The franchise is out of steam

Rating: 3/10 (27 July 2016)

The Bourne Legacy works more as a spin off to the successful Bourne trilogy using events from Supremacy and Ultimatum to inform the developments in this film. The story focuses on Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), a super soldier in a secret CIA training camp up in Alaska. While the CIA tries to clean up its mess through Col. Eric Byer (Edward Norton), they begin feeding their soldiers in the field poisonous pills. For a brief time, Cross encounters another soldier (Oscar Isaac) and is pursued by drones.
The addition of the U.S.'s preferred means of engagement in flying drones enhances the action to a modern level but somehow, this spin off still falls short. Scott Glenn reprises his role as the CIA official Ezra Kramer scrambling to cover up the damage caused by Jason Bourne. The pacing is a bit off with short scenes of action and convoluted story that tries to recap the first three films and set up the new plot. A new senior official lurking in the shadows Adm Mark Turso (Stacy Keach) heads the cover-up operation.
The scientists behind the program get involved including Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), who witnesses an awful mass murder playing off other horrific current events. The movie also pauses to inform us of the backstory through flashbacks, which stalls the fast-paced nature viewers expect from a Bourne film. Corey Stoll also shows up as agent Zev Vendel, a minor role prior to his rise to fame to the point of a Marvel villain.
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