Genre: Spy Thirller
Year: 2012
Run Time: 135 Minutes
How: Laptop (HBO)
The Bourne Legacy had big shoes to fill. The previous three films had set the standard for action over the last 10 years and that's one of the main issues that plagues this installment. The Bourne name carries expectations, expectations that the fourth installment was not ready to fulfill.
This film feels like its trying to hard to be the previous three, despite the new story lines. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who also wrote the first three, the film doesn't have the same hyperkinetic style that previous director, Paul Greengrass brought to the series. The action is still there but, some scenes, like a rooftop/alley/motorcycle chase through Manila feels very similar to the one Jason Bourne does in Morraco.
In this iteration, Jeremy Renner plays Aaron Cross, an enhanced CIA assassin much like Bourne. The film takes place during the same time frame as Ultimatum, though any hope of seeing Matt Damon is limited to a few pictures. Cross is a part of Outcome, another behavior modification program much like Treadstone or Blackbriar, only in this version Cross's abilities derived from a pair mysterious viruses, which he maintains through a regimen of pills.
In this iteration, Jeremy Renner plays Aaron Cross, an enhanced CIA assassin much like Bourne. The film takes place during the same time frame as Ultimatum, though any hope of seeing Matt Damon is limited to a few pictures. Cross is a part of Outcome, another behavior modification program much like Treadstone or Blackbriar, only in this version Cross's abilities derived from a pair mysterious viruses, which he maintains through a regimen of pills.
Aaron quickly loses his supply of pills in the mountains of Alaska and spends most of the film searching for more. After nearly getting blown up and eaten, Cross's quest for "chems" takes him all the way from Maryland where he meets up with Marta Shearing (Wiesz). Shearing is a biochemist who is engineering the chems and preforming tests on the Outcome agents. After a grizzly and somewhat disturbing workplace shooting scene, which feels like it goes on too long, Shearing is nearly killed once again by agents trying to cover up Outcome but, she is inevitably saved by Cross. Wiesz's is reminiscent of Julia Stiles' character in the first three movies, slightly aware of what the CIA is up to and gets roped into helping Cross weather she wants too or not.
Cross and Shearing end up flying to Manila, and as one might expect, shoot and punch their way to the drugs. The action is entertaining but sometimes absurd; like when Cross manages to dispatch a number of gunmen, then climbing up three stories on the outside of a house in a cool 10 seconds.
 |
| Top: David Straithairn as Noah Vosen Bottom: Norton |
The acting is not stellar but it is adequate enough to carry the sometimes convoluted story. Edward Norton plays Eric Byers, a character that just seems like it was written for David Straithairn's character from the third film, but then given to the younger Norton. Rachel Wiesz's performance is strong, though not aided by the movie's sometimes clunky script. Renner, on the other hand, while he's not pummeling anonymous baddies, is trying to find his next fix of chems. This reliance on the drugs for his performance seems like something out a mild science fiction movie rather than the gritty action series the Bourne series has built on. Unfortunately for all involved, the film doesn't really have and conclusion, it kind of just meanders towards the finish line and does little to actually wrap up the plot.
The film is not a bad one, but its not a masterpiece by any means. The story adds to the Bourne universe, but you cant help but wonder: What if Damon had reprised his role as the movie's namesake amnesiac assassin? That's ultimately whats what sinks Legacy. It simply feels like its trying to hard too be something that its not.
Rating: 5.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment