The Bourne Legacy (2012)

SPOILER WARNING!!! This post spoils movie The Bourne Legacy (2012).

I don't read that many books, but Robert Ludlum is one of my favourite authors. There was a time, when I couldn't get enough of his books. So far I have liked every tv or movie adaptions of his work. But this is not based on Robert Ludlum's book. There is a book called Bourne Legacy by another author, but this movie has nothing to do with it either. Movie doesn't have Jason Bourne. It is cashing on three previous Bourne films. That is only reason it was made. There are Matt Damon's pictures and Jason Bourne is mentioned several times. Other that that, this has very little to do with other Bourne films.

This operation is called Outcome. It has created genetically enhanced supersoldiers, who have to take their medication to survive. We later learn, that supersolders can be infected with virus, that stop their need to use medication. Because government agency wants to keep supersolders in short leash, they keep them dependent on medication. Operation Outcome is cancelled, because two main scientist appear together in Youtube video. That is too much for Edward Norton. He is some kind of manager of shady government agency, that is called Sin Eaters or something like that. They do immoral things, that are necessary and let others can have their hands clean. Telling more of them would have made movie more interesting. Now they are just shady government agency wanting to kill everyone. I call them Sin Eaters because I don't remember, if they had real name and Sin Eaters is only name I remember.

Yes, they want to kill everyone involved to operation Outcome. All agents, all scientist, everyone, who worked for operation Outcome. Sin Eaters doesn't want the press to get interested of operation Outcome. I don't understand, how staged suicides, conveniently timed heart attacks, killing reporters and work place killing spree stop press' interest to what is happening. But maybe that is just me. Killing scientist doesn't make much sense. They were hired because of their skills and their commitment. Now they are killed for one Youtube video. Breaking the team and sending them to another projects would have been more intelligent choice. That way you keep their knowledge and don't have to hire new people.

One agent and one scientist survives the killing. They go hiding and try to cure agent from medicine dependency. We have again one ex-agent and woman running away from shady government agency. Because this is only inspired by Robert Ludlum, you can't expect interesting story or any twists. There is one "twist". There are another operations, which make even more controlled agents. That was thrown into mix, because ending needed another supersolder and every supersolder of operation Outcame was killed earlier. Every character is one dimensional and nobody grows during the movie. There are no internal struggles or anything. Woman scientist have scene, where she doesn't know what she should do. Everyone else just do their things without too much thinking. Movie doesn't explain character's motivations. Beginning is hard to follow because you don't know anything. When you get hang on what is going on, you can see where this is going to and there will not be any surprises.

It is shame that story kills this movie. Everything else has more potential. Edward Norton was miscasted. He is good actor, but he was not suitable for his role. Part of blame goes to story, which didn't give him much to work with. There will be another Bourne movie. Based on what I could find, it will be sequel to this movie. It could be another Bourne movie without Jason Bourne. If that is the case, will we see Matt Damon's pictures and do characters talk what Jason Bourne is doing elsewhere like in this movie?