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CIA HEADQUARTERS — There has been a fair amount to look forward to this summer, but there is one movie that many people have been particularly excited about.
The wait for the return of Jason Bourne to the big screen is finally over, but does the latest installment live up to its predecessors?
I, for one, am a big Bourne fan, especially the first three with Matt Damon. I didn’t love “The Bourne Legacy” with Jeremy Renner, but I also didn’t hate it by any means. I was very much looking forward to seeing Damon jump back into the saddle for “Jason Bourne.”
As I sat down in the theater to watch the film, I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas morning, so excited about what surprises the next few moments would bring. When I opened my present, however, I got socks. Granted, they were good-looking socks, but they were still socks.
Why ‘Jason Bourne’ was a pair of cool socks
Action
Whatever issues the movie had, it was still a Bourne movie. That means there were some great action sequences and surprising moments that got your heart pumping and forced a smile onto your face.
Jason is still the fighting machine we remember; If anything he’s more calculated and fierce. There are a few moments that really stand out and will easily find their place in the history of the Bourne franchise. One scene in particular involves a car chase that is brutal, exciting and downright fun.
Damon is a fantastic actor and it’s great to see him in this role again.
I thought Renner did a fine job as Aaron Cross in “The Bourne Legacy,” but you couldn’t help but want Damon. It’s clearly why we had that longing when we see him grace the screen again in “Jason Bourne.” This 45-year-old Damon as Bourne is more intimidating, menacing and terrifying than the 31-year-old version. It’s clear that Damon really committed to this role the fourth time around, and it pays off in the film.
Why 'Jason Bourne' is still just a pair of socks
Pacing
I hate to admit this, but there were moments in “Jason Bourne” where I was bored. Yes, it has some great action set pieces, but it often felt like a huge effort to get there. Every Bourne film has its moments where bureaucrats are talking or CIA big-wigs are discussing the threat of Bourne, but it just wasn’t interesting in this film.
It’s hard to go from high-octane motorcycle chases in the midst of a riot in Athens to just stop and listen to Tommy Lee Jones chat with a senator. The movie goes from 90 mph to 0 mph way too fast and way too often.
Story issues
We know Jason Bourne as the skilled assassin who has lost his memory. The first three movies were so intriguing because the audience learned about Blackbriar and Treadstone right alongside Bourne. Then, at the end of “The Bourne Ultimatum,” we heard Jason say, “I remember everything.” Well, apparently not everything, because we find out there’s more he’s forgotten in “Jason Bourne.”
At this point, it felt forced. Watching Bourne search for answers once again just didn’t land. It’s hard to explain without giving away too much plot, but watch the movie and you’ll see what I mean.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, “Jason Bourne” is disappointing. It’s not a terrible movie and Bourne fans will definitely enjoy a lot of the movie, but when it’s compared to the three far superior films in the franchise, it’s a letdown.
“Jason Bourne” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and brief strong language.