A worthy addition to the Bourne series

Rating: 9/10 (10 August 2012)

I went into the Bourne Legacy with no expectations whatsoever. The critics' review of the film were so all over the place that I had no idea whether I would be royally entertained or bitterly disappointed. In the event, I was royally entertained. I loved the intricate backstory explaining how Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) came to be such a super warrior and the complications that came with it. I thought Renner's work here was the best he has done since his memorable performance in The Hurt Locker.
The film's production values could hardly have been higher. I gave high marks to its colorful locations, fine cinematography, and brilliant ensemble cast. The producers took care to cast fine actors such as David Strathairn and Elizabeth Marvel in small roles. As usual, Rachel Weisz was marvelous, although I barely recognized her at first. It appears that she has had some cosmetic surgery, which, while leaving her still beautiful, changed her looks. No matter, she was still fine.
After the, to me at least, very interesting exposition of the background of the Outcome subjects, the movie shifted into high gear, with heart stopping chases, on both foot and motorcycle, through the streets of Manilla.
Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross in The Bourne Legacy is a worthy successor to Matt Damon's Jason Bourne in The Bourne Trilogy. 8 Stars out of 10.