| Copyright: The Bourne Legacy Movie Site |
On Monday, hubs texted me. “Date night on Tuesday?”
“Sorry, I have something. How ’bout Thurs aft 7?” I replied.
“Sounds good.”
So hubs and I went on a Movie Date last night. It’s funny how some things you know about a person when you marry them. Some you discover. And some things change and evolve so what you thought you knew about your spouse surprises you. I think the combination keeps married life fresh and exciting, although stressful and confusing at times.
Somewhere along the last decade, Sun and I became movie junkies. But not just any movie. We both gravitate to what I like to call the Undercover Adventure. Movies that fall into this category include Mission Impossible, Enemy of the State, Lethal Weapon, Interpreter, and pretty much any movie with a character in the CIA, FBI or Secret Service. My personal favorite—in this line of fast-paced, framing the good guy, who’s really the bad guy series—is the Bourne Trilogy. As a huge Matt Damon fan, I fell instantly in love with The Bourne Identity. The SuperHero with slightly more believable powers than, say, webs shooting out of your wrists, convinces me that this modern day Bionic Man [I know I'm dating myself here] might actually exist, and the government is just keeping him a secret. Okay, truth be told, I don’t believe Jason Bourne is real. But…
It’s fun to put aside reality for a few hours in the theater. I love how each movie includes suspenseful moments where you’re not sure the hero will get caught or escape, time and time again. Even though deep down, you sense he has to escape if they’re ever going to produce a sequel. And a tri-quel. And a prequel someday, I’m sure will show up.
But for now, the latest movie, The Bourne Legacy, commits the felony that so many series have done these past few years. They changed the main character. But this time, the producers didn’t replace Jason Bourne with a wannabe look-a-like, but focused on a different one of “them,” who asks throughout the movie, “How many of us are there?” Which they never answer clearly [because there are still others that are like them,] leaving room for many additional Bourne movies in the future.
Aaron Cross, “number 5″ of the intellectually and physically advanced CIA creations, emerges out of an icy Alaskan glacial pool when the movie opens, and what stands behind his shivering body? You guessed it: a waterfall! That’s one way to get my attention!
I don’t want to include any spoilers for those of you still planning to see the movie, but I will say that the film had an extremely strong start, with lots of scene changes, intricate details, and amazing footage of snow-peeked mountains. If you’re a Bourne movie fan, you will pick up on the lingo and understand all the references to the past movies. Then an endearing love story sparks between Aaron and a doctor, and it develops slowly, which actually lays the foundation for future material. But…the last half hour is an incredibly long chase sequence that simply lasts. Foreva!
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good chase scene, no matter what the characters are driving, but it seemed like there were less than two words exchanged by any and all of the characters that whole time, and if this was a book, an editor would surely red flag it for imbalance between description and dialogue. Granted, in a movie, the pacing, the visuals, and even the auditory details have the potential to capture an audience. But come on! Say. Something.
Reminded me of another movie we watched at home about a week ago called Act of Valor. Great concept, amazing back story and even a nice addition of the narrator speaking in the present as he recalls the past. But, I fell asleep. There were so many scenes where shooting [I get it, a movie about Navy Seals will involve gunfire] that carried on for such long stretches, I’m sure I dreamt a whole dream, woke up, and the guys had moved a few feet and were still shooting at each other. So I closed my eyes again and waited for a sound that involved words. Dialogue. Didn’t happen. When the movie closed, I remember thinking, Wow. Two plus hours of my life where I could have slept on my own bed instead of the couch. Oh well.
Coming back to The Bourne Legacy, all and all, I liked the movie. For a Thursday night, there are maybe ten people in our particular theater, and me and my chatty self just has to say something after the final credits rolled.
I stand up, stretch, and turn to the only other couple who stayed until the movie employees turned the lights back on. “So what’d you guys think? Better than the original Bourne movies? Or did you like the first ones more?”
The woman doesn’t answer. The guy politely entertains my question, although he keeps his answer brief. “It was aw’ight. But you know how it is. Nothing ever beats the first movie in a series.”
“You’re so right. Have a great night all.” And as I leave the theater, I realize that my one minute of social time gives hubby enough time to walk ahead of me. I don’t see him anywhere. Maybe he went to the men’s room.
Then, out of the corner of the other exit, hubby slips out, acting all mysterious, and I burst out laughing. He’s replaying a scene in the movie when Aaron and the doctor split up and then meet up again, trying not to let on to anyone watching that they’re together. Sun is especially impressed with the Medical accuracy thrown around about viruses in the film. And the way hubs puts his pedal to the metal, I can tell the chase scene still runs through his blood. Slow down before we get a ticket is what I think. But I refrain from thinking aloud. For once.
Driving home, hubs and I catch up on our day, new developments, and conversations we had with the kids about their first week of school.
When Switchfoot’s song “Restless” plays on the radio, I turn it up, and we both chime in with our best Broadway voices. Nothing like singing with your hubs, the windows rolled up to limit our audience. Nothing like a Date Night! Now that’s a movie I totally love!! And the driving backwards chase scene with Steve Carell and Tina Fey—nearly as fun as riding roller coasters at Hershey Park! IMO. 
**Have you seen any movies lately? Are you a Bourne Fan? Is it time for a Date Night? Get to it…
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