If this wasn't in the Bourne universe, then it would be alright

Rating: 7/10 (29 August 2012)

The previous Bourne films deviate from Ludlum's novels drastically, now there's a film without the franchise character.
Now I think Jeremy Renner is an excellent replacement for Matt Damon (picture the Team America puppet if you will). He's come a long way since SWAT and he's become this token action star. But even he couldn't bring virility to this poorly developed character.
Jason Bourne has become one of cinema's bad asses. He's incredibly skilled, resourceful, crafty and one hell of a hand to hand combatant. But what's really cool about him is how elusive he is and how he taunts the people on his tail.
You don't get that vibe at all with Aaron Cross. And I don't blame Renner at all, I blame the poor scriptwriting. Where in any of the three films did we see Bourne having a dependence on pills? Or unaware that he's been surrounded by local police without someone yelling it at him? And in the film he doesn't even interact with his handler, Ed Norton, apart from a flashback scene.
I knew they wanted not to make a carbon copy of Jason Bourne but Aaron Cross is a Treadstone assassin, you think you would be seeing some strong similarities. What ends up happening the whole time is that you see a cheap knock off of Bourne.
And the main problem is that it had to force in these scenes reminding us it takes place in the Bourne universe. It shows how Treadstone is being uncovered when the plot surrounding Aaron Cross is completely different. Had this Jason Bourne plot line been erased you still would have had a generic albeit good film about an assassin trying to escape certain death because his government program failed. That would've been good.
This movie is enjoyable but not memorable and it should keep Jeremy Renner's career fruitful. It ultimately suffers from the and gives into the pressure of its franchise.