Jason Bourne 8/10

I went in with pretty low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I really liked the first act and the end but everything in between was alright. I think Chris Stuckmann was too hard on the social media subplot given that it was only in two scenes and they were still suspenseful I let it slide. My main issues with the movie are:

There are no “aha” moments in the movie. The trailer contains many cool moments that were either alternate takes or completely cut lines from the final movie (“MY GOD, that’s Jason Bourne” being one of them) which was really disappointing. The movie was lacking that “That should be easy, she’s standing right next to you” or “Get some rest, you look tired” moment but sadly it was nowhere to be seen.
The realism fades away. The (way too long) car chase scene at the end became less like a Paul Greengrass action scene and more like a John Woo action scene. The chase has a SWAT truck that’s seemingly indestructible, plowing through infinite cars and buildings without taking any damage while Bourne survives it all off-camera. In several other scenes, Bourne is severely injured and recovers within minutes. Whether he’s been shot in the arm or fallen off of a building or sent flying off of a motorbike, he always walks it off and even fights people without facing the repercussions of having those injuries, he may be tough but he’s still human and humans aren’t invincible. The franchise used to be grounded in the idea that the story was realistic, how the CIA covers things up and how everything that happens is all plausible, this movie lost a bit of that.
The movie’s pace is inconsistent. In the first three Bourne films, the scenes with the CIA characters in the computer rooms were really intense and gripping, making you want more information and building suspense throughout the film. In this, the characters sometimes take a small break to sit and have a simple conversation without anything interesting going on at all. Not all of the CIA scenes were boring but unlike Supremacy and Ultimatum there were scenes that made for a good bathroom break.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the film. I think a fanedit that incorporates some of the trailer footage along with cutting out some more boring stuff and removing the over-the-top action could make this a really good movie. Tommy Lee Jones and Alicia Vikander both did great jobs in their roles and I’m hoping for a few more Bourne films because this definitely opened a new door for sequels. I think they should switch directors again too, Greengrass has done a great job but I like the idea that they can all have different styles. Anyway, check it out guys!