7/28/16

Jason Bourne

Jason Bourne never disappoints. His fans expect interesting locations: Here we have Athens, Greece; Reykjavik, Iceland; Langley, VA; McLean, VA; Silicon Valley, CA; Rome, Italy; Berlin, Germany; London, England; and Las Vegas, NV. They know Bourne is always on the move, and they see motorcycles, taxis, limos, vans, trains, subways, and buses. They expect crowds, so they race through train stations, bus terminals, subway stations, casinos, and a massive building evacuation. They expect action, so they welcome LOTS of fisticuffs, vehicular mayhem, gunfire and rioting.

Director Paul Greengrass ("United 93") is a master at this type of PG-13 film. Although this is his third Bourne outing, it probably won't be his last. Personally, I object to his constant use of herky jerky hand-held cameras, but his fans love the results.

His cast:

  • Matt Damon ("The Martian") Jason is a man without a country. With each Bourne episode, he loses more of himself (but where does he get the cash for all those tickets?). This time he discovers that somehow his father was involved in his recruitment. Damon is also one of the producers of this one.
  • Tommy Lee Jones ("Lincoln") CIA Director Robert Dewey has several problems that need to be solved. With a face that looks like he's been rode hard and put up wet (to quote a friend from Texas), he is as unrelenting in his own way as Bourne.
  • Alicia Vikander (Oscar for "The Danish Girl") Heather Lee is a new face at the CIA, but a smart and ambitious one
  • Julia Stiles ("The Silver Linings Playbook") Nicky is back for the fourth time and we can see that she is actively on Jason's side.
  • Vincent Cassel ("Black Swan") Asset is an Energizer Bunny turned villain. He. Just. Doesn't. Quit!
  • Riz Ahmed ("The Reluctant Fundamentalist") Aaron Kailoor is a dot.com whiz kid who developed Deep Dream, the newest, latest and greatest. He's made a few deals in his lifetime that he has come to regret...
  • Ato Essandon ("Django Unchained") Craig Jeffers is the CIA Director's right-hand man. At times, that can be quite a challenge.
This is a typical Jason Bourne outing; after suspending disbelief for 123 minutes, fans applauded, then went home sated and happy. Isn't that what it's all about?
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See what I mean:
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