Tony Gilroy's Bourne Legacy - High Adrenaline Spectacle

Tony Gilroy’s “Bourne Legacy” follows the events that transpired after Operation Blackbriar (“Bourne Ultimatum”) has been unraveled. As a result, the C.I.A. had to scrap “Project Outcome”, a covert operation that produces genetically enhanced agents. Since this shut down is essential to the integrity of the C.I.A., everyone associated with the creation of these agents, including the scientists at Sterisyn Morlanta responsible for these color-coded medications has to be eradicated. Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) escapes the wanton annihilation of her colleagues with the help of Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), the lone surviving agent who unwittingly escaped the scavenger hunt a.k.a. the assassination plot. Before this, Marta's only known Aaron as "Number 5", having seen him only 13x (during his physical examinations) in the last 4 years. Marta flies to Canada (her sister lives there) with Aaron, but operatives are hot on their trail. Trouble further ensues because Aaron is running out of medication, and the only way to outwit their enemies was to remain physically strong and mentally astute – characteristics provided by the drug. While most of the drugs have been decimated, a “raw material” plant is still operational. Where? At the other side of the world – in frenzied Manila!

Aaron and Marta lose themselves in the underbelly of the great metropolis, staying in a decrepit apartment in a squatter’s shack. But while they manage to get hold of the drug and infuse it on Aaron, they’ve been tracked! Soon, they find themselves - once again - running for dear life, navigating the congested thoroughfares of Manila, hopping on creaky roofs of rundown shanties, sliding through colonial stairways of a riverside. Will they succeed to get away?

There’s no denying the entertainment quotient of this breakaway narrative strain. In fact, it’s a cut above other action flicks in terms of cinematic exigency and realism. It takes on former “Bourne” director Paul Greengrass’ kinetic energy; the constant heart-pounding mobility fuels the attention of the audience. There’s hardly a smudge of computer-generated effect, thus we palpably join the protagonists as they are being chased all over the Philippines.

The story isn’t seamless. Why annihilate a perfectly useful group of “almost” super humans? I can think of a hundred uses for them. Send them to Syria to bring down a dictator. Fly them to Patikul, Iligan, Cotabato where bandits eschew ideology as convenient smokescreen for human and property pilferage. Transport them to China so they can stop the usurpers from claiming lands too far from their country. See? They have urgent uses. Besides, isn’t it a waste of tax payer’s money to just eradicate a whole program of super agents? Why does the CIA kill their own like they’re merely swatting flies? The logic behind the assassinations doesn’t quite take.

Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz enjoy a chemistry that allows their scenes to rankle with pulsating energy. Forget Jason Bourne and that cute guy named Matt Damon. Heard of him? This story stands alone quite beautifully. In fact, I don’t understand the thousand-and-one references to Jason Bourne, except that Bourne could guarantee a built-in audience. Ka-ching! I can expect a sequel with Aaron and Marta without thinking too much of Jason Bourne. The latter’s had his trilogy after all.  

Jeremy Renner squares off with Edward Norton

DISCREPANCIES

My heart leapt every time a familiar Filipino gets his screen time. But I noticed discrepancies in their scenes. This is explained by the fact that the Pinoy cast were instructed to do improvs (a thespian’s extemporaneous reaction and spoken lines to given scenes). A Filipina pharmacist (Ruby Ruiz) would talk to Marta in Tagalog: “O ayan ang mga gamot... libre yan...for free!” Highly improbable. One, no one gives free medicines to foreigners or to anyone for that matter (unless you're a re-electionist politician, that is); not in a country where medicines are hard to come by. Two, an educated Pinoy – like a pharmacist – will obviously talk to a Caucasian in English – not Tagalog! Marta may have visited the Philippines 5 to 6 times in the past; it doesn’t make her fluent in the vernacular. Sure, many of our countrymen will briskly offer that their English isn’t good, but that’s all smokescreen. Pinoys understand and speak English. It’s the country’s medium of commerce and instruction. Period.

Then there’s a security guard (John Arcilla) who speaks the Queen’s Language with a peculiar twang. Was that Middle Earth accent? Or was it Mount Kiagot twang? Before accusing me of being “burgis” again, please note that my reaction to an idiosyncratic accent is very visceral. My hair stands on end and I get shivers running down my spine. This was exactly my reaction when I heard John Arcilla speaking in English at an interview in “Ti-vehhhhhhhhhhh Patrol”. It was a baffling moment. There are accents and there are twangs. Then there’s Pinoy English. We don’t need twangs as employed by Jericho Rosales, Piolo Pascual and Diether Ocampo, do we? No, we don’t, John Arcilla.

When another Pinay finds Marta hiding at a corner of her shanty, she unhospitably screams "Magnanakaw! Magnanakaw!". Highly unlikely – again! A “squatter” who finds a Caucasian in her home would probably give her shanty to her visitor. I kid you not. That is Pinoy hospitality. She won’t shout like a maniac! Besides, what can a beautiful Caucasian woman like Rachel Weisz steal in her shanty? A mosquito net? A katol? A sandok? A bakya? A kaldero?  

THE STAR OF THE FILM

More than the Pinoy actors, it’s really the bowels of Manila that take center stage in “Bourne Legacy”. Director Tony Gilroy succinctly captivates the temperament and the organized chaos of a congested city – from the fume-filled streets of Edsa to the choked overpass of Baclaran. This unapologetic view of the city underlines the frenetic movement of people, a distinct local color, and the effervescent buzz of an urban jungle that’s unmistakably Manila. I was choking with pride as Gilroy lavishly documents my city the way no one has ever done before. We don’t need to show them the towering buildings of Makati and the glittering malls that pervade in our urban universe. Our comforts are our secret. Shhh. In contrast, the limestone karst mountains of El Nido (Palawan) are what dreams are made of.

It is trite and my sentiments are absolutely selfish, but I’m proud to be living in this country called the Philippines. Sniff!  

As for the movie, this is high adrenaline fun! Do not miss it!