Directed by:
Tony GilroyCinematography:
Robert ElswitComposer:
James Newton HowardCast:
Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach, Dennis Boutsikaris, Oscar Isaac, Joan Allen, Albert Finney, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn (more)VOD (4)
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In The Bourne Legacy, Aaron Cross, a member of a black ops program whose agents are genetically enhanced, goes on the run once Bourne's actions lead to the public exposure of Operations Treadstone and Blackbriar. It is the fourth installment in the Bourne film series, which is based on Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne series. Titular character Jason Bourne does not appear in The Bourne Legacy, as actor Matt Damon, who played Bourne in the first three films, chose not to return for a fourth film. Gilroy, co-screenwriter of the first three films, sought to continue the story of the film series without changing its events, and parts of The Bourne Legacy take place at the same time as the previous film The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (13)
The new Bourne is much more restrained and much less action-packed than I expected. The plus is that they managed to quite sophisticatedly integrate the plot of the new film into the older trilogy, so this "standalone" installment doesn't feel intrusive or contrived, especially considering that the story of Bourne and Cross is essentially unfolding in the same time period. The action is good, although there are far fewer hand-to-hand combat scenes, and overall the direction is much more subdued and minimalistic. The subplot about experiments on people (pills, etc.) is solid. The main character's motivation is good and Rachel Weisz’s performance is excellent. It's clear that Gilroy went smartly around it, he didn't want to pump the audience with even more sophisticated action, more pumped-up music, and faster pace. But to wrap the viewer around his finger with unexpected plot twists that sometimes shock with their force (the interrogation at Weisz's house) and sometimes pleasantly and reliably stick to the established tracks (chases, stunts). What bothered me the most was the complete absence of an ending and a clear indication that if Legacy is at least somewhat commercially successful, there will be a reset of the series.
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It's not a bad film, but comparisons to previous installments are inevitable. The best thing about The Bourne Legacy is Rachel Weisz, an actress the franchise needed earlier (especially in the first episode), and the chilling scene in the lab. Otherwise, there's almost nothing here that we haven't seen before (jumping on rooftops, escapades on a motorcycle, faking one’s own death, hiding and escaping), and when we do, it's rather laughable (the wolf). Plus, whenever the name "Bourne" came up, I felt like I was watching Cimrman's Hamlet without Hamlet.
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The third best/worst of the five Bournes to date. It’s greatest stumbling block is the heavy-handed start which is not solved until the main duo paired up; or rather until a little room was given to the excellent Rachel Weisz who steals the show from the disturbing scene in the laboratory onward. The non-existent conclusion doesn’t make things any better, but even so it lures you rather than driving you away in disgust.
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When I was watching the movie "The Bourne Legacy", I was taken by surprise by something. It was boredom. I was bored for roughly the first half of the film. It's true that on one hand, it could have been due to tiredness, but on the other hand, I believe that the film itself is partly to blame. Lately, I have been tired, but the movie is partially about events happening at the same time as the events in the movies "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Ultimatum". It's nice, they fit it quite well and they wanted to assure us that this is not a completely different film, but that there is a connection. So, it's not just using the good name for commercial purposes, but the continuity is immediately apparent.
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The Bourne series needed this about as much as the Hannibal Lecter saga needed Red Dragon. It’s a technically wellcrafted American thriller with a stellar cast. But without the unique combination of an intriguing protagonist, original directorial approach and engaging plot, it doesn’t stand a chance against its predecessors. It’s too ordinary, failing to stand out from secret-agent genre movies with, for example, Harrison Ford, which over time become just a way to pass some time in front of the TV. Paul Greengrass’s movies, on the other hand, enriched the genre, pushing it forward.
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