Jason Bourne

Fans might be happy that Matt Damon is Bourne again, but Jason Bourne doesn’t do much to invigorate the 14-year-old espionage franchise.

The fifth installment reunites Damon with director Paul Greengrass, who collaborated on two prior sequels. And in terms of series chronology, it conveniently ignores the existence of The Bourne Legacy (2012), which starred Jeremy Renner in the title role.

Yet despite some taut action sequences, this effort is more familiar than fresh in its globetrotting adventure of high-tech terrorism and international intrigue.

For newcomers, Bourne is a former CIA operative suffering from memory loss that set has him adrift both morally and physically. Although he still strives for heroism, he doesn’t answer to anyone, least of all the new boss (Tommy Lee Jones) at CIA headquarters.

As a young agency analyst (Alicia Vikander) tries to track his whereabouts, Bourne is drawn into a case involving stolen files containing government secrets that could be imminently leaked online, yet might contain clues about his identity and his past. The CIA likewise dispatches an assassin (Vincent Cassel) to track Bourne, while the founder of a tech startup (Riz Ahmed) tries to calm the commotion by assuring investors that his network is secure from outside interference.

The film excels when flooding the screen with dazzling stunts and frenetic set pieces. Two car chases — one involving an extended pursuit through the crowded streets of Athens, followed by a climactic motorcycle chase in Las Vegas — provide a pair of thrilling highlights. Both fit the cat-and-mouse structure of the film as a whole, and Greengrass stages them impressively using his trademark hand-held cameras to spotlight the exotic locales.

However, as with prior Bourne films, the screenplay by Greengrass and Christopher Rouse has trouble developing a rogue central character that is intentionally mysterious, remains emotionally aloof, and speaks more with his fists than his mouth.

There are hints about his past connections with the CIA and about a connection to his father, but nothing we haven’t seen in previous films. Plus, such details are introduced more as a bridge between high-octane action sequences than an attempt to develop context or motives.

Damon appears appropriately bulked up for a film overflowing with physical bravado, although his character seems mentally worn out. As a result, Jason Bourne doesn’t serve to advance the franchise as much as to prolong it.

Rated PG-13, 123 minutes.