Ravishing Renner runs the show, but does he do too much running? Wander what Matt Damon would think?

Rating: 6/10 (27 September 2012)

Ten years on from Jason Bourne's lucrative appearance on the big screen starring Matt Damon, the biological experiment's "legacy" lives on through the pursuit of Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner). Renner spends his time chasing multiple colours of pills for revival and survival whilst effectively being hunted by the organisation that implanted his enhancements into him. Although Renner has become a convincing protagonist since his major onset in Hurt Locker, regrettably the Bourne franchise will not be acquainted from the actions of Aaron Cross. The criterion of Bourne has formerly been set. It's a paradigm that audiences therefore only relate to Damon's unique, unparalleled and instrumental trilogy, energising and pulsating us with what is seen as the contender to James Bond (debatably, the ordeal that influenced 007's modification).
Tony Gilroy's extension to the original trilogy is impressive, but way off the pace. Gilroy's (a writer on the previous three Damon projects) intelligence of scientific jargon and terminology in the screenplay is quite remarkable, leaving us flabbergasted, having to refer to GCSE science in remembrance of how to use a test-tube. The camera works tirelessly to keep up with the action with an impressive chase sequence in the slums and a heart-stopping shoot-out in a highly secured laboratory. But, unsurprisingly when re-awakening the beast, Renner's character suffers from following in the footsteps of the already acclaimed Bourne. A feat, unquestionably too difficult to emulate. Cross' flashbacks reveal torment and struggle but rarely fulfil those experienced by the original agony felt by Bourne. Bourne had a sense of purpose, to discover and to reveal the darkness behind those who implanted him with a chip in his carcass and crimson palms. Bourne felt pure agony, denial, languishing from post to post; Cross enters a game of cat and mouse with the odd reflection on his past that seems a little less persuasive in conjunction to Damon's finest outings. Although there is some coherence between the original franchise and Gilroy's attempt at following on from the Bourne legacy, the movies' action sequences seem to overemphasise the 21st century's love for fast shoes and blazing bullets instead of concentrating on the foundation that was created by the novel Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum.
The film's course runs with smooth adequacy with small bullets of action fulfilling Gilroy's extremely tense motive with this outing. The relationship between Renner and Rachel Weisz is particularly eye catching with plenty of emotion and intelligence, accompanied with complete understanding of each others needs and responsibilities, after a fragment of wobbling never mind. Visually Gilroy's emulation is spot on with high flying activities, but undoubtedly Cross needs to be given purpose if he is to follow in the footsteps of his counterpart.