When the wife of a mild-mannered but really smart CIA techie (Rami Malek) is killed in a London terrorist action, he basically blackmails the Company to train him in field operations so he can personally go after her killers.  Shootouts, fisticuffs, car chases, scenic globetrotting and betrayals ensue. If it seems as though you’re seen this one before, it’s because you have. Many many times. 

Nothing wrong with an “old school” spy thriller (which is what filmmakers call this kind of thing when they have no new ideas), but to make it work you need a commanding lead. And while Malek shot to stardom with his impersonation of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, he’s done little but bit parts and TV since then. He’s a talented actor, but a bit twitchy here and fairly charmless. I’m just not buying him as Jason Bourne. 

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is criminally underused in the thankless role as the dead wife, appearing only in brief flashbacks and hallucinations, and Laurence Fishburne is uncharacteristically nondescript as his tutor/handler. 

Say something nice, Don. Okay, on the plus side, this uber-nerd is pretty good at improvisation, and his lethal MacGyver-like solutions to tough situations are clever and entertaining. But bottom line, this homage to past spy-pulp should have been a lot more fun. (123 min)