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There was never just one... Bourne's legacy lives on.
―Theatrical poster

The Bourne Betrayal is a 2013 American action film directed by Ron Howard and is the fifth installment in the series of films adapted from the novels originated by Robert Ludlum, being preceded by The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and continued by Eric Van Lustbader with The Bourne Legacy (2012). Although this film has the same title as Van Lustbader's second Bourne novel, The Bourne Betrayal, the actual screenplay bears little resemblance to the novel, though it does feature some parts from the novel. Unlike the novel, which features Jason Bourne as the principal character, the film centers on tactical ops agent Aiden Parks (played by Pete L. J. Dickson), an original character. In addition to Dickson, the film stars Anges Bruckner, Scott Foley, Angela Sarafyan, and James Earl Jones.

The titular character Jason Bourne does not appear in The Bourne Betrayal, because actor Matt Damon chose not to return for the fourth and fifth film. Bourne is shown in pictures and mentioned by name several times throughout the film. Ron Howard sought to continue the story of the film series without changing its key events, and parts of The Bourne Betrayal take place at the same time as the third film, The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).

In The Bourne Betrayal, Aiden Parks is a member of a tactical ops program called Operation Swordbreaker whose subjects are genetically trained. He must run for his life once former CIA Treadstone agent Jason Bourne's actions lead to the public exposure of Operation Treadstone and its successor Operation Blackbriar.

Filming was primarily in Washington D. C., with some scenes shot in the Sierra Nevadas, Canada, Pakistan, Istanbul, and Turkey. Released on July 19, 2013, the film received mixed reviews, with critics praising the story, Bruce Broughton's score, and Dickson's performance, but expressed disappointment in Matt Damon's absence.

The film was followed in 2016 by Jason Bourne, in which Damon and Greengrass reprised their earlier roles.

Plot[]

Six weeks after Jason Bourne's (Matt Damon) escape from Moscow, Aiden Parks (Pete L. J. Dickson), an operative belonging to a Defense Department tactical ops program called Operation Swordbreaker, is assigned to the Sierra Nevadas for a training exercise. He is forced to survive weather extremes and traverse rugged terrain to arrive at a remote cabin as punishment for missing training and going off the grid for four days. The cabin is operated by an exiled Swordbreaker operative, Number Five (Michael Benyaer), who informs Aiden that he has broken the mission record by two days.

Reporter Simon Ross (Paddy Considine) of The Guardian, who has been investigating the CIA programs Treadstone and Blackbriar, is assassinated at London Waterloo station. When the illegal adaptation of the programs is exposed by Bourne, the FBI and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence investigate CIA Director Ezra Kramer (Scott Glenn), Deputy Director Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), Blackbriar supervisor Noah Vosen (David Strathairn), and Treadstone medical director Dr. Albert Hirsch (Albert Finney).

After the mayhem in New York City and Bourne's escape, Kramer requests help from Edward Nixon (Shemar Moore), a retired United States Navy admiral, who runs the National Operations Research Team (NORT). Turso informs Michael Connors (Scott Foley), a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel overseeing NORT's research and development of various clandestine enhancement programs used by the CIA and Defense. Connors discovers a potentially scandalous video on the Internet showing Hirsch socializing with Dr. Henry Jablonsky, Swordbreaker's chief medical examiner. To prevent the Senate investigation from learning about Swordbreaker, Connors orders everyone associated with the program to be killed. He sees the sacrifice as acceptable to protect NORT's next-generation "beta programs", including the super soldier program PTA.

Connors deploys a drone to eliminate Swordbreaker agents Number Five and Seven (Aiden) in the Sierra Nevadas. Aiden hears the drone's approach and leaves moments before a missile destroys the cabin with Number Five inside. Aiden removes the radio-frequency identification implanted in his thigh and force-feeds it to a bear which is then blown up by a missile, tricking Connors into believing Aiden is dead. Hirsch dies of an apparent heart attack before he can testify before the Senate.

