The Bourne Legacy

      What a wonderful movie! It continues the story after the Bourne trilogy very well.  I have really enjoyed the Bourne movies.  I do have to say that the old made for TV mini series is still a favorite.  The Bourne Identity (1988) starred Richard Chamberlain (Dr. Kildare, Shogun, Leverage, The Perfect Family) as Jason Bourne and Jaclyn Smith (Charlie’s Angels, Rage of Angels, Free Fall, In The Arms of a Killer) as Marie. The old one was wonderful, I loved it, but it is very different than The Bourne Identity (2002) starring Matt Damon (Inside Job, The Departed, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Rounders) and the two that followed with Matt Damon.
     
     The Bourne Legacy (2012) doesn’t have Matt Damon in it.  I know that is a very hot issue for people. “What are they doing?” “Why did they do that?” “Why no Matt?” I don’t really understand myself, nor do I have any answers to these questions. I thought maybe it followed the books and Jason Bourne wasn’t in the book. It turns out that The Bourne Legacy is nothing like that book at all! I enjoyed the movie. It is a very action packed, fast paced movie with a lot of fun chase scenes.
     
      Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Avengers, The Town, Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol) plays the new hero, Aaron Cross. Even though the story line is different then the book, it is a very good story line, and told well. Edward Norton (Fight Club, The Illusionist, Primal Fear, Rounders) plays Retired Col. Eric Byer, USAF. If you have read my other posts, you can’t miss how much I love Edward Norton. He is an amazingly talented man and I love his variety of roles. So of course he does a great job in this movie and I loved his role.

       It was so nice to see Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Fountain, Chain Reaction, The Lovely Bones).  I loved her in the Mummy movies and was so sad when they replaced her for the third. She is adorable and so talented. She did a great job as Dr. Marta Shearing, very believable and really pulled you in.  The life threatening lab scene was terrifying!  It was so intense and she played it so well. The chemistry between Jeremy and Rachel is very good. It was the subtle touches and eye contact that I really liked.  There is one moment where Marta reaches out and touches Aaron’s arm.  That one touch and that quick camera shot of it said so much.  They develop a real bond and a need for each other without it turning into a typical “bedroom scene”. There wasn’t even a kiss.  I kind of liked that because that has become such an easy way out for a romance movie. I know this isn’t a romance movie but if you know anything about Robert Ludlum, the author,  there is always a romance going on amongst all of the action.