This past Wednesday, I took the time to go to MoviE-Town to see the final installment of the critically acclaimed Bourne series, “The Bourne Legacy.” I was a huge fan of the first three movies that starred Matt Damon as a former CIA assassin that the government was attempting to eliminate. The first three movies in the series featured countless action-packed scenes with exhilarating special effects that left critics and viewers alike hanging on to the edge of their seats.
I had high hopes that “The Bourne Legacy” would be a fitting end to a movie series that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was not. I also had high hopes that Jeremy Renner, the actor who replaced Matt Damon for this final installment, would be able to successfully fill Damon’s shoes. Sadly, he did not.
So let me begin by saying that I would not recommend seeing this film. From the opening scene to the closing credits, it failed to differentiate itself from any of the previous three. It featured the same cat-and-mouse theme as “The Bourne Identity,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” and “The Bourne Ultimatum.” The movie was suspenseful, and it did have its fair share of breathtaking scenes with tremendous special effects, but this is something we should expect in any Hollywood action movie coming out in this day and age. I thought the level of intensity was consistent, but perhaps too consistent, which resulted in a complete lack of storytelling and character development throughout the entire film.
It really is a shame that the series had to end on this note. I did not think that this movie was even close to as good as any of the previous three, and it was absolutely not a fitting ending to the series for several reasons. In my personal opinion, I think they should have called it quits after the third film. This movie seemed like it was forced. I appreciated the intensity, the special effects and Renner’s high-flying acrobatics and athleticism, but I think that there are more well-polished, experienced actors fit for this particular genre of film. There were lots of surprises and things you would not expect at certain times throughout the movie. The only problem is, Renner’s character is running from the people who made him what he is. Sound familiar? Probably because it is literally the exact same storyline as the previous three films. You cannot simply replace Matt Damon for the final film in the series. It made it seem like they were just starting the series over when in actually, they were.
All in all, “The Bourne Legacy” was the exact same movie with a different actor. I was confused throughout the entire film as to what was going on because it completely lacked a plot. Scenes kept changing, leaving many questions unanswered. The ending was a disappointment as well. It really was not even an ending; the movie just kind of stopped. If you are going to force a fourth film in a legendary series, do not completely butcher the ending. All that did was ruin the series for me. All in all, this film was the exact same film with a different guy. I was not a fan, and I do not recommend seeing it. All ranting and raving aside, I will end by saying that if you are a fan of the previous three Bourne movies, save yourself the frustration and refrain from seeing this movie.