The Bourne Legacy

[Totenkindly]

I saw it tonight and actually enjoyed it.

I find all the Bourne movies kind of "cold" straight-forward pics, without a lot of character dev or emotion, so more of the same (fitting my expectations) didn't bother me at all. I think maybe the only thing that the Matt Damon pics had going for them was the ongoing mystery of who Jason Bourne was, and so that mystery isn't really part of this movie, it was just a pretty linear action film... although they tried to mix it up by inserting a few edits from the last Bourne film, to show you where things fell in terms of time sequence (the action here actually starts before the end of the last movie).

I also wasn't really enamored with Jeremy Renner in MI:4 but here he did really really well -- believable, solid, capable. He carried himself just right in this film.

I mean, really, once things got going, it was just a bunch of bad-ass chase/fight scenes. My only gripe is that the movie just kind of ends after the last fight scene without any kind of feeling of "wrap up" etc.

It's also not clear what happens next. At least Mission Impossible has going for it the idea of "quests" or jobs to be accomplished as part of Ian's employment. Jason Bourne had going for him the quest to figure who he is. Here, Aaron's task has been basically to stay alive and get off the meds they've been feeding him. So if they do another film, it's gonna have to actually find a direction for itself.

 

[sprinkles]

Yeah when I found out they made another one of these, I wondered "what else is there to make a movie about?"

I still want to see it though just because.

 

[Totenkindly]

I gotta say, the craziness of Manila traffic seems pretty true to form for Asian cities of that climate and style. I liked the cycle chase.

I should say too that Renner and Weisz did have great chemistry and Weisz got a LOT of screen time and actually did something with it despite how the script really didn't give her much to go on. She's a terrific actress.

EDIT: Kinda wild to see the casting. Aside from some low-key character actors I've seen in other movies (like Corey Stoll and Oscar Issac), even Donna Murphy shows up (kind of unrecognizable) as part of Edward Norton's crack surveillance/tracking team -- she's won two Tony awards, and probably she's widest known in the broad public market as the voice of Mother Gothel from Tangled. Elizabeth Marvel (the "psychologist" on the crack team) was a regular for the first season of Person of Interest this past year.

EDIT 2: I get annoyed when critics give negative reviews partly because they weren't paying attention. For example, while Ebert gave it 2.5/4 stars and some of his review is valid, he makes a comment like this: "The motorcycle chase takes place in Manila, after Cross and Shearing steal a cycle, the police give chase, and one particularly determined undercover cop with dark aviator glasses persists beyond all reason. Since he doesn't have a single word of dialogue, it's impossible to say if he has any idea how important Cross and Shearing are, but he keeps coming like the Energizer Bunny." If he had been paying attention in the movie, he would have realized (if he's talking about who I'm thinking he is) that the guy is not an undercover cop at all and has a perfectly valid reason for pursuing Beyond All Sanity. I've seen Ebert actually make a few flubs like this in the last six months, where it was clear he missed an important connection in the movie that I didn't really have trouble catching; but then again, he's getting old and of course has had lots of health issues.

RT gave it a 54%; IMDB ranks it with a 7.3, which is actually a decent score. That's possibly the difference between critics who have to watch a ton of movies even if they're not interested, vs actual audience members who probably only see a movie if they have at least marginal interest to begin with.

 

[AOA]

Going to watch this movie with a friend. See what it's like..

 

[swordpath]

Still haven't seen it. Still want to see it.

 

[Totenkindly]

There's a bit of parkour too, although I think the best action sequence I've seen involving free running occurred in the Daniel Craig remake of Casino Royale.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

I did not become a fan of this series until Ultimatum. The first two were largely forgettable.
James Bond would wipe the floor with that Bourne punk in a heartbeat.

 

[Totenkindly]

I did not become a fan of this series until Ultimatum. The first two were largely forgettable.
James Bond would wipe the floor with that Bourne punk in a heartbeat.

Even the Pierce Brosnan Bond?
(Daniel Craig Bond, no problem.)

I do think Ultimatum was the most interesting. And I loved how he jerked Strathairn around, that was pretty awesome. He was always a few steps ahead.

 

[Orangey]

I kind of...hated it. And I wanted to like this one, since I generally like Renner and I have been a fan of the Bourne series since the first, but this one was just so badly written and unbelievable. All of his bitching and rebelliousness I found to be pander-y and unrealistic by the logic of the earlier films. Also, why WHY must they resort to explaining shit that could have easily been shown? Isn't that the point of a film, especially an action one?

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

Even the Pierce Brosnan Bond?
(Daniel Craig Bond, no problem.)

I do think Ultimatum was the most interesting. And I loved how he jerked Strathairn around, that was pretty awesome. He was always a few steps ahead.

Well...Brosnan had Bourne beat in the personality department.
And the cat-and-mouse game with Vosen was one of the best parts of the that movie.

 

[KDude]

The only good thing about the Brosnan bond is he got his ass kicked by a much cooler Famke Janssen.

 

[Orangey]

The only good thing about the Brosnan bond is he got his ass kicked by a much cooler Famke Janssen.

"I had to ventilate someone."

LOL Goldeneye is indeed the best Bond film! It even has the best theme song!

And yes it is because Famke tried to squeeze him to death with her thighs. That jungle sequence at the end is one of my all-time favorites!

 

[KDude]

And yes it is because Famke tried to squeeze him to death with her thighs. That jungle sequence at the end is one of my all-time favorites!

haha.. yeah. i wish she didn't get taken out. bond should've died.

 

[madhatter]

I mean, really, once things got going, it was just a bunch of bad-ass chase/fight scenes. My only gripe is that the movie just kind of ends after the last fight scene without any kind of feeling of "wrap up" etc.

It's also not clear what happens next. At least Mission Impossible has going for it the idea of "quests" or jobs to be accomplished as part of Ian's employment. Jason Bourne had going for him the quest to figure who he is. Here, Aaron's task has been basically to stay alive and get off the meds they've been feeding him. So if they do another film, it's gonna have to actually find a direction for itself.

That was the only problem I had with it too. The abrupt ending took me aback, and the lack of wrap-up makes me think there's going to be another movie. I wouldn't mind another movie, but I would prefer some closure within each movie.

I think that because Renner's character didn't need to discover who he was or recover his memories, a big show-down at the end was unnecessary. He knew exactly who was coming after him

I did not become a fan of this series until Ultimatum. The first two were largely forgettable.
James Bond would wipe the floor with that Bourne punk in a heartbeat.

Ultimatum was by the far the best, which is a pleasant change. Number 3 in trilogies too often suck a big one.

James Bond v. Jason Bourne...I would pay to see that showdown. My money's on Daniel Craig.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

Pretty sure Daniel Craig would win. He is one of the few manly men left in Hollywood.
With the exception of Return of the King and Ultimatum, yes.

The third chapter often marginalizes everything that came before (I'm looking at you Dark Knight Rises).

 

[Salomé]

The last manly man in the US is an Englishman?

 

[Totenkindly]

... (I'm looking at you Dark Knight Rises).

Arrggg! Flashbacks! Arrrgggg! Adrenaline shot, help!


.... don't DO that again.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

The last manly man in the US is an Englishman?

Damn right.
That's how pussified we are over here.

You KNOW there is a problem when American icons such as Batman, Superman and Spider-Man are Brits.

 

[Salomé]

Blame Hugh Laurie

 

[MXZCCT]

What?

You cannot compare anyone to Jason Bourne when it comes to hand to hand combat. Bourne is as close to invincible as your going to get.