I thought the first Bourne movie was excellent, the second even better and the third not quite as good, but nonetheless worth seeing again. So I was genuinely excited about seeing what the new one would bring. Especially as it has Tommy Lee Jones playing his usual grizzled character.
The film has its good points – well shot, fairly dramatic and Matt Damon’s body acting is as good as ever. However overall it was a big disappointment – to be honest I got bored – in a Bourne movie! I never thought it would be possible. Spoiler alert – if you have seen the previous three movies then you’ve had the spoiler. The plot line was as predictable as you would expect. Lots of travels to exotic cities before returning to the US to deal with the corrupt US secret service and save the world. There is only so much shoot ’em up killing and endless impossible car chases that one can handle. I’ll repeat it again…I was bored…I won’t be buying the DVD!
Just a couple of other observations. How can film critics portray this as realistic and humane? In a world in which people decry the use of guns and violence, is there not some kind of fundamental contradiction that our on screen heroes are mass killers! As for the realism….its incredible how they can go through the most incredible crashes, fights and falls and end up almost unscratched. Its more Tom and Jerry cartoon, than realism. This is dumbed down cartoon game player Bourne, not the relatively intelligent action films we had before.
And was I mistaken or was the music from Australian Masterchef? It probably should have been. A menu of faked drama and action, spiced up with dramatic music and close up facial expressions, are common to both. Many they should merge and the next one could be entitled Bourne Masterchef?!
Probably the best line comes from Tommy Lee Jones who tells Bourne “You’re never going to find any peace, not until you admit to yourself who you really are”. From a Christian perspective that is a half truth. It is certainly a step in the right direction to be truly aware of oneself. But it doesn’t lead to peace if that is the only step taken. We need to be saved from ourselves as much as anything. Peace, peace, when there is no peace for the wicked. This is not a peaceful movie, it is not about finding peace and to be honest the only peace you will get is leaving the cinema and heading home for a quiet drink!
Marks out of 10? 5….
Getting rid of the crusty old white male types to be replaced by righteous minorities justifies all of the violence.
I suspect your dismay is linked to the distance that emerged between the creator and the original plot, which the last producer alluded to before the Bourne Sanction which I am pleased to see you didn’t even mention (it isn’t worth it). He said he ‘do never even read any of the Ludlum books which was clear when it flopped at the Box Office.