One of my favorite action franchises - the Jason Bourne series - is returning for yet another installment, and the key players, director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon, are returning. Without them, I would be much more hesitant, but now the film is all but guaranteed to be good.
Following Doug Liman’s The Bourne Identity, which was very good but not great, Greengrass took over and absolutely blew me away with The Bourne Supremacy. Most people liked The Bourne Ultimatum even more, but I slightly favor Supremacy for its more complex plot.
All that I ask, Mr. Greengrass and Mr. Damon, is that you write a plot involving Carlos the Jackal. He was the main villain in the books, and the whole reason for Jason Bourne’s existence. Sure, the movies have veered so far away from the original plot of the books (read The Bourne Supremacy book and tell me it’s not one of the coolest books ever written - even though it’s nothing like the movie) that some elements will be lost (the movies have killed off two of the three main characters from the books), but Ultimatum really set the stage for something about Carlos the Jackal. Sure, Ultimatum tried to explain David Webb’s transformation into Jason Bourne, but it never touched upon why the program was created in the first place. Why? To take down Carlos the Jackal!
The one thing the Bourne movies have lacked is a truly evil villain, and it’s about time Jason Bourne met his match. The Bourne Identity 4, or whatever it’s going to be called, better star Carlos the Jackal, or else I’ll… hmmm. Well, just put the dude in there. What about Javier Bardem as the bad guy? Benicio Del Toro? Paulie Shore?
Tags: bourne identity 4, jason bourne, new bourne movie, sequel
Category: Movies | Comments RSS
February 24th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
My personal thought not shared by all opinion about those bourne movies is that they are very boring. I know, I know, the so called action and what not but I just don’t get them. I’ve seen all of them and they just don’t do it for me. Suggestion for 4th movie. The Bourne obsurdity
February 24th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Hi JayMike,
Yeah, I remember you saying you weren’t too crazy about the Bourne movies. I’m just so surprised - I find them to be some of the most adrenaline-filled, fast-paced action movies in recent memory. What did you think of Casino Royale?
February 25th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I just bought casino royale about two weeks ago and I loved it. I’ve only seen a couple of the recent James Bond movies and I have to say it was pretty good. I believed Daniel Craig was a bad ass more than i can Matt Damon as a bad ass. Maybe i’ll give the Bourne Identity another go around just to make sure. Everybody deserves a second chance.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Hi JayMike,
Good, glad you liked it. Was just curious because I view Casino Royale as a reaction to the Bourne movies - of course, Casino Royale rocked in its own right, and still has more “extravagant” action scenes in some respects.
I’m so pumped for the new Bond coming out this fall…
Erik
February 25th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
It was kinda like watching Anakin turn to the darkside. We got to see how Bond learn to lock his heart away. Women will do that to you. LOL
March 13th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I must say that I do find all of the Bourne films far better than any of the James Bond film !!
A statement I know, but I’m willing to put my neck on the line.
I think it mostly comes down to believable action.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
i’m glad that paul greengrass is going to be directing this new bourne movie. there was a big difference between “identity” and the other two, since doug liman directed it instead. my only thought is that this 4th movie better be as good or better than the others or there’s no point in them making it
May 4th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
the bourne series and the bond series are both righteous movies….I have been a bond fan for many years and was skeptcal about Casino Royale…..I didn’t think anyone could compete with the likes of connery, moore, and brosnan, but I saw Craig in LayerCake and decided to watch casino royale and am glad I did….I was extremely impressed with the mix of drama and action…..although I was disappointed by the lack of a really good car chase…….the airport truck was a good action sequence though….all in all the movie was great….typical bond flick!!!!!
the bourne series just really speaks for itself…..although I do have to agree that the supremacy was a better movie than ultimatum…….the story line and the action were both better…..I felt like some Exec in hollywood ordered damon and greengrass to make a movie for the ladies before they started ultimatum!!!!!
May 4th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
BTW: the new bourne movie will most likely be called BOURNE LAGACY!!!!
May 4th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
* LEGACY
May 4th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Hey Bondbourne fan, thanks for agreeing with me on Supremacy vs. Ultimatum. Is Bourne Legacy one of the books written by that other guy? I just want Carlos…
May 13th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
after the book of ultimatum comes legacy and then betrayal, both written by eric van lustbader. i’m pretty sure the next movie (if it actually ever exists) will probably be legacy.
May 24th, 2008 at 5:25 am
I’ve really enjoyed the Bourne movies they are definitely the best action adventure movies produced in a long time. To me one of the best features of the series is Matt as Jason Bourne. If I were to pass Bourne in the mall I wouldn’t pay any attention to him at all. He doesn’t look like he should be playing linebacker in the NFL all appearances are that he’s just your average Joe but obviously he can be bad when he needs too. I guess it all boils down we me to the fact that there is certain believability to them. I know it’s Hollywood fiction but still I have to somehow be sold on the believability of the character and story line. That’s another great feature of the series there is a definite story line it’s so much more then just one action scene after another with a bunch of killing for no real apparent reason. If they can keep the future movies at the quality level as the previous ones then I do hope they make many more in the series. I love them!
