Matt Damon is back as Jason Bourne! But is this latest outing a worthy attempt or should it not have been made in the opinion of the critics?
The Guardian: *** “This latest iteration reunites Damon with director Paul Greengrass who as ever shows his mastery of muscular, deafening, frenetically edited action sequences – the visual equivalent of a drum-roll.”
Wired: ” Jason Bourne is, above everything else, a perpetual motion machine, one greatly assisted by Damon’s spring-action physicality and steady stares.”
Empire:**** “But this is a worthy return that, unsurprisingly, leaves the door ajar for more and underlines the fact that Greengrass’ eye for kinetic action and Damon’s tortured soulfulness is the secret sauce that lifts these films above their countless imitators.”
The Independent: *** “It’s a kinetic film, but unfortunately all that motion ends up feeling like going through the motions.”
The Verge: “Jason Bourne goes further into abstraction, making the tech explanations vague and improbable.”
The Mirror: **** “Greengrass (also the co-writer) has done what he does best, delivering two hours of pure, unadulterated excitement.”
Variety: “Just as the initial Damon-driven trilogy wrapped up Bourne’s business but left us wanting more, this sequel offers closure even as it entices us with the possibility of his return.”
Time Out: *** “A bracing reminder of how fiercely efficient Greengrass can be.”
Evening Standard: **** “If you’ve ever enjoyed a Bourne film, you’ll like this one as much as any of them.”
Rolling Stone: **** (half) “Through it all, Damon keeps us glued to the war going on inside Bourne’s head. It’s a brilliantly implosive performance; he owns the role and the movie. It’s a tense, twisty mindbender anchored by something no computer can generate: soul.”
The Telegraph: *** “It’s not that there’s no pause for thought in this still-good-fun episode. There’s just not enough thought in the pauses.”
Digital Spy: *** “In the past, the Bourne movies provided a progressive, grittier and more current tale of espionage than say, Bond, but this latest, despite moving at a breakneck pace, feels rather static.”