RETRO MOVIE REVIEWS – The Jason Bourne films have been one of the most popular action-thriller series of the last two decades, gaining many fans worldwide. The films are based on the popular novels by Robert Ludlum and star Matt Damon in the title role. The series has become an audience favourite for its compelling story, spectacular action sequences and outstanding acting. As all the films have recently been released on Amazon Prime and Skyshowtime in Hungary, we had to “dumb down” the entire series, because like the Bourne films, there are very few quality action films today that offer both incredibly professional action scenes and an intelligent story.

The Jason Bourne films are action thrillers in the true sense of the word, starring a previously incapacitated Jason Bourne, who has been trained as part of a CIA programme to become a secret agent for the US government. However, the films not only featured thrilling chases and fights, but also focused on the character’s development, his past and the search for the truth.

The Matt Damon films were preceded by a 1988 TV movie The Bourne Identity, starring Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne. Although the TV movie didn’t get as much attention as the 2002 film and wasn’t a big hit at the time, the series has so many fans today that the 1988 film is now available on DVD to their delight.

The first Matt Damonos Bourne movie, The Bourne Ultimatum, was based on the novels written in the 1980s and debuted in cinemas in 2002. Following its success, a second part, The Bourne Mystery, was made two years later, followed by a third, The Bourne Ultimatum, four years later. The trilogy was a huge success in the cinemas and gained a huge fan following.

However, after the original trilogy, the madness continued, and in 2012, the fourth instalment, The Bourne Legacy, starring Jeremy Renner, was released. In 2016, the fifth part of the series, Jason Bourne, was released, again starring Matt Damon.

Below is an in-depth look at the Bourne films, the characters, the cast, the stories and the interesting facts surrounding these films. For this article, I have used both the versions on Skyshowtime, which has English dubbing, and those on Amazon Prime, which does not have dubbing, but has the final episode from 2016 in 4K/HDR.

The Bourne Identity (2002) – The super spy who forgot he was a super spy

In the first film, we first meet Jason Bourne, a CIA super-agent who has lost his memory and knows nothing about his past. But the agency won’t leave him alone and starts by trying to take him out. Bourne is confronted with the fact that he is a stone-cold hired gun for the agency, and in confronting his past, he finds an ally in Marie, a female taxi driver. The thrilling action thriller launched the successful Bourne franchise and introduced audiences to a reimagining of the action movie genre.

An interesting fact about the film is that the character from the original novel had to be redesigned to suit Matt Damon. During the filming, Damon was extremely dedicated to portraying the character properly. The car chase scene was filmed almost entirely without any traffic obstructions, which had to be convinced by the local authorities first.

The Bourne Supremacy (2004) – Neither his past nor the CIA leaves the former super-agent alone

In the second film, Bourne falls victim to the agency again when he tries to uncover the truth with the help of a new ally who seems to know his past. In this spy thriller, Bourne embarks on an even more exciting mission, which puts him in danger and forces him to confront his past.

Interestingly, during the filming of the movie, Matt Damon did almost all the action sequences himself, and suffered injuries from a punch and a car accident, among others. One of the film’s most famous scenes is the police chase, which was filmed on location in two locations: the US and Berlin.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) – Intense, professional action scenes and Matt Damon at the top

The film returns to the character of Jason Bourne, hunted by the CIA and trying to escape with the truth. The film shows the resolution of the events of the previous episodes as Bourne seeks to uncover more information about his true identity. The film is packed with exciting chase scenes, car chases and action.

The Bourne Ultimatum is perhaps the most well put together of the Bourne films, with a thrilling and well-crafted plot and lavish action sequences that have won over audiences.

During the making of the film, Matt Damon did the same hard physical work as in previous films. During the filming of The Bourne Ultimatum, he also suffered serious injuries during a car chase scene. In the scene, he had to push a car into another car which was damaged during the filming, causing the car’s centre of gravity to change and Matt Damon suffered injuries during the filming.

