Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass are reunited for another instalment in this action-packed franchise. And after the disappointment that was The Bourne Legacy it is certainly a relief to see a Bourne film that actually has Bourne in it. If one thing is certain it's that Damon is the definitive Jason Bourne and no one else can fill those shoes. He slips easily back into the role like he was born (or should that be Bourne?) to play it. It's not that Jeremy Renner was at all bad in the last film, but the titular character really is a sight for sore eyes.
Damon is joined by cast members old and new, including Julia Stiles reprising the role of Nicky Parsons and Alicia Vikander and Tommy Lee Jones holding major parts as CIA agents. After years of staying off the radar, Bourne is sought out by Parsons and told that new information has surfaced regarding the Treadstone program and a new and mysterious initiative named 'Ironhand'. He is inevitably forced out of hiding to find out more, drawing the attention of the CIA who wish to either bring him back in or terminate him.
Despite it being over 10 years since The Bourne Identity was released, the series still manages to feel fresh. Bourne still has plenty of little tricks up his sleeve. True, there is also mindless fighting (it's quite thrilling to see him knock out a man larger than him in only one punch). But this is an action film that has clever moments as well. It moves at a consistent and riveting pace, never stopping for too long in one location. We're moved from country to country and character to character, with action scenes provided at every turn. The stand out scenes include a car chase through Athens amidst a chaotic and violent demonstration and of course the climax of the film. Set in a bustling and spectacularly lit up Las Vegas, the end car chase is completely engaging (if a bit ridiculous) and absolutely rife with collateral damage. It's just unfortunate that the antagonist is one of the least developed characters and that Bourne's reason to defeat him is what has in recent years become the go-to motive - revenge.
This simplicity is echoed in the narrative of the film. When compared to the original trilogy it feels like there's a lot less going on. There is a sub-plot that centres around a social media mogul that tries to make a statement about social networking, privacy and government spying. However it's ultimately something that is barely touched upon before moving on to more exciting things. Even the information that is uncovered about Treadstone isn't all that much of a revelation. The trailer seems to promise a groundbreaking plot twist. What we really get is a bit of backstory substantial enough to justify another cinematic outing for Jason Bourne.
Whatever the narrative lacks is made up for by the cast performances. The inclusion of Julia Stiles playing Nicky is a nice touch, and evokes thoughts of the original films just enough to tie this one in nicely and make it feel like a proper sequel. Of the new cast members, it's Alicia Vikander that really stands out. She plays ruthless CIA agent Heather Lee, who's arrogance knows no bounds and who will do anything to advance in the ranks. She is a character who is immediately dislikeable, which shows just how good Vikander's performance is. Tommy Lee Jones is also convincing as CIA director Robert Dewey. Most of the characters are very serious in nature, and therefore the outgoing, charismatic performance of Riz Ahmed as the CEO of social media company Deep Dream is just what is needed to offset this. Ahmed has most recently acted in the critically acclaimed Nightcrawler, where he played Rick. His role in Jason Bourne isn't nearly as large or important, but he definitely makes a positive impression.
Whilst Jason Bourne is a lot more simplistic than the original trilogy, It's definitely a substantial step up from Legacy. It provides a multitude of thrills and has believable characters. Ultimately it's just good to have the real Bourne back.
