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The Bourne Legacy (2012)
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
2012 | Action, Mystery
6
6.3 (15 Ratings)
Movie Rating
When Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass distanced themselves from another trip into the Bourne-verse it was hard to see if any film would ever make it into production. Then, along came Tony Gilroy, writer of the first three films he seemed to be the logical choice to co-write and direct the fourth installment in this ever popular action franchise.

The Bourne Legacy runs almost parallel with the events of The Bourne Ultimatum, but in this film the only time we get to see Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne is from the odd photograph and his name etched into wood on the underside of a bunk bed.

It’s time for a stare off!
For this outing Renner plays Aaron Cross an ‘outcome’ agent who finds himself on the run when the powers that be realize that Bourne has broken through and passed vital information about Treadstone and Black Briar to Pam Landy, who in turn passes it onto the media. So Retired Col. Eric Byer, USAF ( Norton) part of the sinister hierarchy decides it’s time to shut down and eradicate all other ops, including Cross.

It’s fraught with the occasional plot hole, (just how did Cross know where Shearing lived) here and there but that does little damage to the overall story which is actually quite good. Renner, who is already well equipped for these types of action films fills the void left by Damon very well. When he’s not battling wolves and shooting drones out of the sky he’s driving a motorbike through the streets of Manila, as well as running through every back street and staircase he can find. And he’s more than capable at hand to hand combat.

He’s joined on his adventure by Dr. Marta Shearing (Weisz) who worked with Cross in the beginning and was tasked with providing the agents with a specific set of medication to take, of which it seems Cross is no longer required but is desperately dependent on. Whereas Bourne tried to piece together parts of his life, Cross is like a crackhead desperate for the next fix and so his motives are different.

Gilroy manages the story well and there are some brief cameos from the likes of Scott Glenn, David Strathairn and Albert Finney to provide a reminder to us all about what has happened previously, just in case we are dealing with our own bout of memory loss. It’s disappointing not to see Damon reprise one of the best roles of his career but Renner does an admirable job and there is no question that there will be more life in him yet.
  
Contagion (2011)
Contagion (2011)
2011 | Drama
Steven Soderbergh has produced some fine films in his time as an established director; Ocean’s Eleven was a sublime mix of dark humour and action, whilst Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen remained decent but not exactly pulse-racing. Here, it seems Soderbergh sticks to what he knows best, how to deliver a brilliantly shot, gripping film. Here we have, Contagion.

An all-star cast with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon and Jude Law is bolstered by excellent cinematography and nail-biting claustrophobia in a film which never forgets its purpose: to shock.

Contagion starts with a cough, a single cough from a single woman, which in turn spreads across the globe, killing over 20 million people in every country on the planet and becoming one of the worst viral epidemics the world has ever seen. The directing style is exquisite and focuses on the days after the first contraction of the deadly virus; close-ups of door knobs and drinking fountains add to the heightened panic and sense of claustrophobia and the continuous references to bird-flu bring it home how frail a race we actually are.

Soderbergh gets stuck into the details of the virus straight away and the pace never lets up, you’ll be gasping for air with the infected as you struggle to keep pace with what’s going on; it’s a relentless film, much like the disease itself. The movie is one of many recent developments that have parallel storylines running throughout; Kate Winslet is a scientist at the centre of disease research, whilst Matt Damon plays a middle aged father protecting his daughter.

Gwyneth Paltrow plays a wife and mother who has been embarking on a dangerous affair whilst away on business and it has to be said, she is excellent in her role, even though it lasts a mere 20 minutes before she pegs it. Her illness is well controlled on screen and you share the pain she is in.

Matt Damon is somehow immune to the virus after losing his wife (Paltrow) and more disturbingly, his son in scenes unbefitting of the films 12A certificate and Kate Winslet looks surprisingly angelic in her body bag… oops, didn’t mean to spoil that for you.

Alas, it’s not all good news as Jude Law pops up now and again as an annoying journalist trying to discover a cure and shame the money grabbing pharmaceutical companies, he plays the character well and you definitely buy into his sense of ‘crazy’ but out of all the stories shuffling for your attention, his is the one you care least about.

Unfortunately, some other small issues hold the film from being a complete success. Parallel storylines are all well and good but there are perhaps too many here. Whilst focusing on Winslet dealing with the fact she has contracted the virus, you forget about how Mr. Damon is coping looking after his potentially not immune daughter and the same can be said for Law’s character too. Which one are we to focus on?

Contagion is artistically, a brilliant film, but it could be said that it’s more style over substance. Yes, the characters have depth, though not as much as we’d like, the story is well written and the shots are beautifully choreographed but that good, solid story is lost about half way through as Soderbergh tries to handle all the different viewpoints. It’s a fantastic film, but not the outright success it could have been. You will however, be reaching for that anti-bacterial hand cleanser a little more often.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2011/11/08/review-contagion-2011/
  
Jason Bourne (2016)
Jason Bourne (2016)
2016 | Action, Drama
It is hard to believe that 2007 was the last time Matt Damon portrayed Jason Bourne. The series continued with Jeremy Renner playing a character set in the same universe in the 2012 release “The Bourne Legacy”, but fans have longed for more from the series originator.