The Bourne Legacy (2012) Matt Damon on the left, Jeremy Renner on the right

The Bourne Legacy tells a new story, independent of the original trilogy, starring Jeremy Renner as agent Aaron Cross. However, the film is set within the same universe as the Bourne films and the plot takes place after the previous films.

Emerging from the shadows, Cross is forced to flee after it is revealed that the CIA wants to eliminate the agents, including him. Later, Cross discovers that he is connected to all the other agents and throws himself into the fight to uncover the truth.

Although the Bourne legacy did not receive the same enthusiastic reception from critics and fans as the previous instalments, it did manage to be a success at the box office. Renner’s performance and the thrilling action sequences still make for an enjoyable experience.

Jason Bourne (2016) – Matt Damon returns for the last time (?)

The film takes place 10 years after the previous episode, and Jason Bourne reappears when he uncovers information about the betrayal of the people running the CIA. Bourne then finds himself once again in the crosshairs of the pursuers. The action-packed film presents a multi-pronged plot that intertwines as Bourne once again confronts his past.

During the making of the film, Matt Damon once again put in the hard physical work to be in the best possible shape for his role. Intended as the conclusion to the Bourne series, the film does not match the success of the previous instalments, but it does contain a number of exciting scenes that make the story exciting.

The last Jason Bourne movie also had a surprise for fans, as Julia Stiles’ character Nicky Parsons, known from the previous episodes, returned to the film. New characters have also been added, including Tommy Lee Jones as the new CIA director and a younger hacker working for the CIA played by Alicia Vikander.

The action-packed film also includes a famous scene filmed on the Las Vegas Strip. During the car chase, the film crew used real cars that were tracked from the air by drones. This resulted in unique and spectacular shots that contributed to the impressive impact of the film’s action sequences.

The film was not as successful as the previous instalments, but it still appealed to fans who welcomed the action-packed scenes and the return of Matt Damon as Jason Bourne.

Treadstone (2019) – The origin story

A special streaming series was also produced, set in the 1970s, when the CIA embarked on a secret project to turn its agents into the world’s most professional agents. The Treadstone program was designed to create a new breed of agent, with no past, no memories, and relying only on skills acquired during training. However, over the years of the program’s operation, it became clear that the warriors created could not be completely shaken of their past, and those old memories would resurface.

The 2019 television series Treadstone is based on the Bourne universe and tells the origin story. The series follows the stories of the various agents involved in the Treadstone program as they are forced to confront their past and the dangers that come with the program. Among the main characters is Doug McKnight, who barely survived the program and is now determined to protect the secrets he knows about Treadstone with his life. We also meet other familiar characters from previous films.

Although the series was well received by critics, Treadstone only lasted one season and was cancelled. Reasons for this included lack of ratings and high costs, and the series was not given a sequel. However, fans of the Bourne universe can still enjoy the origin story through the first and only season of Treadstone.

Unfortunately, the series is currently not available on any streaming channel in Hungary, although it is a must for Bourne fans. I was able to watch it by selecting the USA as the country on my VPN and finding it on Amazon Prime.

The name Jason Bourne means action thriller at the top

The Bourne series is one of the greatest classics of the action thriller genre. The series is characterised by a well-developed cast of characters and a gripping plot, superbly crafted by the directors and writers. The first three episodes were particularly influential in the genre and remain among the most popular films to this day.

The last episode, “Jason Bourne”, did not match the success of the previous episodes, but still contained some exciting scenes that added to the series’ story. Matt Damon’s return as Bourne raised high expectations among fans and the actor once again delivered a great performance in the role.

However, not much is known about future plans. Matt Damon has previously said that he would be willing to return as Bourne, but only if he could find a unique storyline worthy of the series. We also know that the other writers and directors of the series would also be keen to work on another Bourne film if the opportunity arose.

Overall, the Bourne series is a classic action-thriller genre, distinguished by its well-developed characters and exciting plots. While there is currently no official information about a new Bourne film, fans and series creators alike would be open to the possibility if a unique and worthy story were to emerge.

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