Micro Review: Unknown

Unknown so wants to be Taken 2, right down to the Bourne-inspired action scenes and having Liam Neeson as the star. But it's not a successor to Neeson's awesome 2009 action hit and it falls far short of the greatness of the Bourne films. It's a so-so Hollywood thriller with not enough thrills or action and a plot twist any trained filmgoer can see coming for miles. Neeson is incapable of being bad in anything and January Jones and Diane Kruger play their roles well and look good doing it, but everything else is uninspired. A Bad for sure.

Rachel Weisz contemplates being Bourne

Well, not really. But the beautiful and talented actress is considering the female lead in The Bourne Legacy opposite Jeremy Renner.

As we've discussed before, Renner has been cast in Tony Gilroy's spinoff from the popular Bourne films. The writer/director hasn't concocted a direct sequel to Matt Damon's action trilogy, instead casting Renner as an operative from a secret government agency supposedly more dangerous than the Treadstone branch Damon's Jason Bourne sprang from.

What part Weisz will play is not yet known. She could be the new film's equivalent to Joan Allen's Pamela Landy, or not. Neither Shawn or I are very excited about The Bourne Legacy because it strikes us as nothing more than a cash in. But, if Weisz does join the production, then at least the cast will be first rate.

Actors shortlisted for new Bourne

Months back Shawn, Shane Woodford and I trashed the idea of a new Bourne film in a segment of Who Cares?. The thought of a Bourne movie being made sans star Matt Damon, director Paul Greengrass and the character of Jason Bourne is ludicrous; a sheer cash grab on the part of Universal Studios.

But The Bourne Legacy continues its charge toward an Aug. 3, 2012 release whether people want to see it or not. Among the actors in the running for whatever role writer/director Tony Gilroy has cooked up are Joel Edgerton (the upcoming remake of  The Thing), Dominic Cooper (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy), and Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans). I've not heard of any of them.

One last time: Universal, stop. Just STOP! If you want to make a buck off the Bourne name re-release the original trilogy in theatres. The movies are great. We don't need another Bourne film unless Damon and Greengrass are on board.

No idea yet on what the plot of The Bourne Legacy is other than it possibly sets the stage for Damon and Bourne's return.

Micro Review: Green Zone

A capable, if not unspectacular, action/thriller that can't quite live up to its roots. Director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon knocked it out of the park with two of the Bourne films, and one can't help but be let down by the fact this is nowhere near as good. And one cannot help but make unfair comparisons to The Hurt Locker either, which this film can't even touch. Biases aside, Green Zone offers a fast pace and bone-crunching action captured with Greengrass’ signature hand-held camera and rapid-fire editing. Too bad we know the truth behind WMDs heading into the movie. A Bad review from The Basement on this one.