Thankfully Writer/Director Paul Greengrass has returned with Damon to in the new film “Jason Bourne” The film opens with Bourne in hiding and living off the grid in Greece. He sustains himself by taking part in full contact matches and has regained more of the memories he has forgotten since the events prior to the first film.
His former associate Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) has managed to hack into the government and has obtained numerous files about covert operations including a new and greater program as well as information about Bourne and his father.

The leak catches the attention of Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) and he tasks ambitious Agent Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) to find and stop Bourne and Parsons.

At the same time, Dewey is working with a software developer to ensure that the government has unlimited access to all the users of his software in order to maintain surveillance upon them. Uncomfortable with this arrangement the developer (Aaron Kalloor) threatens to expose what the government has been up to at a big software expo in Las Vegas before a worldwide audience.
With this new threat and Bourne resurfaced, a cold and deadly assassin is dispatched and in locales ranging from Greece, Berlin, London, and Las Vegas as Bourne attempts to get the answers he wants and to settle some old scores with danger all around him.

The film takes a bit to get up to speed but once it does it delivers the action and political intrigue that fans of the series have come to expect. Naturally it does at times require a few leaps of faith but in the end, Bourne is back better than ever and Damon reminds us of how much he owns this character with her performance. Here is hoping we do not have as long a wait for him to return in a new Bourne adventure.

http://sknr.net/2016/07/29/84102/
  
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
2011 | Sci-Fi, Romance
9
7.1 (8 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Story David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for congress when a story gets released cause his ratings to slide. It is now upon Harry (Anthony Mackie) to fix this to make sure David wins and follows his destine path. David goes on to win and thanks to a chance meeting with Elise (Emily Blunt) gives one of the best speeches people have heard boosting his chances of running for senate.

The next morning Harry misses the chance he has to stop David getting on a bus to work, on this bus he meet Elise again cause his destiny to be changed. After getting her phone number he arrives at work only to discover that Charlie (Michael Kelly) his campaign manager and his office had been frozen by Richardson (John Slattery) and his team for adjustments. After seeing behind the curtain Richardson burns the number putting David back on his path, warning David not to find Elise and not tell anyone about the people making peoples lives happen.

David is left trying to keep his destine line while always trying to find Elise can he beat the adjustment team watch and you will see.

Verdict The headline review was ‘Bourne meets Inception’ and in a way it is having a way of controlling someones life by make chances things happen. the action chases are well constructed without even having to use guns. David love for Elise is strong with all the obstacles and sacrifices he makes for the idea of a better futures. This is a strong action thriller that everyone should enjoy but you would have to watch from start to finish and will struggle if picked up half way through.

Best quote Elise ‘ I’m not some hopeless romantic, I would never allow myself to be that way, but once I’ve fell, even for a moment, what I felt with you’

Favourite character Harry David personal watcher who explains the rules and breaks some too

Stand out performance Matt Damon he gives his normal strong performance as an important figure who takes risks

Best moment The door chase

Worst Moment Maybe being picky but maybe more explanation of the year gaps

https://moviesreview101.com/2011/07/09/the-adjustment-bureau-2011/
  
Ford v Ferrari (aka Le Mans '66) (2019)
Ford v Ferrari (aka Le Mans '66) (2019)
2019 | Action, Biography, Drama, Sport
The more films I see by James Mangold, the more I like him.

Ford v Ferrari (or Le Mans '66 as it's titled in the UK) is an outstanding movie in every way.
Based on a true story, FvF follows car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and race driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) after they are commissioned by Ford to create a new race car capable of beating the notorious Ferrari team during the Le Mans endurance race in France.
I'm not really into racing - I'm not a big sports guy full stop - but this film balances the amount of racing action and heartfelt and frequently humourous drama perfectly.

Both Matt Damon and Christian Bale just bought everything they have to this, and straight up deserved Oscars - I would actually go as far as saying this is arguably Bales' best performance to date.
The supporting cast are fantastic as well, especially Caitriona Balfe as the wife of Ken Miles, Mollie. The chemistry between her and Bales' character is believable and sweet.
I also enjoyed Josh Lucas as smarmy Ford executive Leo Beebe, and detested his character with a passion. And of course Jon Bernthal - I'm yet to see him in anything where he is less than great.

The story is inspiring to say the least, and the screenplay is clever in the way that it focuses on the every day character like Ken Miles, has you rooting for him against the suits, people who put money and profit in front of knowledge. It's a relatable feeling.
As I mentioned, I'm not a big sports guy, so taking this into account, the racing scenes (of which there are a fair few) were nothing short of thrilling. They're really well shot, with seamless special effects, and full of tension. In fact, every inch of Ford v Ferrari feels like it's had so much love, attention, and detail poured into it. It's an all round great experience.

