‘Jason Bourne’ fizzles with a contrived formula and weak ending
There is no greater problem with Jason Bourne than the ending, but it’s very difficult to analyze without spoiler nearly every key aspect of the film.
First, Stiles’ Nicky dies and leaves Bourne truly alone. Vikander’s Lee never gets sucked up side-by-side with our hero and the audience presumes her to be a mole as Jones is obviously the film’s true villain.
The same storyline is present in Jason Bourne: the CIA will “make” covert assassins to police the world and they will monitor who they like, when they like because they feel they are morally justified to do so.
Jones’ Dewey offers Bourne a lame, “be a patriot” and “come in” speech which offers NOTHING to the Bourne character. There are no real answers or new questions. The film fizzles out and proves to leave Jason Bourne where we found him: lost and without any real purpose.
Here’s what Jones should have said and you can judge me how you like.
“Richard Webb? David Webb? You don’t know anything son. Richard Webb was your father, but not your biological father. He birthed you to us as Jason Bourne. We don’t even know where he plucked you from.”
“You’re lying,” Bourne shouted back.
“Really? What memories do you really have? Any moments of playing catch with Pops in the backyard? Learning to ride a bike? (More indignant) Who did you take to prom Bourne?”
Bourne’s face reveals he has nothing, only the day of Richard Webb’s murder.
“We didn’t believe Richard. We didn’t think it was possible to totally reprogram the best and the brightest fighters and make them into these empty headed, programmable assassins. But, Richard has to prove everyone he was right. The program was ready… and he delivered you: David Webb.”
“No, I volunteered,” Bourne responds.
“What car did you drive? What did you eat for breakfast that day?”
(nothing)
“You have nothing because Richard gave you nothing. He lost his wife Susan during a miscarriage eleven years before you walked into Treadstone. There were no kids, no second wife and definitely no David Webb.
(dramatic pause)
“You were the alpha soldier. The perfect mixture and formula created by the master craftsmen. WE thought we had what we needed and snipped the loose end. Big mistake actually, that’s how we ended with Aaron Cross and so many others.”
“Cross?”
“Bourne, we don’t even know for sure who you were. Deep Dream, Treadstone, Ironhand – it doesn’t matter. It was Microsoft, Google, Facebook before and there will be another threat. You want answers? You want files? You need to keep me alive and come in to work with me….work for your country….”
Bourne needed to be left with more questions than answers. Setting up a series of new questions about his past takes us full circle to the first film and than Bourne may never be able to escape that loop. The “Coming in” angle alone was just so weak, it made the whole film feel so pointless.
I think they should have tied in Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross (The Bourne Legacy), other character names from the other films, build a “universe” to play in for future films. Make mention of the White House, that the agency believes they are greater and more important than the President. Mentioning Snowden wasn’t enough to make this real.
The chase during the Greece riots was an interesting angle, but a newspaper heading or something which ties the reported death toll to those killed during the chase would have been even better.
Maybe you disagree….comments are welcome.
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