Boxset Review: The Bourne Collection


The Bourne Collection (2002-2016)

GENRE: Action, Mystery, Thriller

DIRECTORS: Doug Liman (1), Paul Greengrass (2–3, 5), Tony Gilroy (4)

WRITERS: Tony Gilroy & others (1-4), Paul Greengrass & Christopher Rouse (5). Based on the Bourne series of books by Robert Ludlum

STARS: Matt Damon (1-3, 5), Julia Stiles (1-3, 5), Joan Allen (2-4), Brian Cox (1-2), Jeremy Renner (4)

COUNTRY: USA

Overview: A series of American action thriller films based on the character Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from dissociative amnesia who must figure out who he is. 


 FILMS

  1. The Bourne Identity (2002)
  2. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
  3. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
  4. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
  5. Jason Bourne (2016)

The Bourne Identity (2002) 119min | Action, Mystery, Thriller | 14 June 2002 (USA) Summary: A man is picked up by a fishing boat, bullet-riddled and suffering from amnesia, before racing to elude assassins and attempting to regain his memory.
Countries: USA, Germany, Czech Republic, FranceLanguages: Yoruba, English, French, German, Dutch, Italian
PosterMovieCommentsRatingReviewer
The Bourne Identity Matt Damon seemed an odd choice for the role of Jason Bourne, but exceeds expectations in a thrilling movie that redefined the espionage thriller genre and spawned two enjoyable sequels. 8 Mat

 


The Bourne Supremacy (2004) 108min | Action, Mystery, Thriller | 23 July 2004 (USA) Summary: When Jason Bourne is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.
Countries: USA, GermanyLanguages: English, Russian, German, Italian
PosterMovieCommentsRatingReviewer
The Bourne Supremacy Much less of a surprise package than the first film, this is a more mundane action thriller with the espionage aspects toned down. Matt Damon is great again but overall it's nowhere near as good as the first film. 6 Mat

 


The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) 115min | Action, Mystery, Thriller | 3 August 2007 (USA) Summary: Jason Bourne dodges a ruthless C.I.A. official and his Agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.
Countries: USA, Germany, France, SpainLanguages: English, French, Arabic, Russian, Spanish
PosterMovieCommentsRatingReviewer
The Bourne Ultimatum Story-wise there's not a lot happening in the final part of the original Bourne trilogy, but the action is non-stop from beginning to end in a film that is both gripping and exhausting to watch. 7 Mat

 


The Bourne Legacy (2012) 135min | Action, Adventure, Thriller | 10 August 2012 (USA) Summary: An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
Countries: USA, JapanLanguages: English, Russian, Filipino, Ukrainian
PosterMovieCommentsRatingReviewer
The Bourne Legacy Whilst Damon's Bournes are personal and about how he deals with the system, this takes the opposite route and looks at the system and how the subjects fit into it. Unfairly marked down by comparison, it is a good film in its own right. 7 Gordon

 


Jason Bourne (2016) 123min | Action, Thriller | 29 July 2016 (USA) Summary: The CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past.
Countries: USA, ChinaLanguages: English, Greek, German, Japanese
PosterMovieCommentsRatingReviewer
Jason Bourne Matt Damon is back as Bourne in another film packed with thrilling setpieces and innumerable double-crosses, but it doesn't really do anything noteworthy that the previous films hadn't already. 6 Mat
Jason Bourne Fun and entertaining, but the script is unusually poor (no doubt due to regular screenwriter Tony Gilroy not being involved) and the set pieces too often spoil the flow. 6 Gordon

 


The Verdict

  • The Bourne Identity (2002)
  • The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
  • The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
  • The Bourne Legacy (2012)
  • Jason Bourne (2016)
3.4

Summary

Stepping into the temporary void left by the end of Pierce Brosnan’s stint as James Bond, the Bourne series introduced a more contemporary, tech-savvy take on the Spy thriller with Matt Damon proving to be an unexpectedly dynamic and emotional action hero. The original Bourne trilogy is packed with smart thrills and a gripping story while the two later instalments do nothing to disgrace their legacy. When Bond did return in 2006 we saw a modern rejuvenation of that franchise and that had to have been influenced by the impact of the Bourne films on the genre, which is a better endorsement than this review could ever be.

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Boxset review by Mat Corne & Gordon Sinclair.

 

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