It seems like it was just yesterday when I was sitting on my bed watching the Bourne Identity. Then came The Bourne Supremacy and then finally my all time favorite of the trilogy: The Bourne Ultimatum. Good heavens I miss the chills I got when I watched that one for the first time. It was excruciatingly suspenseful, especially the ending when Moby's remixed Extreme Ways hit and you see an underwater shot of Jason Bourne swimming away into darkness having survived yet another bullet to the back. Paul Greengrass did an incredible job of closing the loop opened by Doug Liman two movies earlier.
Based on Robert Ludlum's novels, the Bourne Trilogy was brought onto the silver screen by Tony Gilroy and company. Boy was it ever worth it. Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of the series is its unexpected bursts of wit and high octane action. Looking back, there was really nothing impeccably appealing about the visual style of the first film. The cinematography was plain. Doug Liman got the job done with simple tracking shots and chase sequences while keeping Ludlum's ever so winding plot intact.
Enter Paul Greengrass on the Bourne Supremacy and the conclusion where Jason Bourne finally comes 'home': The Bourne Ultimatum. He introduced a style of filming that I think is his specialty and his alone. Keeping the viewers' eyes where they need to be is difficult in choreographed action sequences. Reminds me of the words of an actor (and friend of mine), Patrick Stevenson: 'Fight scenes in film are not a whole lot different from dance routines.' I'm talking about Greengrass's work extensively because the difference between his work and that of screenwriter Tony Gilroy - who directed The Bourne Legacy - is very slim. The work would've been almost identical were it not for Matt Damon's absence.
The Bourne Legacy (2012) sits at a rating of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes - which in turn, doesn't sit well with me because I approached the film with a rather positive attitude. As with all movies really. A fresh pair of eyes is key when enjoying a movie, I believe. I can proudly conclude that this ideology is what served me well during my viewing of Legacy. That's not to say that Tony Gilroy produced a flawless motion picture. It does, as with everything, come with a few minor issues. Then again, you'll hardly notice these minor plot issues if you take away the works of Greengrass on the last two films.
Tony Gilroy is a phenomenal screenwriter, and being able to craft something totally new, and at the same time make it run parallel to something he did not direct is difficult. But Gilroy pulls it off. From handheld shots to tension-relieving drum hits. He's done it all.
The story follows Aaron Cross. As with Bourne, he's an agent operating under the intelligence who has been brainwashed to, well...kill. He's operating not under Treadstone, but a standalone program called 'Outcome'. After Bourne shows his true colors by infiltrating and ultimately exposing Treadstone and Blackbriar, the agency has no choice but to shutdown all active programs. Including Outcome. Which means everyone has to be eliminated.
At this point, the Bourne Legacy becomes a prequel of sorts. I particularly loved the detailing of the agents' training program. The brutality that the agents were put through despite their resistance is one that'll make you feel for the characters. It's not easy to start a new life and leave everything you loved behind you. This is the premise of the film. The allusion to Jason Bourne is also great. Like I mentioned before, Legacy runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. Anything crucial that happens in New York as a result of Bourne's work ripples into Aaron Cross's (Jeremy Renner) run.
Tony Gilroy moved forward with The Bourne Legacy for all the right reasons. He knows the Bourne series inside out and it shows.
There were some issues I had with the film though. For instance, I loved how he tried to mimic Greengrass' style (of filming) but since it's a new take on the series, wouldn't it have been cool if he established his own style? I mean, shaky cam-ing everything isn't always the answer. We learned that the hard way when we saw Taken 2. Good lord. I also had a bit of a problem keeping up with what was going on. Flashbacks didn't seem like flashbacks and because of that, dialogues were difficult to comprehend.
Ed Norton is great in whatever role he plays but he's too flat of a character. In case you're wondering, he plays the head honcho on Aaron Cross' trail. Vosen and Landy had stories of there own, they had vendettas in place that motivated them to find Bourne, but Norton's character functions like a robot. If it's Cross the higher ups want, it's Cross they'll get. Not to mention, he has a personal vendetta against Cross himself...which we are never exposed to...which sucks really.