At a research centre supporting Swordbreaker in Idaho, researcher Dr. Samuel Hunt (Eric Close) shoots and kills all but one of his colleagues in the research laboratory. Security guards break into the lab and shoot him, though he seemingly does not feel the pain of the gunshots. Hunt turns his gun on himself, leaving biochemist Dr Geneva Holt (Anges Bruckner) as the sole survivor. Meanwhile, Outcome agents are eliminated when their handlers give them poisoned yellow pills disguised as new chems, while the other Swordbreaker agents are terminated when their handlers inject them with poison disguised as a new serum.

Four "D-Track" assassins disguised as federal agents visit Geneva at her house. After she states her belief of Hunt having been chemically brainwashed into an emotionless killer, the assassins attempt to blame her murder on her husband, George (Jon Hamm), but are killed by Aiden. Aiden confides to them that he is Private Paul Merrick (reportedly killed by a roadside bomb in the Iraq War) and that his recruiter added twelve points to his IQ, enabling Aiden to meet the United States Army's requirements. Aiden learns he was infected with a virus that requires blue chems. Without his enhanced intelligence, Aiden believes they stand no chance of survival. Aiden, Geneva and George travel to Manila, where the chems are manufactured, to try to infect him with another virus so he will not need the blue chems.

Aiden, Geneva and George bluff their way into the chem factory. Geneva injects Aiden with the live virus stems. Connors alerts the factory security, but Aiden, Geneva and George evade capture with help from a group of hackers called DredTec led by Sean Peters (Emile Hirsch). Connors orders HK-02, a chemically brainwashed super soldier, the brainwashing being similar to what happened to Hunt, to track down and kill them. As Aiden recovers from the flu-like symptoms induced by the virus, he hallucinates about his Swordbreaker training. When police surround their shelter while one of the DredTec members, Violet Kam (Angela Sarafyan) is buying medicine, she warns Aiden by screaming. Aiden rescues her and steals an ATV. They are pursued by both the police and HK-02. After a lengthy chase through the streets and marketplaces, they lose the police, but not the assassin. Both Aiden and HK-02 are wounded by bullets, though HK-02 is not entirely fazed by the wounds due to pain suppression induced by his brainwashing. Aiden and Violet kill HK-02 when they break his neck. DredTec arrives and help Aiden and Violet escape by sea. There, Aiden announce his plan to break into Langley and expose Outcome, LARX and Swordbreaker.

Back in New York, Vosen lies to the Senate, stating that Blackbriar was created solely to track down Jason Bourne, and that Landy committed treason by assisting Bourne and trying to sell Treadstone secrets to the press. Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), Bourne's former Treadstone contact watches the news and overhears about Aiden and his friends hacking into CIA headquarters in Langley.

Cast[]

  • Pete L. J. Dickson as Aiden Parks / Private Paul C. Merrick / Swordbreaker #7
  • Anges Bruckner as Dr. Geneva Holt
  • Scott Foley as Col Michael O. A. Connors, USAF, Ret.
  • Angela Sarafyan as Violet Kam
  • Jon Hamm as George Colton
  • Shemar Moore as Com. Edward Nixon, Ret.
  • Emile Hirsch as Sean Peters
  • Dennis Boutsikaris as Terrence Ward
  • Michael Benyaer as Swordbreaker #5
  • Joan Allen as Pam Landy
  • Albert Finney as Dr. Albert Hirsch
  • David Strathairn as Noah Vosen
  • Julia Stiles (uncredited) as Nicolette "Nicky" Parsons, Bourne's former Treadstone contact in Paris.
  • Scott Glenn as Ezra Kramer
  • Eric Close as Dr. Samuel Hunt

Production[]

In May 2007, prior to the release of The Bourne Ultimatum, Matt Damon stated that he would not be interested in returning for a fourth Bourne film, remarking of his participation in the Bourne franchise: "We have ridden that horse as far as we can."[1] Damon said in August 2007:

