Review - The Bourne Legacy

 At the Theater- The Bourne Legacy -

Director and Co-Scripter Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, which I loved and Duplicity, which I hated) shows a firm grasp on the franchise- he co-scripted all three of the previous Bourne films and provides a familiar, comfortable feel to the proceedings right from the get-go with his first Directorial gig for the series.  There's dashes of exciting action and tense drama throughout- the only thing that might be a problem for some viewers is a possible feeling of "sameness" to the "agent on the run from Big Brother" storyline.  I felt it was well written, craftily Directed and filmed (thank goodness for an absolute minimum of shaky-cam this time) with some fine acting from Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town, "Hawkeye" in this year's Avengers) and Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, Constantine).  That said, it would help to have seen the other Bourne films for the sake of clarity.

Taking place simultaneously with the events in The Bourne Ultimatum, Jeremy Renner's "Aaron Cross" (the new protagonist here) is the result of a different strain of the secretive Government operative experiment known as "Treadstone" than that of the "Jason Bourne" character- he, as well as several other genetically enhanced "Operation Outcome" agents are enhanced, and subsequently kept in check, by vital medications. "Cross" must not only evade countless authorities and other operatives after the program is ditched, but he must deal with the conflict of where his next dosages will come from once he's cut off and on the run. 

Renner's "Aaron Cross"/"Ken Kitsom" is a likable enough character that audiences should easily find some level of empathy for- he's a talented actor that will be featured in a host of other films over the next couple of years.  He's the "flavor of the moment" and with good reason. He's put himself in excellent shape for the role and believability is never an issue as he's kicking the Hell out of a host of pursuers of various sorts.

Rachel Weisz (in a solidly-written role) provides a surprisingly strong, fleshed out co-star here as a Doctor/Scientist (on the run herself) helping Cross put the pieces together and confront his chemical dependency dilemma.  There's some degree of "Damsel in Distress" with her character, but never enough to be annoying and she really comes through in the clutch.  Weisz is also prettier here than I've seen her in quite some time...

Fans of Edward Norton (The Illusionist, The Score) might be displeased to find that the actor spends the entirety of his screen-time relegated to directing traffic and assassins at "command central".  He's serviceable in the role, though not particularly memorable- I wish he had been given more to do here.

Oscar Isaac (Drive, Robin Hood 2010) portrays a fellow "Outcome" operative that crosses paths with Renner/Cross, while Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Albert Finney and Scott Glenn's characters return for what would amount to about 30 seconds of cameo time combined.  Stacy Keach makes a couple of brief appearances- goodness, he's looking old...

There's only a couple of photos of Matt Damon's "Jason Bourne" floating about on various monitors here and there- that's the full extent of the actor's participation.

This entry in the franchise provides a more spacious, scenic approach, with the  majority of the first act taking place in the Alaskan wilderness- scenes where our hero squares off against wolves (no discernible CGI used here, and that's highly commendable) and a couple of ill-intentioned Predator drones are particularly entertaining.

A rather exciting, climactic motorcycle chase (featuring a few too many possible, but highly improbable stunts for my tastes) left several audience members clapping with the demise of an Uber-henchman (I felt his introduction at the eleventh hour didn't allow enough time or depth to really build an appropriate amount of hate for his character, but I got the point).  I feel compelled to point out that there's a particularly unsettling scene involving a madman shooting several of his laboratory co-workers that might trouble those sensitive souls given the rash of recent real-life events.

This movie is a rather lengthy affair (135 minutes- the longest of the four films) but is decidedly involving and moves rather briskly. Fans of the Damon/Bourne Trilogy shouldn't be disappointed, the franchise appears to be in capable hands.

And yes, Moby's "Extreme Ways" plays at the film's conclusion.

Recommended.

8.0

The Bourne Identity         8.5
The Bourne Supremacy        8.5
The Bourne Ultimatum        8.0

Review- Hope Springs

At the Theater- Hope Springs - It's an often hilarious and surprisingly intelligent Dramedy featuring truly outstanding performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep.  The duo are golden as a married couple of 31 years looking to rekindle their stalled relationship by attending a week-long counseling session hosted by a prominent therapist (Steve Carrell).  It's one of the better written and directed comedies of the last decade, rich in character development and smart enough to let a couple of screen legends do what they do best.

Jones and Streep each deserve some high acclaim for their performances here- we should hear quite a bit about them with this upcoming awards season. The give and take between the two during their sessions runs the gamut of emotions- it's rare that older actors have such an opportunity to work with solid material in high-profile theatrical films.  It's a sign of the times and that's a true shame. 

Steve Carrell is rather subdued here- it's appropriate for the role and proves without a doubt that he's far, far more talented than most other comedic actors working today.  Elizabeth Shue (still very sexy) makes a painfully brief but poignant appearance as a bartendress while Mimi Rogers has a cameo of less than 10 seconds.

It's Highly Recommended and is my current Drama/Comedy pick of the year- It's touching and resonant and would make a great companion piece to films like It's Complicated and Something's Got To Give.

 For those interested, there's no good reason not to see it.

8.5 out of 10

Review- Total Recall (2012)

At the Theater - Total Recall (2012) - Although I had a host of little issues with this remake, it's an acceptably entertaining, FX heavy Sci-Fi Actioner that should prove passable to fans of the genre.  Essentially a slick, big-budgeted chase film, it's sorely devoid of any true tension or sense of humor (qualities that the original admittedly possessed, to varying degrees). It only bears a passing resemblance to the original- which is both a good and a bad thing...

