The Bourne Legacy - Part 1

[Schlosser85]

Legacy's problems weren't the cast's fault. Renner was really stuck in a thankless position.

 

[TheVileOne]

Legacy's problems weren't the cast's fault. Renner was really stuck in a thankless position.

Why weren't they his fault? I did not care about his character at all.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

He was asked to be a low rent Bourne by a director with not much experience, who clearly didn't understand what made Greengrass' films work so well.

Why did they hand the franchise to Gilroy anyhow? Did every experienced director turn them down or something?

 

[Schlosser85]

I think anyone playing a lead not named Jason Bourne in a movie with Bourne in the title took a ****** job in the first place.

 

[Schlosser85]

I'm not a big Renner fan, I find him kind of dull and uncharismatic, but I don't think Legacy with a different actor and the same script would have been all that much better.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I'm not a big Renner fan, I find him kind of dull and uncharismatic, but I don't think Legacy with a different actor and the same script would have been all that much better.

I think this is a fair assessment and I agree with every single word.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Why did they hand the franchise to Gilroy anyhow? Did every experienced director turn them down or something?

He was willing? Someone at the studio wrongly thought his scripts mattered? It isn't unknown that Greengrass and Damon weren't exactly the biggest fans of his scripts and that they took them apart to come of with their two excellent films together.

 

[TheVileOne]

To be fair, Gilroy was one of the architects of the franchise. He was credited on all three movies. His directorial debut Michael Clayton was also well received.

I'm not a big Renner fan, I find him kind of dull and uncharismatic, but I don't think Legacy with a different actor and the same script would have been all that much better.

I agree, and I think that's his fault. He did not draw me in to the Aaron Cross character.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Why weren't they his fault? I did not care about his character at all.

You can thank Gilroy for that. What was the point of making him a half-assed Bourne, telling a story that doesn't matter, running alongside a story people actually care about?

 

[Schlosser85]

At first I found it odd how much more tedious Legacy's script was considering it had the same screenwriter as every other Bourne movie, but if what you say is true and Damon/Greengrass did a lot of tweaking of Gilroy's earlier scrips, that makes sense.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

At first I found it odd how much more tedious Legacy's script was considering it had the same screenwriter as every other Bourne movie, but if what you say is true and Damon/Greengrass did a lot of tweaking of Gilroy's earlier scrips, that makes sense.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/matt-damon-bourne-identity-tony-gilroy-275137

This talks about the stuff that went down with Damon and Gilroy, Damon accusing Gilroy of delivering an "unreadable" script, and Greengass' preference for an "ever-evolving" script during shooting.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

He was willing? Someone at the studio wrongly thought his scripts mattered? It isn't unknown that Greengrass and Damon weren't exactly the biggest fans of his scripts and that they took them apart to come of with their two excellent films together.

Yes that explanation makes sense and more importantly he did direct Michael Clayton as Vile just pointed out. Honestly I forgot all these little details but you guys reminding me shows that this trainwreck was probably unavoidable. The whole set up actually looks good on paper. The only thing they didn't factor is that Damon and Greengrass were the real men behind the curtain.

 

[Octoberist]

I don't think Legacy was an awful film. I liked Renner as an actor and I think he was just limited with the role he had. The problem with Aaron Cross was how reckless he was; maybe it's a good contrast between him and Bourne, but Bourne often does not KILL and he's always looks out for innocent civilians. I remember in Ultimatium, Jason created a makeshift bomb and he causally push a bystander out of the way of the explosion. It's stuff like that where you can root for him.

Aaron Cross was on a murdering spree. He was pretty much killing innocent guards who have no idea who Cross is. They're just doing their jobs.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I watched Bourne Legacy in a hotel room recently.

I actually enjoyed it and consider it slightly underrated.

But I do enjoy Jason Bourne's "I don't know how good I am until I'm in danger" schtick better.

 

[Octoberist]

It's not as horrible as people are saying it is. It IS a desperate and cynical cash in yes, but at least it's not lowbrow crap. But it does feature a 12 year old ID photo of Matt Damon every five seconds.

 

[Schlosser85]

It's not terrible, it's just mediocre and not as good as the other 3, and calling a movie Bourne without having Bourne just makes it seem like a cheat.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Exactly. It should have been called UnBourne or something.

 

[Octoberist]

That is a cheat indeed. I thought Oscar Isaac's character was wasted (In fact he was the one the directed wanted as the lead but Universal said nay.)

 

[Schlosser85]

That is a cheat indeed. I thought Oscar Isaac's character was wasted (In fact he was the one the directed wanted as the lead but Universal said nay.)

I had no idea Isaac was in Legacy until you brought it up, but now Googling him from the movie and remembering who he is (which shows how much impression he made), yea he was wasted.

One of the drawbacks in Legacy diluting tension was that they didn't give Cross any adversary like Clive Owen or Karl Urban. He just fought regular cops and some bland assassins who weren't anything special.

Even the one-scene hitmen in Identity and Supremacy who weren't even the "main" opponent, like the one in Paris in Identity or Marton Csokas in Supremacy, seemed way more dangerous than anyone in Legacy.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Well, he had Edward Norton sitting in an office looking at computer screens and being evil.

 

[Octoberist]

I had no idea Isaac was in Legacy until you brought it up, but now Googling him from the movie and remembering who he is (which shows how much impression he made), yea he was wasted.

One of the drawbacks in Legacy diluting tension was that they didn't give Cross any adversary like Clive Owen or Karl Urban. He just fought regular cops and some bland assassins who weren't anything special.

Even the one-scene hitmen in Identity and Supremacy who weren't even the "main" opponent, like the one in Paris in Identity or Marton Csokas in Supremacy, seemed way more dangerous than anyone in Legacy.

What about the asian dude with the nice white suit. He was styling!

 

[Schlosser85]

Well, he had Edward Norton sitting in an office looking at computer screens and being evil.

Speaking of wasted...

 

[Octoberist]

Edward was in 'I must say every word in a very articulate and calculating Julia Roberts kinda of way' mode.

 

[Schlosser85]

What was with the random gray hair too. It was like he or someone else thought he wouldn't be so generic if he colored his hair.

 

[Rowsdower!]

He also looked like he hadn't slept in a year.