I think in terms of another one, the story of this guy's search for his identity is over, because he's got all the answers, so there's no way we can trot out the same character, and so much of what makes him interesting is that internal struggle that was happening for him, am I a good guy, am I a bad guy, what is the secret behind my identity, what am I blocking out, why am I remembering these disturbing images? So all of that internal propulsive mechanism that drives the character is not there, so if there was to be another one then it would have to be a complete reconfiguration, you know, where do you go from there? For me I kind of feel like the story that we set out to tell is has now been told. I love the character, and if Paul Greengrass calls me in ten years and says, 'Now we can do it, because it's been ten years and I have a way to bring him back,' then there's a world in which I can go, 'Yeah, absolutely.' We could get the band back together if there was a great idea behind it, but in terms of now and this story, that part—the story's been told...[2]
―{{{2}}}

However, on February 22, 2008, Variety reported that a fourth film was indeed in the works, with both Damon and Greengrass on board.[3]

On October 16, 2008, it was announced that George Nolfi would write the script, with Frank Marshall producing, and Jeffrey Weiner and Henry Morrison executive producing. Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, and Paul Greengrass were attached to star in the film.[4][5][6] Joshua Zetumer had been hired to write a parallel script—a draft which could be combined with another (Nolfi's, in this instance)—by August 2009, since Nolfi was set to direct The Adjustment Bureau that September.[7] That December, Greengrass announced that he had decided not to direct the fourth Bourne film, saying that "[his] decision to not return a third time as director is simply about feeling the call for a different challenge."[8]

On February 1, 2010, Damon, speaking at the UK premiere of Invictus, revealed that a follow-up to The Bourne Ultimatum was "at least five years away". Greengrass, also at the premiere, re-stated that he would not be part of any further Bourne films "unless the right script came along". However, Damon stated that in the meantime there may be a Bourne "prequel of some kind, with another actor and another director".[9] Damon reconfirmed this on a March 10, 2010, appearance on Today, adding that he would only be involved if Greengrass was directing.[10]

In June 2010, it was announced that Tony Gilroy would write The Bourne Legacy, and that it would have a 2012 release date.[11] That October, Gilroy was announced as the director of The Bourne Legacy.[12] He confirmed that Damon would not return for this film and that there would be "a whole new hero":

This is not a reboot, it's a whole new chapter. The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal. Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he's very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for The Bourne Legacy, and everyone who got into them will be rewarded for paying attention. I'm building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy. We're going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas... The world we're making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne's reappearance somewhere down the road."[13]
―{{{2}}}

In October 2011, Universal announced that two Bourne films would be released back to back in 2012 and 2013.

The Bourne Legacy was released in the U.S. on August 10, 2012.[14] It stars Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross.

On April 15, 2012, Ron Howard was announced to direct the fifth Bourne film. Howard stated:

"This is just like The Bourne Legacy; This is not a reboot, it's a whole new chapter."
―{{{2}}}

On June 5, 2012, Pete L. J. Dickson was cast as new protagonist Aiden Parks. Enuka Okuma and Scott Foley joined the cast as Geneva Holt, and Michael O. A. Connors. On November 15, 2011, it was announced that Michael J. Fox would star in the fifth film. On June 19, 2012, Deadline reported that Julia Stiles had confirmed she would be reprising the role of Nicky Parsons in the film, a character she had previously played in the first three films, in a small cameo.

Principal photography on the film commenced in July 2012, a month before the release of The Bourne Legacy. Some place in the novel were featured in the film, because Howard wanted to include them as references from the novel.

Release[]

Reviews[]

The Bourne Betrayal received mixed reviews from critics. On film aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 53%, based on 215 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The site's consensus states, "It isn't quite as compelling as the earlier trilogy, but The Bourne Betrayal proves the franchise has stories left to tell—and benefits from Dickson's youth work in the starring role." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 56 out of 100, based on reviews from 42 critics, which indicates "generally mixed or favorable reviews".

Box office[]

In its opening weekend, The Bourne Betrayal grossed about $40.5 million in the United States and Canada and debuted at #1 of the box office charts, surpassing Universal's expectation of $21 million. It grossed $56.6 million worldwide in its first weekend.

The film grossed $122,703,190 in North America and $234,160,000 in foreign countries, bringing the film's worldwide total to $356,863,190.

