Film Review: The Bourne Legacy

Director: Tony Gilroy

Unfortunately it does come across as an industry very short of ideas at the moment with many remakes and franchises being rebooted mostly to horrible effect (ahem Total Recall ahem). But with the screenplay written by the same man (Tony Gilroy who also directs here) who wrote the first three adapting them from Robert Ludlum' books it produces an enjoyable ensemble. Some parts of the movie feel very similar to the previous Bourne movies and some of the chase scenes do feel a bit rehashed like the rooftop chase but its always going to be difficult to make it feel different despite a similar plot.

Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) and Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz)

The plot follows on from the end of the third film with many subjects involved in Operation Outcome are given pills to enhance their physical and mental capabilities. With Operation Blackbriar and Treadstone exposed by Jason Bourne, the CIA decides to shut the operation down where the subjects are given new pills that instantly kill them. With Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) finishing a training trek through Alaska he is not given a pill so a drone is sent to kill him with a missile but he avoids detection and goes in search of new pills whilst Dr. Marta Shearing is a scientist that the CIA want to silence who worked on the enhancements.

Eric Byer, the primary antagonist (Edward Norton)

Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz make a good pairing as they try to escape the CIA across America and then the world. Renner is a much more physically imposing agent than Matt Damon was making him less inconspicuous but certainly proves himself to be physically enhanced in combat. Edward Norton is the main face of the government trying to track them down but is rather underused in his role but these films aren't always about the antagonist.

The franchise feels like its in safe hands for the time being and there is certainly enough in this film to produce a sequel. The format of the CIA chasing a couple from a base hidden away in America is becoming a bit tiresome through four films though and a sequel would need a change of direction in that sense to succeed.

2.5/4 some parts feel like a re-tread but still enjoyable and room for another instalment