(SPOILER WARNING!!! This article does contain spoilers, if you haven’t seen the movie, just see the first paragraph to be informed without spoilers!!!)

Jason Bourne may have everything we love about this franchise, but it really is starting to get really redundant!!!

Rating: 3 Stars

The Bourne franchise about a person with amnesia who is really an enhanced assassin for the US government has always been a fun action series. It is always a cat and mouse game of the US government trying to find Jason Bourne and cover up their mistakes with him. I really enjoyed the original trilogy, and loved the fact that Bourne always has the upper hand in everything. The story is always slick and fun, and it is the movie that started shaky camera fighting and action scenes. (Still have mixed feelings about that method.) I always enjoyed seeing Matt Damon as an action hero, and the action scenes were always a pleasure to watch. They did make another movie with Jeremy Renner in The Bourne Legacy, but to me it didn’t live up to the original trilogy and is forgettable. When I heard Damon and director Paul Greengrass will return for another installment of the Bourne franchise, I really thought this will be something good and unique. I was disappointingly mistaken.

What I Like: If you are a fan of this franchise (including the 4th one), you will get what you are expecting. A great action movie with a cleverly written story. Fans will not be disappointed in that regard. Director Paul Greengrass brought back the shaky camera fight scenes (still gives me a headache), and some awesome action involving Jason Bourne, played by Matt Damon. That car chase scene on the Las Vegas Strip was definitely a fun action sequence for action junkies to enjoy. To me that was the best scene of the movie.

The So So: You get everything you like from this franchise, but that is also its downfall in this movie. It is getting repetitive for this franchise. It is still one big chase scene of the US government finding Jason Bourne who is trying to figure out something in his past which in this regard is his father’s involvement with the enhanced soldier program that lead to his murder. They send out a certain assassin to get him, this time a guy named The Asset, played by Vincent Cassel. The government thinks they have Bourne, but he always finds a way to break free, and pulls a big stunt in exposing the wrongdoings of the US government. Add to the fact that it always ends on a big car chase scene really is starting to become very redundant. I say this again, if that is what you expect when watching this movie, you won’t be disappointed. For me, however, I was hoping to see something different. I was hoping for something unique, and unfortunately, I didn’t get it. I was also hoping for some closure for this franchise, and it didn’t give that. Instead, they still have the possibility of another sequel which I believe is overkill. Tommy Lee Jones as the CIA director, Robert Dewey really couldn’t add depth to the story.

What I Didn’t Like: Julia Stiles reprises her role as Nicky Parsons who finds the new information to give to Bourne. She ends up getting killed off, and new character is introduced that works for the US government in the Cyber Ops Division named Heather Lee, played by Alicia Vikander. She pretty much does the same thing as Parson in the past movies. There was nothing unique about her character, let alone that Vikander’s American accent wasn’t convincing. They might as well not kill off Parsons and still go with her. Probably wouldn’t have made a big difference.

Overall: This films brings everything you do love about the Bourne franchise, however, if you are expecting something unique or some closure to this franchise, you will be greatly disappointed. I’m getting to a point where I believe this franchise just needs to end before it gets any worse. Leave it as it is before it turns to overkill like the Transformers movies. I hope at least!!!

Rating: 3 Stars

(Sidenote: Mr. Right- I usually like movies that stars Anna Kendrick, but this one has to be her worst role. Her comedy seemed too awkward for me and not funny. Her chemistry with Sam Rockwell as her hitman boyfriend was really weird to see unraveling on screen. The story for this comedy-action movie was way over the top, but once you accepted that, it is not that bad to watch. As for me, it wasn’t funny enough to tell people that it is worthwhile. Even for the most hardcore Anna Kendrick fans!!!
Rating: 2.5 Stars)

(Sidenote: Elvis and Nixon- This was an interesting movie about Elvis Presley meeting with President Richard Nixon at the White House. I enjoyed seeing Kevin Spacey playing Nixon. He looked and acted the part well. As for Michael Shannon playing Presley, i wasn’t too convinced. Maybe I’m too used to the stereotypical Elvis Presley. The movie was funny and informative, but in the end, I had to ask myself, what is the purpose of this movie? Just to show the awkward meeting, and that’s it? A little lame excuse if you ask me, but the movie is an interesting watch at the very least!!!
Rating: 3.5 Stars)