Home media[]

The Bourne Betrayal was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 12, 2013, in the United States and Canada.

Soundtrack[]

The soundtrack to The Bourne Betrayal as composed by Bruce Broughton was released digitally on February 9, 2013, by Varèse Sarabande Records.

Sequel[]

Universal Pictures stated at a media conference in Los Angeles, California, that they are likely to release more Bourne films, despite The Bourne Legacy being given mixed reviews by critics.[15] In a December 2012 interview, Matt Damon revealed that he and Paul Greengrass were interested in returning for the next film as Jason Bourne and the director, respectively.[16] Damon is reported saying that although he had not seen Legacy, he intends to do so because not only is he curious to see it, but also because he has enjoyed Jeremy Renner in everything he has seen him in. However, as of June 2014, executive producer Frank Marshall said that Matt Damon will not be returning to the big screen for the next Bourne film, contrary to earlier statements made by Damon and rumors surrounding his return to the franchise.[17] On February 21, 2013, it was confirmed that a Bourne 5 was being planned.[18][19] On August 2, 2013, Universal hired Tony Gilroy and Anthony Peckham to write the film's script with Renner returning as Cross.[20] On November 8, 2013, The Fast and the Furious film series director Justin Lin was announced to direct the film.[21] On December 2, 2013, it was announced that Renner will return as Cross, Lin will both direct and produce from his production company Perfect Storm Entertainment, and the studio announced an August 14, 2015 release date.[22] On May 9, 2014, Andrew Baldwin was brought in to re-write the film.[23] On June 18, 2014, the studio pushed back the film from August 14, 2015, to July 15, 2016.[24] In November 2014, Damon confirmed that he and Greengrass will return.[25] On January 6, 2015, the studio pushed back the release date to July 29, 2016.[26] The sequel's first trailer for the film was aired on February 7, 2016 during Super Bowl 50, which also revealed its title as Jason Bourne.[27]

Trivia[]

  • The second Bourne film in the Jason Bourne's Legacy trilogy.
  • When asked about his most difficult scene, Pete L. J. Dickson revealed that it was the motorcycle ride with Angela Sarafyan behind him, because he was responsible for the two of them.
  • Matt Damon told The Playlist he could not see his character, the character played by Jeremy Renner and the character played by Pete L. J. Dickson being in a movie together.
  • Pete L. J. Dickson doesn't say a word until 15 minutes and 7 seconds into the film.
  • Paul Greengrass approached Pete L. J. Dickson and told him he thought his work in The Bourne Betrayal was quite thrilling. He also mention how he liked his character interacting with the character played Angela Sarafyan.
  • The character Jason Bourne alias David Webb from three novels by Robert Ludlum was licensed out to Eric Van Lustbader to continue the life and adventures of that character, starting with The Bourne Legacy. However, as with most films in this series, this movie is an original screenplay using only the title of that novel.
  • Matt Damon as Jason Bourne has a photographic cameo twice in the film in order to help establish this film as part of the series. First in the beginning of the film, when the agency is talking about what they're going to do as Bourne is still at large and a file of Bourne is seen with Damon's picture with it. The last time is just before Parks, Holts and her husband are in an airport and Parks is watching the news and Bourne's picture comes up when the News Anchor mentions his name.
  • Before this movie was seriously considered, director Paul Greengrass (who helmed two earlier installments of this series) jokingly suggested to make a fourth Bourne movie called "The Bourne Redundancy".
  • Originally a fourth installment for Jason Bourne was planned. However, Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass didn't like the script, Paul Greengrass didn't want to return as director and Damon would've returned if only Paul would return as director. After that, Tony Gilroy would re-work the script into a Bourne spin-off, now released as "The Bourne Legacy".
  • Excluding archive footage from previous films, Joan Allen, Scott Glenn, Albert Finney and David Strathairn all appear in only one scene each.
  • Both Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) characters share similar traits to one another. Both were recruited to volunteer for Treadstone and Blackbriar projects. Both were military soldiers presumed dead. Both share similar military training and expertise in weapons and martial arts. Both had a love interest (Bourne/Nicky Parsons) and (Cross/Martha Shearing, possibly). Both are being chased and pursed by the CIA by their former mentors/recruiters (Chris Cooper's Alexander Conklin for Jason Bourne and Edward Norton's Eric Byer for Aaron Cross). The major differences is that Aaron Cross knew his real identity as he had revealed it to Rachel Weisz's Shearing character midway through the film. Damon's Bourne doesn't find out who he really is until the end of The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). Cross also remembers his family even-though it's revealed somewhat vaguely during his conversation with Martha Shearing and it is not known who if Bourne has or had a family and that maybe revealed in Jason Bourne. Cross is a genetically enhanced soldier both physically and IQ wise and we do not know if Bourne was also enhanced or just a natural, physical soldier without enhancement.

