A spin-off of the Matt Damon Bourne trilogy, The Bourne Legacy introduces a new hero, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), one of the chemically enhanced agents of a U.S. top-secret intelligence program called "Outcome," quite similar to Jason Bourne's program, Treadstone. When operations head Retired Col. Eric Byer (Edward Norton) decided to shut down Program Outcome with a seemingly shallow reason, he immediately wants all the agents dead— nope, not issued a termination slip and given new identities, but instantly dead, along with the oblivious team of scientists who support the Program. And so we follow Aaron Cross as he escapes to save his life— and get his fix of the blue and green pills that make him a super-soldier, with the help of scientist Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). And all these events, according to the meticulous followers of the Bourne series, take place during Jason Bourne's exploits in Bourne Identity and Supremacy.
Directed and co-written by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, Duplicity), The Bourne Legacy, when stripped off its lengthy spy talks filled with spy jargon that keep the audience in the dark, is basically nothing but the story of Aaron Cross trying to stay alive while getting his drug fix— which is located on the other side of the planet: in Manila, Philippines, where I live. In the entire movie, you are eager for the real plot to reveal itself, but it never arrives until the shockingly abrupt ending. There is no delicious backstory, no intelligent conspiracy going on, just Aaron Cross and Marta running for their lives...and maybe falling in love.
Jeremy Renner is formidable and engaging to watch, perfectly cast as a super soldier, and Rachel Weisz is equally engaging, complementing Renner's character as his beautiful sidekick, vulnerable but with a quiet strength. The performances by the entire cast were really good, natural and intense. The cinematography is pleasant, and the super close-up shots of the actors in conversation aptly capture their thoughts and emotions. The action sequences, coupled with the thrilling film score, will keep you fairly glued to the screen, including the cat-and-mouse chase in Manila, which was moderately fun— but it was the science laboratory scene that was the most effective and chilling, disturbingly calling to mind the recent Dark Knight Rises mass murder; precise and cold-blooded. But because of the weak, unintelligent, and shallow plot, the movie in its entirety lacks real suspense and tension, with nothing much to tell. And when Norton's team finally sends their prized weapon, the laughable Spiderman-like Thai super soldier, to eliminate the un-killable Aaron Cross once and for all, you expect some awesome power fight between the two, but the Thai guy is defeated in the lamest way possible in recent cinematic history. Then the movie abruptly ends, obviously signaling a sequel.
Overall, The Bourne Legacy is a movie that will keep you waiting...for nothing. It's a mental and emotional ripoff.
2 out of 5 stars
In Philippine cinemas August 8, 2012
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