Jason Bourne

The Bourne trilogy changed action films forever with its taut, gritty reality. It has since been imitated endlessly (even by its Bourne-less sequel). After almost a decade, Matt Damon returns as the one-man rampage in Jason Bourne.

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), who knows his identity, is drawn out of hiding to seek answers regarding a new shady government program and to uncover secret truths about his own past.

The series ended brilliantly with Ultimatum, leaving little need to continue (see Legacy). Jason Bourne restarts the rusty story-motor imperfectly. While it isn't the series benchmark (the relentless Ultimatum is), nor provide anything fresh, Jason Bourne does entertain. The magic duo of Damon/Greengrass is the prime reason. No one uses shaky-cam better than Greengrass (that is, if you like that style), superbly channelling what he finished nine years ago without skipping a beat with enthralling, brutal fight scenes and extended chase sequences.

Most impressive is Damon. Unwithered by age, as if he just stepped off the set of Ultimatum, he is the same ferociously focused force. Barely uttering any dialogue he is still magnetically badass. The new support also excels, with the talented hot ticket Alicia Vikander intriguingly layered, while Tommy Lee Jones relishes in the series tradition of CIA antagonists.

Jason Bourne is a pleasurable return for the character, with doubtless sequels to come.