The most disappointing thing about the Bourne Legacy is not that Matt Damon isn’t in it. Because he’s referred to quite a lot, and I quite like Jeremy Renner who is taking on the agent wronged role. There isn’t a lack of beautiful love interest, with Rachel Wiesz filling those pouty lips admirably. And its not the cinematography, which is quite stunning, especially in the mountain scenes. No, its just that it is pretty dull (and I will give some SPOILERS in the below, so you are warned!).
The main characters are kept apart for most of the film, and as we slowly find out how they are going to get together, the awesome Edward Norton shouts a lot about assets and neutralising them and getting eyes and ears everywhere and damage control and a whole lot of stuff that sounds really impressive when shouted out loud but, when it seems to drag on for days, just ends up seeming a trifle silly. Everything is very serious and grave and awful that might work in a pre-Patriot Act and Guantanamo Bay world, but the idea of agents imbedded in networks around the world surely can’t come as a surprise to anyone so I am not altogether sure what all the panic and trauma is all about.
Meanwhile, Jenner is off being all Grizzly Adams and proving his worth, saving his razor for his chest and keeping the wolves at bay. When he realises that the legacy of Jason Bourne means that he will be liquidated, its off to find the beautiful scientist to help her to help him, as is always the way. And as mentioned, this takes up almost an hour of the film. And it really does not happen all excited-like.
As with all these kinds of films, there are many things that work in favour of the heroes. The fact the CIA doesn’t seem to have someone with the techno-skills of Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds who could locate a needle in a gazillion electronic haystacks by cross referencing its library data with its grocery bill and laser telescopes based on the moon means that these two are able to get to elude capture on the continental USA without too much difficulty. And then, when the evil government forces do catch up with them, it is all on, though for some reason, it seems to be with the one agent of the programme that was not eliminated, though no real reason why this person is so special or was spared is offered.
But for all how fairly… pointless it all seems, and loud, it did keep me mostly entertained. And, more importantly, it stopped me from disemboweling the two men behind me who talked in their outdoor voices throughout the ENTIRE film. If only a Jason Bourne clone would come along and liquidate people like that.
Verdict: The Bourne Legacy picks up the baton from the Matt Damon franchise and fumbles it a bit, drops it a couple of times, takes a long time to get to the finish line, but still sort of makes it there. Half a blue pill from a child proof container.
1 comment:
I actually liked the CIA non location skills; good enough to be plausible, without being totally omnisicient. Norton I thought underused and under-developed; I never really figured out who his character was supposed to be, or what his motivations were. Overall I thought it technically competent, engaging at times, never terrible, but never quite rising to the levels of its peers either, and also something of a dead end story wise (although that implies that we expect/demand sequels these days!).
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