Before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Andor, Tony Gilroy wrote the first four Jason Bourne films—The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Bourne Legacy, which he also directed.
Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Identity with Matt Damon was a fresh take on the spy-action genre when it came out in 2002. The Jason Bourne films have been very gritty, with fast, intense close-quarters fight scenes, wild car chases, and exceptional directing and casting.
Matt Damon plays a CIA operative who experienced amnesia after a failed assassination attempt. "Assets" and CIA personnel are always on his tail while he struggles to remember who he is and the ominous Treadstone black ops program he belonged to.
Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) set the tone and pace in the first film, and Paul Greengrass (Flight 93) took over the helm as director for the remaining films, except for The Bourne Legacy.
Speaking of which, I was surprised to learn that Tony Gilroy was not involved with Jason Bourne because, in my humble opinion, I think it's the best sequel in the whole film series so far.
Jason Bourne starts with a montage that references previous films, but as with most film series, you should watch the movies successively to understand and appreciate them fully. And I recommend watching them in chronological order:
- The Bourne Identity
- The Bourne Supremacy
- The Bourne Ultimatum
- The Bourne Legacy
- Jason Bourne
The Bourne Legacy is actually an interquel with Jeremy Renner as the protagonist, along with Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton, reuniting with his American History X co-star Stacy Keach. Events in The Bourne Legacy coincide with those in The Bourne Ultimatum. You could almost skip The Bourne Legacy, but I wouldn't, because the movie continues the saga and reveals more about its characters.
Jason Bourne marks Matt Damon's return as the title character and is actually the sequel to The Bourne Ultimatum, about 9 years apart. I particularly appreciate how well its story integrates today's social issues around privacy and spying.
Despite all the action, drama, and violence, there is an underlying theme about humanity with Jason Bourne, which makes him so relatable.
Regardless of who wrote and directed them, the Bourne films are must-see cinema.
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