Bourne Identity (2002 and directed by Doug Liman), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).

At the start of this latest episode Bourne, although he now knows his past, is a lost soul, taking part in back-street fist-fights.

However, he is drawn out of hiding by a former CIA operative and is dragged into more secret undercover plots and intrigues.

At the heart of it all is CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) who holds more secrets to Bourne’s past.

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The action is frantic, from Greece, into London to an amazing car chase in Las Vegas.

Damon has a firm grip on the Bourne role and, of course, it helps that he’s a fine actor.

Tommy Lee Jones could sleepwalk through these kinds of roles, the world-weary man of power.

Alicia Vikander, who has starred in numerous films recently, is also good as agent Heather Lee.

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My only moan would be that the plot did feel like a bolt-on to the main Bourne stories and just a way of moving swiftly on to the action.

But that action is so dramatic you feel quite worn out by the end.

Greengrass has upped the sheer intensity of the crashes and fights.

So, if you enjoyed the three main Bourne movies then you’ll most likely be thoroughly entertained by this one, but for me the first remains the very best.

Film details: Jason Bourne (12A) 123mins

Director: Paul Greengrass

Starring: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander

Screening courtesy of Horsham Capitol

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