The Bourne Legacy (2012) - Movie Review

Of the four Bourne movies this is my second favorite. Only because it doesn't have Matt Damon or Julia Stiles. However, to make up for it not starring Matt Damon they brought in Jeremy Renner. The director and producers didn't bring Renner in as a replacement of Matt Damon. Matt Damon decided that if Paul Greengrass wasn't the director on this movie that he wouldn't be in it. Tony Gilroy directed Legacy, so the producers were forced to go in a different direction. They did so by bringing in a new character, Aaron Cross.

Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner, is similar to Jason Bourne. He is an agent of the CIA, black-ops kind of stuff. However, Aaron suffers from a learning disability. Well, at least his alter ego does.

Again I have to list my favorite scenes. The first is Aaron removing the tracking beacon from his hip. He lures a wolf in and forces the beacon down the wolf's throat. The wolf takes off in one direction, Aaron in another. Unfortunately for the wolf, with the beacon in it's stomach, a guided missile blows it to smithereens. After this scene Aaron gets to a small airport and steals an airplane.

My next favorite scene is when Aaron saves Dr. Marta Shearing (played by Rachel Weisz) from being taken out by a CIA assassination squad. He kills each member of the squad and then helps Marta to burn her house down with the bodies still inside before escaping through the woods to an awaiting car.

I of course like the chase scenes in Manila. They are separated only by a few minutes but they should considered a continuous chase scene. The first part is of Marta running away from Manila Police and Aaron running along the rooftops in order to catch her and save her. Which he does. The second part is when another assassin, only referred to as LARX #3, chases both Aaron and Marta through the streets of Manila on motorcycles.

I would still choose Jason Bourne over Aaron Cross. I would also choose Julia Stiles over Rachel Weisz. Although, I do have to admit to having crushes on both Julia and Rachel. I can do that, can't I?

Anyway, I give this 10 stars out of 10.