The Bourne Legacy Review

Rated PG-13 (Violence and Action Sequences)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 15 Minutes

Cast-

Jeremy Renner-Aaron Cross/Kenneth Kitson

Rachel Weisz-Dr. Marta Shearing

Edward Norton-Retired Colonel Eric Byer

Stacy Keach-Retired Admiral Mark Turso

Donna Murphy-Dita Mandy

Joan Allen-Deputy Director Pamela Landy

David Strathairn-Noah Vosen

Albert Finney-Dr. Albert Hirsch

Scott Glenn-Ezra Kramer

Dennis Boutsikaris-Terrence Ward

Michael Chernus-Arthur Ingram

Corey Stoll-Zev Vendel

Zeljko Ivanek-Dr. Donald Foite

Oscar Isaac-Outcome Operative #3

Louis Ozawa Changchien-LARX Operative #3

Directed by Tony Gilroy

Jeremy Renner proves that he's cooler than Matt Damon in the spin-off "The Bourne Legacy."

Based on Robert Ludlum's 1980 spy-thriller novel of the same name, 2002's "The Bourne Identity" was a mid-summer sleeper hit that grossed a solid $214 million worldwide while receiving positive reviews from critics with 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. Not only did it transform Matt Damon into an action star but it also kick-started one of the most lucrative and critically acclaimed franchises of the past ten years. Each successive installment earned more than its predecessor, culminating in a pitch-perfect conclusion with 2007's "The Bourne Ultimatum," which went on to win Best Film Editing, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing at the 80th Academy Awards.  With a total franchise gross of $945 million (unadjusted for inflation), there was little surprise that Universal wanted to keep the money-train going for as long they're able to. A fourth installment with Damon involved did enter pre-production but this project was cancelled when director Paul Greengrass announced in 2009 that he would not be returning as he wanted a 'different challenge.' Damon dropped out as well since he didn't want to do a fourth one without Greengrass at the helm but Universal didn't let that stop them and moved ahead with "The Bourne Legacy," a spin-off written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who has been involved with the franchise from the beginning. Taking Damon's place is Jeremy Renner, whose popularity has sky-rocketed since his critically-acclaimed performance in Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" four years ago. "The Bourne Legacy" does not reach the heights of its predecessors due to an overlong running time and a noticeable lack of action but this 'sidequel' remains a compelling and solid entry in the franchise thanks to a magnetic Jeremy Renner. 

Due to Jason Bourne's actions in "The Bourne Ultimatum" that led to the exposure of Operation Blackbriar, the CIA is thrown into chaos with the arrests of Blackbriar director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn) and Treadstone's training program director Dr. Albert Hirsch (Albert Finney), with a criminal investigation of CIA director Ezra Kramer (Scott Glenn) pending. Putting the agency into damage control mode, retired Colonel Eric Byer (Edward Norton) and Admiral Mark Turso (Stacy Keach) begins to shut down every black ops program with ties to Treadstone and Blackbriar, leading to the deaths of numerous operatives and support staff. Meanwhile, Operation Outcome agent Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) has just completed a rigorous training exercise in Alaska and rendezvous with another Outcome agent known only as 'Number Three' (Oscar Isaac), who lives alone in a small cabin out in the wilderness. However, Number Three is killed by a drone sent by Byer, forcing Cross to go on the run and escape to the United States mainland to look for 'chems,' drugs that allow him to retain his enhanced abilities or risk regressing to a lower mental state. A mass shooting occurs at Sterisyn-Morlanta, a drug company that developed the performance-enhancing drugs that all Outcome operatives rely on to function properly. The only survivor of the shooting is Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), whom Cross seeks out in an effort to obtain the medication he desperately needs. The two travel to Manila in the Philippines while Byer and his agents relentlessly pursue them. 

