Overall, Bourne is a very average sequel. Add to the average story a message about hacking, a forgettable villain and again, some key plot points that didn’t really hit, Jason Bourne just didn’t work for me. The original three films did such a good job of weaving a tight story throughout – a recurring theme of Bourne trying to remember who he is after a bout of amnesia – that the story here feels lacklustre.
You can’t fault this film for at least trying to inject some energy into it and the action is as intense as the originals ever were but when the action stops, it exposes the film’s shortcomings. A particularly good chase scene in the heart of Greece while fire dances and angry protestors swarm the claustrophobic streets was one of my favourites although it ticks the boxes for the usual fist fights, car chases and more as well.
When Bourne is good, it really is good and the action is where this film shines. On the other side of the spectrum we have Tommy Lee Jones who plays the main villain here and he does a good job of trying to inject some much-needed life into the sequel, its just a shame he isn’t in the film much to make too much of an impact. His energy in giving the “American Bond” a charismatic edge in the previous films is missing here and dare I say it, he looks bored. It feels like a lifeless sequel, with too many forgettable characters and a surprisingly average performance from Damon. Just like the methodical actions of the super soldier assassins, the film is cold, robotic and ruthless. The story itself is serviceable and despite some questionable plot choices that I personally thought were unnecessary, it zips along at a decent pace. She uncovers top secret documents, some of which referencing Bourne’s parents, so she sets out to find Bourne whilst evading the CIA that are hot on her trail. Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) on the other hand is up to her old tricks and hacks into the CIA mainframe. We find Bourne in exile, off the grid competing in bare knuckle fights for money after uncovering the Blackbriar project all those years ago. It never quite feels as fun as the previous titles and whether that be Matt Damon’s average performance as Jason Bourne or the formulaic story, this is another blockbuster that just doesn’t nail it. There’s a political commentary about hacking at work here too that gives the title a strange air around it. Returning from the shadows where the original films ended the character in satisfying fashion, Jason Bourne ultimately feels like a lifeless sequel.
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