The 2000s witnessed a major shift in the realm of action cinema, thanks to the Jason Bourne films, which reinvigorated the genre, emphasizing more on its gritty realism. And following the success of the first three films, the Jeremy Renner-led The Bourne Legacy, which didn’t witness Matt Damon returning in the iconic role, had some big boots to fill.
And while The Bourne Legacy wasn’t on par with the standard set by its predecessors, the action flick had its charms, with its biggest saving grace being the action and Renner’s commitment to it.
Also read: 3 Unexpected Jobs Jeremy Renner Did to Pay the Bills Before Earning Millions From Avengers Movies
Jeremy Renner’s Expertise in the Field Left The Bourne Legacy Director Fascinated
Prior to starring in the Tony Gilroy-directed movie, Jeremy Renner co-starred alongside action icon Tom Cruise in Ghost Protocol, and it appears the MCU Star took a page out of the MI Star’s book. Per director Tony Gilroy, who took the director’s gig for the fourth installment in the franchise, expressed his admiration toward Renner’s expertise in the action field. Speaking with IndieWire, Gilroy commended the Hawkeye Star’s athleticism, who perfectly pulled off every stunt without enduring any sort of injury. He said,
“I’d never been that intimately involved with what it takes, it just makes it so much easier when a guy can learn his sh*t faster than the stunt guys can learn it. When he knows how to take care of himself and not get hurt and simplifying and improving and acting all the way through it, so that every step becomes a performance, in a way. We’re very lucky to have him do that, there’s only a couple of people that can do it.”
While it doesn’t hold a candle to the trilogy that came before, its impressive action sequences and Renner’s determination to the role ensured that the movie did decent at the box office.
The Original Director’s Absence Pushed Matt Damon Away
Considering The Bourne Ultimatum tied all the loose ends, giving a satisfying conclusion to Jason Bourne’s story, Matt Damon felt there was nothing more to do with the character. On top of that, the absence of director Paul Greengrass, who helmed the wheel for the first three films, further pushed Damon away from The Bourne Ultimatum. Per EW, he said,
“Paul’s got to go to work, you know? He’s ready to do another job, and it wasn’t the right job now. I get it. I wouldn’t do it without him”
But Damon did reprise the role once again after Paul Greengrass returned to the directing chair for Jason Bourne, which, despite not being as in-depth as their other collaborations, made $415M.
The Bourne Legacy is available to stream on Peacock.
