The Bourne Legacy (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'The Bourne Legacy' (written & directed by Tony Gilroy) continues with a rogue operative agent being hunted by CIA officials who have to eliminate him to cover up their own secrets & misdeeds ... sound familiar? The film opens by introducing us to Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), a mysterious super-agent of The Program who's up in frigid, wolf-laden Alaska on a clandestine training exercise. Meanwhile, CIA manager Eric Byer (Edward Norton) has discovered that Jason Bourne (a missing Matt Damon) has compromised 2 of their prized programs: Treadstone & Operation Outcome. Fearing what will happen if news about these illegal programs leaks, he orders them shut down & all those involved (super-agents & innocent scientists who have worked so hard on it) killed.
Cross escapes near-death in Alaska through a combo of rifle shooting & keen misdirection. Then, just when everyone thinks he's been eliminated, he pops up. Depleted & desperate, Cross needs a refill on his performance-enhancing meds; which he takes daily which gives him unusual strength, intelligence, agility, & pain resistance. Unfortunately, said scientists who have developed this medicine for The Program have been targeted for elimination. And the sole survivor of a laboratory massacre, Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), is Aaron's only hope in making/locating/attaining those meds. But he needs two things: 1) her trust. And 2) the ability for the two of them to hopscotch to the Philippines for a chance to attain those meds, and subsequently take-down the puppet masters of The Program.
Though the 1st 1/2 hour of this film isn't as smooth as it could have been, Writer/director Gilroy thankfully slows down the hectic pace (that encumbered the prior 2 movies) & allows us some time to take-in some good action, good performances, as well as the film's criticism of the power & amorality of government intelligence programs. Not counting 'Legacy', the last 2 films in this franchise moved so quickly that there was barely a moment think about anything other than the next handheld, blurred, shaky-cam adrenaline shock of action. That's honestly what I felt about heavy portions of those films.
This thriller shows how the espionage game has changed due to advances in science/technology. In one scene, Cross has to escape an attack aimed at the tracking devices implanted in his own body. Later, Marta explains the genetic engineering for "behavioral design" done on him & others in The Program; they are being "enhanced" ... but at what cost? Although these examples of science being exploited for espionage purposes may seem somewhat outrageous, one sequence in the movie is completely credible {and fascinating, to boot}; when Cross & Marta try to escape the country, we see how the CIA uses high-tech networks of street & building surveillance cameras, satellites, & other espionage equipment make it possible to find almost ... anyone. It's the ultimate Big Brother scenario.
These thematic inquiries of science & technology used to track, target, engineer, & follow people make this espionage thriller well worth watching. OK, so how's Renner? Good. Weisz? Good. Their chemistry? Good. The action? Tension-filled & gripping. There are 2 shootouts involving Marta at work & at home that are riveting. And there's a killer motorcycle chase scene late in the proceedings. So yeah, there are things to enjoy and sink your teeth into with 'The Bourne Legacy'. But the plot? Meh. The conspiracy theory plot is needlessly convoluted & confusing. Multiple layers of no-one-cares back story & CIA deception weigh down the some of the fun. And I wish that this film had a conclusion that didn't feel like the splashy ending of a Part One of a whole. Still -- decent movie.
Cross escapes near-death in Alaska through a combo of rifle shooting & keen misdirection. Then, just when everyone thinks he's been eliminated, he pops up. Depleted & desperate, Cross needs a refill on his performance-enhancing meds; which he takes daily which gives him unusual strength, intelligence, agility, & pain resistance. Unfortunately, said scientists who have developed this medicine for The Program have been targeted for elimination. And the sole survivor of a laboratory massacre, Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), is Aaron's only hope in making/locating/attaining those meds. But he needs two things: 1) her trust. And 2) the ability for the two of them to hopscotch to the Philippines for a chance to attain those meds, and subsequently take-down the puppet masters of The Program.
Though the 1st 1/2 hour of this film isn't as smooth as it could have been, Writer/director Gilroy thankfully slows down the hectic pace (that encumbered the prior 2 movies) & allows us some time to take-in some good action, good performances, as well as the film's criticism of the power & amorality of government intelligence programs. Not counting 'Legacy', the last 2 films in this franchise moved so quickly that there was barely a moment think about anything other than the next handheld, blurred, shaky-cam adrenaline shock of action. That's honestly what I felt about heavy portions of those films.
This thriller shows how the espionage game has changed due to advances in science/technology. In one scene, Cross has to escape an attack aimed at the tracking devices implanted in his own body. Later, Marta explains the genetic engineering for "behavioral design" done on him & others in The Program; they are being "enhanced" ... but at what cost? Although these examples of science being exploited for espionage purposes may seem somewhat outrageous, one sequence in the movie is completely credible {and fascinating, to boot}; when Cross & Marta try to escape the country, we see how the CIA uses high-tech networks of street & building surveillance cameras, satellites, & other espionage equipment make it possible to find almost ... anyone. It's the ultimate Big Brother scenario.
These thematic inquiries of science & technology used to track, target, engineer, & follow people make this espionage thriller well worth watching. OK, so how's Renner? Good. Weisz? Good. Their chemistry? Good. The action? Tension-filled & gripping. There are 2 shootouts involving Marta at work & at home that are riveting. And there's a killer motorcycle chase scene late in the proceedings. So yeah, there are things to enjoy and sink your teeth into with 'The Bourne Legacy'. But the plot? Meh. The conspiracy theory plot is needlessly convoluted & confusing. Multiple layers of no-one-cares back story & CIA deception weigh down the some of the fun. And I wish that this film had a conclusion that didn't feel like the splashy ending of a Part One of a whole. Still -- decent movie.