Having loved the original three, in particular the first one, found Jason Bourne pretty disappointing.
The Paul Greengrass films Ultimatum and Supremacy are great, but are very much built on the template that is set in the Bourne Identity. Minus the mystery of neither he or the audience knowing who he is, or the brilliant character of Marie, and the love story.
SPOILERS
So as with Ultimatum and Supremacy, we find a new even higher up boss we were previously unaware of, and Tommy Lee Jones is very good. Then we've got Nikki linking us back to the originals with the beginnings of a fascinating story of what she has used her CIA skills for relating to Snowden and online privacy. Then 15 minutes in, they kill Nikki. Wiping out any connection to the original trilogy, and what Bourne and Nikki's back story had been. Previously hinted at in Ultimatum.
On top of that we see how upset Bourne is at her death, at the same time knowing that must be what, a thousandth of what he felt for Marie's death? Happening so early her death isn't even driving the narrative along.
That leaves us with Bourne and a pile of characters we have just met, and don't care about, and a script that wouldn't be out of place on a Pierce Brosnan James Bond film. Yes there's lots of action, and shaky camera angles, but the fantastic car chase in the original film, is fantastic because of the charm of the beat up old mini in Paris. He's the anti-hero making do.
There are other elements of the script that are odd.
At the beginning he is involved in boxing. Other than to show Damon's physique, what was that about? Nothing else is given of his private life the last few years, and if he is staying hidden from sight, why stand out like that in front of so many people?
The final scene, where they repeat the use of Moby's Extreme Ways to demonstrate someone being caught out by him, is very weak. Much like the rest of the plot.
Overall an okay film by general standards, but not a patch on the original three, and a lack of understanding from the writers for what worked in the Bourne Identity. Character development, back story and charm.
The Paul Greengrass films Ultimatum and Supremacy are great, but are very much built on the template that is set in the Bourne Identity. Minus the mystery of neither he or the audience knowing who he is, or the brilliant character of Marie, and the love story.
SPOILERS
So as with Ultimatum and Supremacy, we find a new even higher up boss we were previously unaware of, and Tommy Lee Jones is very good. Then we've got Nikki linking us back to the originals with the beginnings of a fascinating story of what she has used her CIA skills for relating to Snowden and online privacy. Then 15 minutes in, they kill Nikki. Wiping out any connection to the original trilogy, and what Bourne and Nikki's back story had been. Previously hinted at in Ultimatum.
On top of that we see how upset Bourne is at her death, at the same time knowing that must be what, a thousandth of what he felt for Marie's death? Happening so early her death isn't even driving the narrative along.
That leaves us with Bourne and a pile of characters we have just met, and don't care about, and a script that wouldn't be out of place on a Pierce Brosnan James Bond film. Yes there's lots of action, and shaky camera angles, but the fantastic car chase in the original film, is fantastic because of the charm of the beat up old mini in Paris. He's the anti-hero making do.
There are other elements of the script that are odd.
At the beginning he is involved in boxing. Other than to show Damon's physique, what was that about? Nothing else is given of his private life the last few years, and if he is staying hidden from sight, why stand out like that in front of so many people?
The final scene, where they repeat the use of Moby's Extreme Ways to demonstrate someone being caught out by him, is very weak. Much like the rest of the plot.
Overall an okay film by general standards, but not a patch on the original three, and a lack of understanding from the writers for what worked in the Bourne Identity. Character development, back story and charm.