Jeremy Renner's badass and watching him take down a barrage of oncoming agents is a treat. He's not as mechanical as Bourne was and at times it's hard to keep up with what he's trying to accomplish. We're kept in the dark until Eric Byer's (Norton) team members say it out loud. This was a bit annoying. Rachel Weisz is cool too - though her vocal chords can be a bit irritating. My advice to you Rachel: Practice screaming your ass off! :)
Take away all those minor issues up there and what you get is a movie that is totally worth the 2 hour mark. I would give it another watch just to see Renner kick ass and listen to the gut-wrenching scores. The Bourne Legacy is a successful spin-off of the Bourne Trilogy.
The Bourne Legacy (2012) sits at a rating of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes - which in turn, doesn't sit well with me because I approached the film with a rather positive attitude. As with all movies really. A fresh pair of eyes is key when enjoying a movie, I believe. I can proudly conclude that this ideology is what served me well during my viewing of Legacy. That's not to say that Tony Gilroy produced a flawless motion picture. It does, as with everything, come with a few minor issues. Then again, you'll hardly notice these minor plot issues if you take away the works of Greengrass on the last two films.
Tony Gilroy is a phenomenal screenwriter, and being able to craft something totally new, and at the same time make it run parallel to something he did not direct is difficult. But Gilroy pulls it off. From handheld shots to tension-relieving drum hits. He's done it all.
The story follows Aaron Cross. As with Bourne, he's an agent operating under the intelligence who has been brainwashed to, well...kill. He's operating not under Treadstone, but a standalone program called 'Outcome'. After Bourne shows his true colors by infiltrating and ultimately exposing Treadstone and Blackbriar, the agency has no choice but to shutdown all active programs. Including Outcome. Which means everyone has to be eliminated.
At this point, the Bourne Legacy becomes a prequel of sorts. I particularly loved the detailing of the agents' training program. The brutality that the agents were put through despite their resistance is one that'll make you feel for the characters. It's not easy to start a new life and leave everything you loved behind you. This is the premise of the film. The allusion to Jason Bourne is also great. Like I mentioned before, Legacy runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. Anything crucial that happens in New York as a result of Bourne's work ripples into Aaron Cross's (Jeremy Renner) run.
Tony Gilroy moved forward with The Bourne Legacy for all the right reasons. He knows the Bourne series inside out and it shows.
There were some issues I had with the film though. For instance, I loved how he tried to mimic Greengrass' style (of filming) but since it's a new take on the series, wouldn't it have been cool if he established his own style? I mean, shaky cam-ing everything isn't always the answer. We learned that the hard way when we saw Taken 2. Good lord. I also had a bit of a problem keeping up with what was going on. Flashbacks didn't seem like flashbacks and because of that, dialogues were difficult to comprehend.
Ed Norton is great in whatever role he plays but he's too flat of a character. In case you're wondering, he plays the head honcho on Aaron Cross' trail. Vosen and Landy had stories of there own, they had vendettas in place that motivated them to find Bourne, but Norton's character functions like a robot. If it's Cross the higher ups want, it's Cross they'll get. Not to mention, he has a personal vendetta against Cross himself...which we are never exposed to...which sucks really.
Jeremy Renner's badass and watching him take down a barrage of oncoming agents is a treat. He's not as mechanical as Bourne was and at times it's hard to keep up with what he's trying to accomplish. We're kept in the dark until Eric Byer's (Norton) team members say it out loud. This was a bit annoying. Rachel Weisz is cool too - though her vocal chords can be a bit irritating. My advice to you Rachel: Practice screaming your ass off! :)
Take away all those minor issues up there and what you get is a movie that is totally worth the 2 hour mark. I would give it another watch just to see Renner kick ass and listen to the gut-wrenching scores. The Bourne Legacy is a successful spin-off of the Bourne Trilogy.
