Bourne Legacy, The

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Entertainment: +2

Content: -4

Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton. Directed by Tony Gilroy.

FILM SYNOPSIS: To become an elite government operative, a man hands himself over to the same agency that birthed the likes of Jason Bourne, but he's eventually forced to go on the run.

PREVIEW REVIEW: It’s difficult for a film reviewer to critique an action film such as the Bourne films. A lot of money has been poured into the production values and by now, Hollywood knows how to do chase films. Those involved, from the stunt people to the CGI wizards, are the best at their craft. So, you really don’t need a critic for today’s chase film, other than to provide the reason for the content.

Suffice it to say, The Bourne Legacy is one long chase, highlighted by lots of martial arts battles, lots of gunfire and explosions, and, of course, lots of obscenity to help the actors emote.

Jeremy Renner (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) doesn’t play the same role as Matt Damon, but he is a clone, able to out-shoot, out-run and out neck-break any and all pursuers, be they the bag-guy operatives out to “close him down” or the innocent city cops who think he’s a terrorist. Life has little value in this film and although the male and female leads do much to keep us hooked into the nonsensical storyline, this is merely a film aimed at revving the testosterone levels.

It’s just a little over two hours, yet it seemed longer. That’s strange for a film that’s going over the speed limit all the time.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Universal

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: None

Obscene Language: Five or six obscenities, mostly the s-word there to punctuate the actors’ frustration or fear.

Profanity: Five profanities, mostly the use of Jesus’ name as an expletive, uttered by the two leads and others.

Violence: Wall-to-wall violence, with point-blank shootings by a man who goes on a murder spry; jolting explosions, rat-a-tat-tat shootings, brutal beatings, orchestrated by a covert CIA-like organization bent on killing one of its own. Some blood, like all these action films, the lead is a combo of James Bond, MacGyver and Superman; he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

Sex: Mostly the two good looking leads run and shoot, not a lot of time left over for intimate relations.

Nudity: None

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: None

Drugs: None, other than what the operatives have been injected with in order to keep them under control by their slimy bosses.

Other: None

Running Time: 135 minutes
Intended Audience: Older teens and up.

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