The Bourne Legacy

I went to the cinema having no expectations at all. I’ll tell you just how clueless I am  — I thought Renner was playing Jason Bourne (HAHA) Not only that, I kept calling him Hawkeye all throughout the film.

🙂

Earlier that day, I’ve read a couple of tweets and FB posts that some people didn’t like the movie, but some people do. So I wanted to see it for myself. And the verdict is…

I did like it. I was pretty surprised myself that I ended up liking the movie, maybe I was expecting worse. It was a good movie. I honestly can’t think of a single negative thing to say about it. If there is one — it ended too soon. It kinda leaves you hanging like: “That’s it?” I want more!

I get why some people didn’t appreciate the movie that much  — Matt Damon is not there. Move on people, seriously. Matt, for whatever reason, decided not to do the movie. End of story. Jeremy Renner did an awesome job, give him a chance. I thought his acting was strong and compelling, just plain bravo.

Renner played Aaron Cross who is also an agent, just like Jason Bourne. In this film, their program is being terminated; thus killing all genetically enhanced soldiers, called Outcome. Since they each are dependent on a green pill that enhances physical abilities and a blue pill that enhances mental abilities, Eric Byer (played by Edward Norton) ordered to replace all blues and greens with a single yellow one which kills them automatically.

“Edward Norton?!” I didn’t know he’s in this film. No idea.

(Better read the summary in Wikipedia, I can’t include everything here.)

The plot wasn’t overly complicated compared to the other Bourne films. That statement might be positive or negative, depends on you. Actually, this doesn’t feel like a Bourne film at all. That too, could be good or bad. Again, depends on you.

I told my movie buddy, “wouldn’t it be nice to see Manila in the big screen? Let’s go watch it!” And to my delight, the Manila scenes were awesome. Eventhough they shot mostly in depressed areas, I did get the feel that I thought they wanted to convey. Two strangers lost in a foreign land, with only each other for comfort. Nice.

I heard some fellow Filipinos were quite unhappy since the movie showed the ‘ugly side’ of the Philippines — slums and all. I’d like to tell them to grow up and stop being so narrow-minded. Just be thankful that Manila is featured in a major Hollywood film. And didn’t you see that the filmmakers tried to showcase  Filipino hospitality? What about the gorgeous shot in Palawan at the end?

Side Story: one of my friends was an extra on this film. She did tell me that she’s one of the “reactors” at the EDSA chase scene. What’s a reactor? that was my question as well. She goes. “you know, you just gotta react.” Funny. So when the chase scene was on, I was like, “Jean? was that Jean right there?” hahaha…

Again, I was side-trailed…

Going back to my review, if you judge it as an individual film, by itself it’s good. Now is it a good Bourne film? That’s arguable. The feel is quite different. I think it’s the editing. At the start it’s all establishing scenes — snow, guns, guys in suits, wolves — you won’t quite get yet what’s going on. Then it slowly starts making sense as the movie progresses, which I think is a fresh way of story-telling. But it might not work for others.

I remember telling my movie buddy, “the people behind this movie knows what their doing.” For I think they have successfully showed us what they wanted to, the way they wanted to.

Some say a movie is good if it’s debatable. In this case that may be true.

The last scene on the boat was quite nice; It’s got that Pirates-of-the-Carribean feel  to it. I kinda wish there’s a part 2. If there is, does it mean it’s gonna start in Palawan?

=)

Just wanted to share this article:

‘BOURNE’ ACTRESS AWED BY PALAWAN: “I CAN LIVE IN PALAWAN FOREVER”

P.S. I just went to Palawan last February and the waters look better in person than it is on film. So beautiful indeed. Cheers.