For those who saw DreamWorks Animation's "Shrek" in 2001, you'll recall the titular character famously comparing ogres to onions because both have layers. Like onions, "The Bourne Legacy" features a multi-layered plot from Tony Gilroy (whose credits include 2007's "Michael Clayton") but at times it can get bogged down by too much exposition as the film does double duty by frequently making references to the previous installment while introducing a whole new set of characters. In fact the first hour comes off as muddled and slow-paced due to Gilroy awkwardly cutting back and forth between Aaron Cross completing his training exercise in Alaska and Byer trying to contain the fallout of Bourne's actions. Fortunately, the second hour picks up considerable speed as Cross struggles to deal with his dependency on his 'greens and blues' while trying to discover why he is being targeted. Gilroy expands upon the mythology by revealing that Bourne and Cross didn't just go through behavioral modification to break down their morality but were also genetically altered to make them stronger and faster. However, the operatives from later iterations of Treadstone like Operation Outcome have to rely on drugs to retain their abilities or they would regress. The only way to make these changes permanent is to be injected with a special virus. Gilroy clearly did his homework but although this adds a new wrinkle to the series, it tends to make the plot feel needlessly complicated with a number of characters functioning as little more than mouthpieces for expository plot dumps. 

At 2 hours and 15 minutes, the film is just too long and Gilroy could've tightened up the pacing by shaving off a good twenty minutes without damaging the narrative. There's also a noticeable lack of action due to its dialogue-heavy approach but what little there is manages to get the adrenaline pumping even if it does not reach the heights of its predecessors. There's the obligatory explosion but the highlights include an intense shootout at Shearing's home and Cross demonstrating his lightning fast reflexes as he takes down three security guards without breaking a sweat before capping off with an engaging (albeit long) motorcycle chase through the crowded streets of Manila as police come out of the woodwork while a stone-cold operative (Louis Ozawa Changchien) attempts to kill Cross. The editing during this scene can be too frenetic and lacks the camera-shaking finesse of Greengrass. Disappointingly Cross and this operative do not engage in any melee brawl so no everyday items like pens and magazines being used as weapons! From a cynical point-of-view, "The Bourne Legacy" is little more than a cash-grab and while it should've ended at number three, Gilroy does succeed in justifying another installment by treating the material seriously despite some stumbles with its story. 

The "Bourne" series has always delivered on some excellent performances and Jeremy Renner proves himself to be more than a capable replacement for Matt Damon as new assassin Aaron Cross. Renner handles the killer vibe with aplomb but unlike the more solitary Bourne, Cross is talkative and quite curious, asking questions and trying to glean more information about the situation he's in and the enemies he's facing. Rachel Weisz is equally as compelling as Dr. Marta Shearing, a brilliant researcher and scientist who just happens to know too much but her moments of panic do feel overacted. Cross and Shearing's relationship represents a welcome callback to "The Bourne Identity." Despite spending the entire film looking at a computer screen and barking orders, Edward Norton's Eric Byer is a menacing and unscrupulous villain and it's a shame that outside of a flashback, he and Cross never meet face-to-face. Hopefully, this is rectified in the sequel. Donna Murphy and Stacy Keach round out the rest of the cast and while their roles do not amount to much beyond assisting Byer in hunting down Cross, the two handle all the spy jargon convincingly. Despite their names being on the poster, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, and Albert Finney have what amounts to cameo roles in order to tie into the events of "The Bourne Ultimatum." 

Released on August 10, 2012, "The Bourne Legacy" has received mixed reviews with 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics admitted that the 'it isn't quite as compelling as the earlier trilogy, but [the film] proves the franchise has stories left to tell—and benefits from Jeremy Renner's magnetic work in the starring role.' Although it is poised for a solid $45 million opening weekend debut at the box office, I feel that Gilroy's emphasis on dialogue over action will not be well-received by audiences as during an advance screening, people immediately bolted for the exit once Moby's Extreme Ways began playing. Yes, "The Bourne Legacy" is not as good when compared to what came before but such an expectation is unrealistic. The plot suffers from uneven pacing and too much exposition yet this fourth entry remains a solid espionage thriller with strong dialogue and performances. I dare say that the "Bourne" franchise is in good hands and I look forward to a sequel with Renner.

Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5

"You think that Jason Bourne was the whole story? There's a lot more going on here!"