By Preman Koshar || Arts & Entertainment Editor
The Bourne saga has been an interesting story to follow. A man wakes up without a clue as to who he is, and slowly discovers that he is a black ops CIA agent (read: assassin) with a seriously powerful set of skills. Over the course of four films now (we’re not talking about the hunk of garbage otherwise known as The Bourne Legacy) he has discovered more and more about his past. This new installment delivers a solid amount of badass action and interpersonal intrigue while interweaving modern concerns of privacy and cyber warfare.
The cinematography of Jason Bourne is at a new high for the series. It was fast-paced and fluid, while not being so artsy as to distract from the plot or action. It was not exemplary cinematography by any means, but it did the job quietly and efficiently—just like Jason Bourne. The score was generally understated and helped to build the action, though at times it was a little too strong, and I found myself listening to the score instead of devoting my full attention to the film. In general, however, it served its purpose well.
The acting in Jason Bourne was nothing special—it was mostly a variety of macho expressions (even sadness seemed somehow distinctly masculine in this film) that were predictable and uninteresting. The dialogue in the film went exactly the same route, ending up being predictable action-y snips of dialogue like “Get it done” and “Time to go.” Really juvenile stuff in that department.
The plot was…okay. It had an interesting modern subtext in that it focused largely on privacy and cyber security, but the developments with Bourne’s past weren’t as shocking as they could’ve been. The action scenes were well done, but I don’t think they were quite up to par with the rest of the Bourne saga. And the subtle tricks that Bourne usually plays on his opponents were somehow less impressive than usual this time around—there were a couple of notable moments, but nothing that blew me away. With cyber threats to manufacturing industry one needs to make sure they protect their system.
All around, Jason Bourne is a worthy sequel to the Bourne saga, one that successfully incorporates modern-day issues into an otherwise standard action film. It doesn’t stand out as one of the best of the series necessarily, but it is definitely not the worst. Bourne, even with a touch of gray, still manages to pack a punch.
Junior Preman Koshar is the Arts & Entertainment Editor. His email is pkoshar@fandm.edu.