May 31st, 2008 at 7:22 pm
The Bourne movies are the BEST! They are edge of your seat action and I love them!! Hope there is a 4th and 5th movie in the series. There are 2 more Bourne books, Bourne Legacy, and Bourne Betrayal. These are better than Bond movies!
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:05 am
hell to the fuck ya fucking new jason movie bad ass!!!!!!!!!!!
June 14th, 2008 at 1:55 am
The Bourne films were developed from the modern terrorism problem with the CIA bringing in programs to combat it (”Come on Pam, you’ve seen the raw intel”). To bring in Carlos, or any “super villain”, would be to reduce the film to just another Bond like movie. I don’t think Bob Ludlum (exec. producer of Identity) ever intended them to go in that direction.
June 14th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Eddy, I’m not looking for a super villain, but Carlos could easily be a mastermind of terrorist attacks/assassinations, a la Osama bin laden, and Jason Bourne would be the answer to that. In the books, Carlos is almost always a background figure, not some strong presence who spouts out one-liners or captures Bourne and plays games with him; I don’t see how keeping the only true villain in the books out of the movies would be making them a James Bond flick.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
they could bring carlos into the story and the CIA will realize that jason is the only person capable of stopping him and they’ll be forced to bring him in and use him
June 19th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
and maybe paz (the other assassin who talked to jason on the roof just before he jumped) will realize that jason is right and start helping him and they can both go after carlos……although that kinda defeats the purpose
July 25th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
The best action movie everrrrrrrr.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Ya know, Carlos is a real guy and he got arrested like 14 years ago. I guess they could have him bust out or something, but he pretty old now and I heard he’s not such a bad ass anyway.
July 30th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Hi Jimbo, yes, Carlos is a real guy, but that doesn’t mean Carlos in the Bourne franchise has to be directly related. There’s no reason to have him break out at the beginning of the movie; besides, the whole point of the Bourne franchise is that Jason is the only person who can catch him.
October 8th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
I was thinking the exact same thing as you and I hope the big boys at universal read this and realize that it’s the only way that they could continue the story. Besides I know I’m not the only one tired of the silent government assasin that seems like a threat to Jason, but when they finally meet he doesn’t barelly put up a fight. We need an arch enemy that actually talks and has a reason other than money to hunt Jason down.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:32 am
A 4th bourne, allright, I can agree with Paulie Shore as the villain, everyone would want to see him dead after about 30 seconds, “weeez the juice”, BANG, “applause”
I am assuming that they might work Julia Stiles in there so we can figure out what they hell she meant by “it was hard for me, with you” in the 3rd movie, since we didn’t see that coming in the first two, let’s see if they can make that work without it getting hokey
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:44 pm
They did certainly drop the Julia Stiles relationship hint out of left field. Paulie Shore would be amazing.
November 29th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I’m a fan of both Bourne and Bond series, but if I had to choose one I think I’d definitely choose Bourne simple because of the thrill of great plots and twists. I’m really excited that there will be a 4th movie. And like many Bourne fans, I don’t want them to mess up the series by introducing a super villain or by putting Bourne and CIA on the same team. I’d much rather see a really surprising twist in the story instead a CGI chase or a bunch of explosions. Surprise even the smartest viewer! Make us think “holly cow, that takes things to a whole new level.” Oh, and please please pleassssee have a Jason-Nicky kissing scene. I think it’s really time he got over Marie.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Hi Blueriver, how can they ruin the Bourne series by adding in the supervillain that made the books so popular in the first place?
December 8th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
They could use Ingrid Newkirk. She’d be great for the advocating of killing people (what better bad-guy could you want?)
“Six million Jews died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughter houses.” -Ingrid Newkirk, President, PeTA,
January 5th, 2009 at 3:40 am
The Bourne Franchise is possibly the BEST trilogy ever. Before you start recalling LOTR or Star Wars. I say this because unlike some other trilogies.I t got better with each movie and Ultimatum was so brilliant and a hudred time bettr than Identity, which was a great movie.It is quite rare to see a sequel better than the original.
Matt Damon has proved he can be an action star.
Casino Royale was def a reaction to the Bourne movies, but i think they fell short with Quantum, which i felt was a bit pointless(notice his rooftop chase was almost a copuy of the Bourne/Desh chase).
I certainly hope they bring Tony Gilroy back to write the next movie. If not thye should let this Legendary franchise to rest before what happended to Indy happens to Bourne.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Bourne Ultimatum, is possibly the best action movie in at least 20 years.
I looked for The Bourne Ultimatum book, before the movie came out, i read half way and i was bored.Maybe watching the first two movies influenced that.I dunno,But after 300 pages or so i just couldn’t take it anymore.
I dunno what they did, butthey brilliantly adapted it . Bourne as the solo man, is better for the screen than the family man.
Whatever they do for the 4th movie, they better not mess it up.Or they would have ruined a Legendary Trilogy.