STACK August 2016 Issue 142

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ALSO SCREENING
IN AUGUST
Director David Ayer has assembled a
formidable bunch of badasses for this DC
Comics' spectacular. With Jared Leto's Joker
poised to rival Heath Ledger's portrayal in the
psycho stakes, and Margot Robbie's Harley
Quinn already the cosplay of choice at Comic-
Con, this promises to be the supervillain movie
we've always wanted – and needed.
The Squad arrives on Aug 4.
SUICIDE SQUAD
At last, a shark movie that doesn't involve a tornado
and Tara Reid. Surfer Blake Lively vs. Great White in
this slick, Queensland-lensed thriller that will once
again make us ponder whether it's safe to go back
in the water. Attacking Aug 18.
THE SHALLOWS
Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov takes
the reins of this remake of the 1959 Charlton
Heston epic, which means it will be visually
dazzling. But will it be as long? Chariots will
race on Aug 25.
BEN-HUR
Edina and Patsy make their big screen debut in this
feature-length helping of the classic Britcom. Expect
lots of cameos, bad behaviour and Bolli-Stolis,
sweetie darling. The party starts onAug 4.
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
Matt Damon returns to arguably his
best-known role (apart from being left
stranded on planets) in Jason Bourne
– the fifth film in the Bourne franchise and the
fourth to bear his name (there was that Jeremy
Renner venture that no one seems to speak
about).
One of the appeals of the Bourne franchise
is its timelessness and topicality, especially
with the ever present threat not only of
terrorism, but of constant surveillance –
themes that continue to resonate.
Damon is back as the titular spy, only now
he’s remembered everything. Once again,
Bourne must follow leads to discover the truth
behind his past, and what really happened to
his father. We meet him KO-ing people in one-
hit fights for money, seemingly having left his
CIA Treadstone past behind him.
Series newcomer Alicia Vikander, as Heather
Lee, has been using her proficient hacking skills
as a part of a counter-terrorism taskforce, and
comes across Nicki (returning Julia Stiles) trying
to get her hands on some Black Ops files.
Bourne returns to the limelight and teams
up with Nicki, who informs him that there may
have been more to his past – and his father’s
death – than he originally thought.
Of course, being the myth that he is, the CIA
(headed by Tommy Lee Jones) shift their focus
to him, and it quickly becomes the Bourne
show.
A subplot involves the DeepDream operating
system, run by Aaron Kalloor (Riz Ahmed).
While the CIA currently have a deal in place
with the developer to access the files of
anyone using their OS, that has now come
under threat, generating a corrupt and unjust
derailment from what many consider to be
‘morally right’.
It's great to have both Damon and director
Paul Greengrass back onboard, and while Jason
Bourne doesn't hit the relentless heights of
series' standout The Bourne Ultimatum (2007),
the climactic chase sequence is worth the price
of admission alone. Mass car-nage! Jason is
Bourne again. Alesha Kolbe
FURTHER VIEWING: The Bourne Ultimatum
Re-Bourne.
JASON BOURNE
RELEASED: Now Showing
DIRECTOR: Paul Greengrass
CAST: Matt Damon, Alicia
Vikander, Julia Stiles
RATING: CTC
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32 AUGUST 2016
CINEMA