Quotes[]

  • Violet: AIDEN, RUN!

References[]

  1. Template:Cite news
  2. Weintraub, Steve (August 27, 2007). Matt Damon Interview – THE BOUNRE ULTIMATUM. Collider. Retrieved on 2012 August 18.
  3. Template:Cite news
  4. Template:Cite news
  5. Matt Damon returning for 4th 'Bourne' – Access Hollywood. MSNBC (October 17, 2008). Retrieved on 2008 October 27.
  6. Wigler, Josh. A Third Sequel is ‘Bourne’. ComicMix.com.
  7. Kit, Borys (August 21, 2009). Next 'Bourne' lands scribe. Film Journal International. Retrieved on 2012 July 11.
  8. Bourne film franchise in doubt after director Paul Greengrass quits. Daily Mail (December 2, 2009). Retrieved on 2012 July 11.
  9. Template:Cite news
  10. TODAY Video Player. MSNBC. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  11. Tony Gilroy Will Write The Bourne Legacy for 2010. TheFilmStage.com (June 9, 2010). Retrieved on 2010 June 9.
  12. White, James (October 5, 2010). Tony Gilroy Directing The Bourne Legacy. Empire. Retrieved on 2012 July 11.
  13. Williams, Owen (October 11, 2010). Definitely No Damon For Bourne Legacy. Empire. Retrieved on 2012 July 11.
  14. Nicholson, Max (June 22, 2012). Bourne Legacy Avoiding Dark Knight Rises. IGN. Retrieved on 2012 July 11.
  15. Bourne Legacy sequel confirmed. BBC News (September 14, 2012). Retrieved on 2013 August 18.
  16. Matt Damon: Door is still open for more 'Bourne'. MSN (December 16, 2012). Retrieved on 2013 August 18.
  17. Matt Damon Not Coming Back for Next Bourne Movie. E! Online (June 20, 2014).
  18. Schaefer, Sandy (2013). 'Bourne 5' and 'Snow White' Sequel Updates; 'Fifty Shades of Grey' in Summer 2014?. Screenrant.com. Retrieved on 2013 August 18.
  19. Plumb, Ali (February 21, 2013). Universal Boss Talks Up Bourne 5. Empire. Retrieved on 2013 August 18.
  20. Fleming Jr., Mike (August 2, 2013). New 'Bourne' Chapter In Works At Universal For Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross Character. Deadline.com. Retrieved on 2013 August 18.
  21. Jr, Mike Fleming (November 8, 2013). ‘Fast & Furious’ Helmer Justin Lin To Direct Next ‘Bourne’ Installment.
  22. Team, The Deadline (December 2, 2013). Justin Lin’s ‘Bourne’ Gets August 2015 Release.
  23. Kit, Borys (May 8, 2014). 'Bourne Legacy' Sequel Nabs a New Writer. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2014 May 8.
  24. Next 'Bourne' Movie Delayed Until 2016. The Hollywood Reporter (June 18, 2014). Retrieved on 2014 June 18.
  25. Matt Damon Confirms New ‘Bourne’ for 2016 (November 8, 2014).
  26. Next Bourne Movie Takes Planet of the Apes’ Vacated Spot. Coming Soon.net (January 6, 2015).
  27. Template:Cite news

External Links[]

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