Film Review: A ‘Bourne Legacy’ of its own

Is “The Bourne Legacy” a stand-alone film? Or the fourth entry in the Bourne trilogy? Or the first entry in a second Bourne trilogy? A little bit of each, actually. (Frankly, I was hoping for a prequel: “Bourne Yesterday.”)

It’s been 10 years since “The Bourne Identity” made Matt Damon an action star. Reliable airport-rack bestseller Robert Ludlum wrote three novels about the character, so “The Bourne Supremacy” (2004) and “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007) were duly turned into films. There was at least some sense of resolution in “Ultimatum,” but the economics of the situation apparently demanded that yet another one be made. Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton”), who wrote or co-wrote the three films, returns and takes over the directorial reins from Paul Greenglass (who took over from Doug Liman) as well.

If you really have the convoluted plots of the earlier films (or, at least, of “Ultimatum”) committed to memory, you’ll instantly realize that the time frame of the new film overlaps with “Ultimatum.” If, like me, you could just barely follow the films’ stories at the time — let alone remember details after five years — you are likely to wonder why the reporter played by Paddy Considine is getting murdered a second time in the very same manner. And why we’re constantly being teased with dialogue like “Jason Bourne is in New York!” and occasional pictures of Damon (who never shows up). Luckily, almost every one of the relevant cast returns, so there isn’t any need for surrogates.

In any case, the overlap is how the filmmakers — hoping they’ll get yet more water from the Ludlum well — make a gentle transition from Damon’s Bourne to Jeremy Renner’s Adam Cross, the presumptive hero of films to come. The first half-hour or so intercuts three threads that eventually come together: one is the national security panic that links to “Ultimatum”; another involves the only-following-orders Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), who manages to survive when everyone connected to Project Treadstone (or is it Project Outcome?) is slaughtered; and, finally, there is Cross, a guinea pig in Outcome (or is it Treadstone?), who has had his IQ slightly raised and his physical abilities way enhanced by taking green and blue (or is it red?) pills.

Because these pills — which have to do with targeted genetic recoding (or something) — allow him to be supernaturally resourceful, Cross manages to dodge killer drones in the wilderness, get to Washington, find out what’s happening, and track down Shearing, the only one at Project O, or T, who was ever nice to him. His timing is so perfect that he saves her from yet another liquidation attempt. With the world’s most sophisticated technology focused on locating them, these two crazy kids head out on the Road to Manila, which suggests a Bing Crosby/Bob Hope movie with the jokes taken out.

Most of the many chases are quite exciting, despite being about as plausible as James Bond action from the debased “Moonraker” era. As a replacement for Damon, Renner has the appropriate intensity to seem more Daniel Craig than Roger Moore. Weisz is terrifically engaging; and the many fine actors in the rest of the cast shout and bustle around appropriately. Gilroy shoots the action in the same sort of hand-held style as the Greengrass films, so, if your stomach has problems with shakycam, you should proceed with caution.

ANDY KLEIN is the film critic for Marquee. He can also be heard on “FilmWeek” on KPCC-FM (89.3).