I wasn't the biggest fan of 1990's Total Recall- The Paul Verhoeven Directed vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger was littered with logistical problems (a group of soldiers encircles and fires fully automatic weapons into what turns out to be Arnie's hologram, yet none of the soldiers hit one another) and goofiness galore (the eyeball popping reaction to Mars's atmosphere) that I just couldn't force myself to accept as quality entertainment. Verhoeven's brash Directorial style and satirical approach worked rather well in 1987's Robocop but seemed rather stale and corny for films like Total Recall and Starship Troopers- 2 guilty pleasures, at best.

Star Colin Farrell can't quite muster a dynamic presence (a problem I believe has hounded the star for most of his career, but was NEVER an issue with Arnold)- he's a capable everyman, but is merely passable as an action star. Perhaps it's just not in his DNA...

Kate Beckinsale is as tan and as sexy as ever throughout while Jessica Biel is cute but rather pale and haggard- I'm thinking Director Len Wiseman (the Director of the first two Underworld films and Beckinsale's real-life husband) manipulated the situation accordingly.  A fight scene between the two lookers is serviceable but ultimately a missed opportunity- it was something that should have been treated as a highly memorable event but you'll probably end up forgetting it fairly quickly. That said, the two women are surprisingly spry and athletically game throughout.  How Beckinsale's villainess is eventually dealt with feels a bit lackluster and tacked on.

Bryan Cranston (AMC's Breaking Bad) is the woefully underwritten main villain here- he's a good character actor that seems inherently out of place. Bill Nighy fans will be very disappointed to find that he has a mere few minutes of screen-time.  Other faces you may recognize; Bokeem Woodbine as our protagonist's co-worker and confidant with John Cho (the Harold & Kumar films) making a brief appearance as the host of the memory-implanting Rekall service.

This PG-13 rated film is relatively bloodless (the original had several flat-out gory sequences) and there's only one scene with brief nudity (a three breasted hooker flashes the goods, like the original). This particular film has jettisoned the Mars setting (remaining entirely Earthbound) and dropped the mutant aspect to the "resistance" featured so prominently in the 1990 film- making the three-breasted hooker a bit of a head scratcher...

The cityscape designs and set pieces, while visually impressive, appear to have been patterned after those featured in BladeRunner and The Fifth Element.  There's a host of very cool, futuristic gadgets, weaponry and vehicles throughout, including some kick-ass costume/suit designs of the film's human, as well as robotic, Police force.  The action and chase sequences are competently staged and filmed.  That said, and this might be perceived as nitpicking, this film features more lens flares than I've seen in any one film since 1988's Die Hard- it's just plain annoying and serves no purpose whatsoever here.

It's not what it could have been, but it's better than most of the remakes that Hollywood is dumping off of the assembly line these days.  It's a slightly better than average popcorn muncher that would make a nice double-feature companion piece to Michael Bay's The Island.

 7.0 out of 10

Review- The Expendables 2

At the Theater - The Expendables 2 - Much like it's predecessor, this sequel is good old-fashioned, bombastic, dumb fun- I liked the *Director's cut of the original a bit more, but this outing actually fulfills it's promise of getting the action Legends together in extended action sequences.  It was super-cool and quite the crowd-pleaser to finally see Sly, Bruno and Arnie, side by side by side, mowing down countless bad guys in a climactic airport gun battle- it definitely put a smile on my face.

Sylvester Stallone can still command presence and chew scenery with the best of them- even if he is a bit more stiff-necked than usual.  Schwarzenegger is appropriately weathered and still as willing as ever to poke fun at himself- it feels right to have him back in movies again. Willis is as game as ever- I wish he'd get back to more straightforward action fare as far as his individual career is concerned.  It's easy to see that all three of these guys are good friends- it translates well onscreen.

Jean-Claude Van Damme does his damnedest to steal the movie playing the film's main villain (aptly named "Vilain")- he appears to be having a ball in a rare theatrical release. Perhaps he thought that he better make the most of the opportunity...

Jason Statham takes more of backseat in this entry, though he has his adequate share of little moments sprinkled about. Dolph Lundgren is still weird here, but somehow more likable. Terry Crews and Randy Couture return, providing ample comic relief.  Liam Hemsworth is the newest Expendable, a baby-faced sniper, while Scott Adkins is Van Damme's right hand henchman.  Jet Li has little more than an extended cameo, leaving the film fairly early in the first act.  Mickey Rourke's "Tool" isn't featured in this sequel, nor is his character even mentioned. 

Nan Yu is treated as a token female here, she doesn't really get to flex her stuff. Charisma Carpenter returns in a quick cameo as Statham's super-sexy hoochie mama- I would have paid another ticket price to have seen her in a bikini...

Chuck Norris pops up out of nowhere a couple of times to help save the day, even going so far as to provide one of those funny "Chuck Norris facts" that have proven so popular across the net.  I'm glad he joined in and it's cool to see him again.

Complaints; there's a few too many gaudy CG-assisted blood splatters (a problem that marred the first installment) for my taste, and a couple of highly improbable sequences should have been rewritten with more attention given to detail and logic.  Why would a v-plow be mounted to the rear of a assault vehicle, necessitating it to be driven in reverse to get any kind of usage out of it?  Furthermore, I'm not so sure that a world-class sniper can get 6 accurate, long-distance shots off with a Barrett rifle in under 1.5 seconds.  The musical selections are a little off here, some seem awkward and out of place given the onscreen proceedings...

Fans of the legitimate action stars (and their films) of the mid 1980's through the mid 1990's should find this to be one heckuva treat- even if it's not quite as polished as one might have hoped.  It's filled with high-octane action and a host of one liners- some sequences work, others don't.  That said, I'd rather watch 10 more of these films before I'd watch another Christopher Nolan Batman movie...

8.0 out of 10

FWIW-

The Expendables 7.5 out of 10
*The Expendables:  Extended Director's Cut - 8.0