The Racked Focus Review: The Bourne Legacy (2012)




How do you write a proper review about a movie that is the fourth in a series and depends so heavily on the previous three films that they cannot be glossed over?  This is a question that Maxwell Haddad surely had cross his mind one day whilst writing his review of The Bourne Legacy.  The movie is so intertwined within the plots of the previous films that it is difficult to analyze it upon its own individuality and merits.  Max had a tough assignment ahead of him.

On August 10, 2012, Maxwell Haddad put up his review on The Racked Focus.  The review was an attempted deeper look into the film, The Bourne Legacy, which got sidelined upon the realization that the preceding trilogy was so integral to the plot of the newest entry into the series.  The review then because an exploration into the obstacles created by the movie trying to separate itself from the original three films while also submerging itself into them fully.  The shift to this train of thought was expertly executed from beginning to end, and shows how Max is a master of his reviewing domain.

It all began at the top of the review.  The introduction was all about how The Bourne Legacy held onto the other three Bourne films in a bear hug like grip.  Maxwell spends time explaining how it tries to differentiate itself from the other films while also trying to be one of the other films.  The disappointment that Maxwell finds in the execution of the film seeps through his words.  You can taste the pain that comes from Max wanting more than he saw upon viewing The Bourne Legacy.  The pain stemmed mostly from the reliance on Matt Damon’s Bourne trilogy, and the lack of relatable aspects, since the main character is primarily a selfish person.  Ironically, it is easy to relate to Maxwell’s review.

Throughout the vast majority of Maxwell’s reviews, there has been one commonality that I don’t believe has yet been touched upon.  Max is able to infuse a personality into his reviews.  This personality is the result of many aspects that I have touched upon in previous reviews of his work.  His use of words, both simplistic and sophisticated, not only makes his writing easy to comprehend, but it also allows for a further depth of insight.  The style in which Maxwell writes is such that it has the feeling of a series of thoughts all rolling over each other; however, these thoughts have clarity and direction that comes from experience and talent.  He uses personal pronouns in his work, but does not use them excessively.  Maxwell restrains himself from making the review too personal, but allows enough through so that the reader can connect to his writing without his writing feeling self-indulgent.  This is a balancing act that he is able to achieve in ways that a lot of attempted film writers cannot harness.

What does this personality have to do with Maxwell Haddad’s review of The Bourne Legacy?  Well, as I said earlier, it was easy to relate to the disappointment and pain that he seemed to feel while writing the review.  While the review was about Max’s experience with the movie, he was clearly writing it for the people who chose to read it.  The personality that permeated through the review gave weight to every point that Maxwell made for or against the film.  It was his opinion, but you understood why that was his opinion.  He allowed the reader into his mind without making everything about himself.  This is what makes you relate to his review of The Bourne Legacy.  This is what makes his review of The Bourne Legacy stand out.

Maxwell Haddad’s review of The Bourne Legacy gets 4 ½ chems out of 5 chems.   

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