Movies: The Bourne Legacy

Can you trust your government? Hollywood says: No! For years the dream factory has been making movies about people who`s life is threatened by their own government.  Take for instance  "Three Days of the Condor " (wikipedia) from 1975. This famous movie tells the story of a CIA employee who has to fight against his murderous colleagues.

The "Bourne" movies, which defined the action cinema of the last decade, have been advancing the "fear your government" topic. In these flicks a member of a clandestine US government organization, named Jason Bourne, played by Matt Damon, was hunted down by assassins employed by his own government. Remarkable is the use of satellites and other advanced technologies for an almost global video surveillance. It seems nothing can escape the eyes of "Big Brother".

"The Bourne Legacy", which is now running in the US cinemas (imdb), doesn`t have Bourne/Damon anymore, instead in this film the U.S. government is killing and hunting down a lot of other employees. Considering that there are hundreds of thousands of public employees in the US, the franchise could have a lot more forthcoming movies.

The hunt runs at different places in the US and goes even as far as to the Phillipines, with the massive help of local forces. This might sound a bit  implausible, but Washington DC has indeed a long and strong arm and has been using it.  For instance in 2009 Roman Polanski, a citizen of France, was temporarily  imprisoned in Switzerland  (!) at the request of U.S. authorities (wikipedia). The allegedly neutral government in Bern followed US instructions and the movie director has been hunted by US authorities for more than 30 years because of a sexual relationship with an underaged American girl in the 70s.

Anyway, the man hunt is entertaining and has at least one breathtaking scene. In particular the editors did a great job by cutting the furious action scenes, especially in crowded Manila. The cinematography also delivers some insights into the boiling life of a mega metropolis in an Asian emerging country.

The cast was well chosen. Even though I prefer Matt Damon I accept Jeremy Renner as the new hero of the "Bourne" franchise.  The actor plays a convincing game who is apt to defend himself. Edward Norton, whom I have been admiring for years, personifies a convincing vicious strategist. The sheer beauty of Rachel Weisz gives the movie more spice.

I`m looking forward to more Bourne thrillers and other well made political man hunt movies.