Old franchises never die. They just get rebooted, re-imagined, re-cast or re-“Bourne.”
Matt Damon’s first two “Bourne” adventures were a breath of fresh air for a stale action genre, even if they helped bring the Shaky Cam Era into the 21st century. But that third installment, 2007’s “The Bourne Ultimatum,” made it clear the franchise needed to end.
Nuthin’ doing. Hollywood simply found a new actor to take over.
Jeremy Renner, the steely presence in “The Town” and “The Hurt Locker,” officially becomes the face of the franchise in this summer’s “The Bourne Legacy.”
No Damon, no worries if this clip is any indication. But we’re still looking for a reason to keep the franchise alive.
The new film finds another amnesia patient (Renner) who gets involved in a government program that reeks of inappropriate behavior. That’s being kind, and we’ll have to wait and see if the film offers up some sucker punches to conservative crowds.
For now, let’s enjoy the sublime supporting cast – franchise newbies Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz plus returnees Albert Finney, Joan Walsh, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn.
“Bourne” screenwriter Tony Gilroy takes over behind the camera, and while the trailer seems too pleased with its black bar visuals we don’t see as much hand-held camera works as in past installments.
That’s a relief. If you’re going to reboot a franchise, it’s high time to bring a new visual approach to the material.