I haven't a single bad word to say about Ford v Ferrari, it's spectacular, full of soul, and easily one of the best films of 2019.
  
The Last Duel (2021)
The Last Duel (2021)
2021 | Drama, History
Doesn't Really Work
With films such as GLADIATOR, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, ROBIN HOOD, EXODUS: GODS AND MONSTERS and the current THE LAST DUEL, Director Ridley Scott is single-handedly trying to keep alive the “Sword and Sandals” genre that was so much en vogue in the Golden Age of Hollywood.

However, he’ll have to do better than THE LAST DUEL to keep the genre going.

Starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Jodi Comer, THE LAST DUEL tells the tale of the…well…Last Duel in France in the 1300’s. The story tells the tale of 2 noblemen, their ups & downs and the accusation of the wife of one of them that the other raped her. The only way to solve the dispute is a duel to the death.

Following the format of such films as RASHOMON (1950) and, more recently, WRATH OF MAN (2021), THE LAST DUEL is told in 4 parts - telling the same story from different perspectives. But, unlike RASHOMON and (surprisingly) WRATH OF MAN which peeled the onion back during each different telling, adding a deeper and richer layer to the story each time, THE LAST DUEL pretty much tells the same story over and over, not really telling it differently and not really adding any layers to the story. You pretty much know before THE LAST DUEL who is innocent, who is guilty and how the duel is going to play out.

So, Director Scott will need to rely on the performances and the look and feel of the film to get the audience hooked and intrigued during this 2 hour and 32 minute epic, but the script (by Nicole Holofcener, Affleck & Damon just isn’t up to the task.

The acting is…fine. Driver fares the best out of the 4 leads - probably because he is the actor most suited for this type of film than the others. Comer’s part is underwritten and she has surprisingly little to do - which brings us to Affleck and Damon. Affleck has the showier role and provides a spark of interest in his limited time on the screen while Damon is dour and serious and trudges through the film - as does the audience.

Director Scott (ALIEN) brings professionalism to the proceedings and accurately depicts the look and feel of the time and stages the duel (and battle scenes) with a trained eye, but the characters/performances did not leave me with anyone to truly root for (or care about) and by the time we got to THE LAST DUEL, I just wanted it to be over.

Letter Grade: B-

6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Unsane (2018) in Movies

Feb 5, 2019  
Unsane (2018)
Unsane (2018)
2018 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Starts off well, but with a poor ending
I’ll start off by saying I’m really impressed with the fact that this was filmed on a iPhone. Yes it’s pretty obvious in parts that it’s been done on a phone, and it gives the film a certain look, but I quite liked it. It really fit in with the overall tone of the film.

Claire Foy is a great actress and she is one of the main reasons this is watchable, and there’s a fun cameo from Matt Damon. The story itself starts off well and the first half of the film is actually very intriguing and thrilling. It makes you wonder what’s going on and it’s quite creepy and disturbing. The main problem with this film though is that the second half is a massive letdown. It wasn’t the ending that I’d expected or hoped for, and it was beyond predictable and just a bit ridiculous. It’s such a shame that the ending is stupid, as otherwise this would be a great film.
  
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
2018 | Action, Comedy
When Wade met Cable aka deadpool 2: Judgment day
Ryan Reynolds returns as the foul mouthed, gun toting, wise cracking, fourth wall breaking merc with a mouth known as deadpool, this time around wade finds himself lumped with a kid, an angry muntant kid named Russell aka firefist. After failing to calm Russell and killing a bunch of dodgey looking "medical professionals" (deadpool? Kill? Never.....) they are both arrested and locked up in the ice box, mutant prison.
Things escalate quicky for the two as the prison is broken into by a time travelling bio-organic mutant known as Cable, whose objective is to kill a future terrorist and stop millions from dying - so naturally, wade find himself on the wrong side of Cable.

This genius masterpiece is hilarious from start to finish and does not tone down and features cameos from, Terry crews, Matt Damon, brad Pitt and more.

Starring pikachu....I mean Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, and Jack Kesy.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Unsane (2018) in Movies

Mar 26, 2018 (Updated Mar 26, 2018)  
Unsane (2018)
Unsane (2018)
2018 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
I use my phone for making phone calls and as an alarm clock, but Steven Soderbergh has started using his to make feature films, which if you ask me is just showing off. Unsane is just such a movie, a typically polished piece of genre entertainment. Slightly damaged young woman seeks psychiatric support, finds herself incarcerated in a mental institution against her will. Is she hallucinating the presence of her former stalker, or are things even worse than they seem...?

Apart from Soderbergh's usual breezy skill as a film-maker, the best reason to see Unsane is Claire Foy's excellent performance, which really carries the whole movie (though she is well-supported by Amy Irving, Juno Temple and others, and there's a great cameo from Matt Damon too). The opening sequence of the film is also impressive in its finely-judged ambiguity. However, the film tips its hand much too soon and quickly becomes monumentally implausible (to the point of absolute absurdity). Worth watching, but you really, really have to cut the film some slack in the plotting department.