Tony Gilroy, narrative architect(co-screenwriter) of previous Bourne movies takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise. The writer/director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films. In Bourne Legacy, Jeremy Renner joins fellow series newcomers Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach and Oscar Isaac, while franchise veterans Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn reprise their roles.
Its newcomer stars Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross, a member of black ops programs whose agents are genetically enhanced, goes on the run once Jason Bourne’s actions lead to the public exposure of Operations Treadstone and Blackbriar. Revealing that there’s a much bigger conspiracy wherein some scenes in the movie overlaps with the events from Bourne Ultimatum. This new take on the Bourne franchise showed promise but isn’t compelling as the previous trilogy but indicated there are more stories left to tell and the work done by Renner when it came to bruising combat styles proved exciting he totally delivered. The hyperkinetic docu-based style of Greengrass was gone and in with Dan Gilroy’s use of wide lenses which is easier to absorb; though without Greengrass’s style, who is a veteran and disciplined in the concept of action, had a tendency to over explain things.
For most parts of the movie, especially the climax, took place in the Philippines and bared mostly the slum areas, the motorcycle chase even took place in the busy part of Manila which many are disappointed because they said it does not represent our country but for me compensated in the ending wherein Renner and Weisz’s character sailed off in the vast sea and mountains of the beautiful El Nido Palawan although there are questions left unanswered and nothing major was resolved in short there was no conclusion. It makes us think for the sequel which hopefully will answer unresolved questions. Still there a lot to like about The Bourne Legacy, good thing Jeremy Renner’s magnetic work is the driving force of the movie but it’s hard not to feel a little worried that the rich complexity of Ludlum’s past work might be lost in the transition-and that’s a legacy that really needs to be upheld.
Bourne Legacy is the highest grossing movie of the Bourne series but Perhaps the most interesting question arising from The Bourne Legacy is just how long the filmmakers hope to trade on the Bourne name without any, you know, Jason Bourne and it’s not enough without Jason Bourne even if they say that it will derived with this character. It’ll just be a matter of time until they’re out of ideas and will need Jason Bourne again.