Obviously, then, the bar was already set very high by Matt Damon & co and there will undoubtedly be constant comparisons. Everyone thought it was all over, but the series has been rebooted/continued (you decide which) with the addition of new antagonists and protagonists. But has it outstayed its welcome?

Earlier, I used the term “original” to describe the Matt Damon films – I say this because there is a whole new feel it all (yet strangely it’s still familiar…more on this later) – new uncharted waters. New characters: Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), Dr Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), and Eric Byer (Edward Norton). In a nutshell, the film is trying to tell you that Treadstone and Operation Blackbriar were not isolated. There are more, and more agents like Jason Bourne too – Enter Aaron Cross. “Operation Outcome” is the latest one, and as you may have seen in the trailers, the bad guys are going to “burn this programme to the ground”. It also links with what previously happens to Jason Bourne (also more on this later). So Cross and Shearing are essentially trying to avoid being killed. It’s not that straightforward, clearly, but you get the idea.

Now let’s talk Jeremy Renner. Is it just me or does he really strike a resemblance to Daniel Craig? (Incidentally Rachel Weisz’s real-life husband.) I’d seen him in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (aka 4) and his action scenes there kept my expectations high for this one – I wasn’t disappointed. Renner is a believable assassin, but injects a level of emotion perhaps rarer in the previous films.

And to answer the question on everybody’s lips: how does he compare to Matt Damon? (And how does Cross compare to Bourne?) Because I really can’t flaw Damon one bit. He made the trilogy what it was. But now with a “new guy” on the scene, all I want to say – and emphasise – is they’re different. Bourne is mysterious; Cross’s memory is fine. He knows his identity and knows who he is, and the path he comes across is different. Bourne’s quest to find out who he is serves a stronger purpose than Cross’s, and maybe that’s why I prefer Bourne. That, and the fact that I’ve had 3 films to go “Jason Bourne is so cool” – assassin-killing aside.

But like I said, Cross is different. He is more emotional – he always curious. He is more affectionate. He just wants to live. It was going to be hard for any actor or character to live in Bourne/Damon’s shadow so Cross/Renner does an applaudable job at proving “there was never just one” (that’s the film’s tagline, FYI)- and the character is very likeable. Like, him and I could be friends. Yet somehow, somehow, I just felt Bourne was smarter, he always knew what to do and there were moments of the films that really impressed me. I would probably feel safer in the company of Jason Bourne! Which is ironic, because they are both trained assassins…

Continuing with the focus on differences, the character Marta is very present and prominent in the film unlike Bourne’s partner Marie. As a scientist dealing with the assassins, she is there for reason, not a coincidence. I should probably also warn you now that there’s a lot of science involved in the film. Returning characters make their cameos, and Ed Norton is introduced as “the main bad guy”. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen it all before, but I just wasn’t as crazy about him and the CIA-office scenes.

I’d strongly recommend seeing the first three Bourne films first; not only are they excellent, excellent films but they also provide a lot of background information which I reckon is essential in this case. The thing is, there’s been a lot going on before the start of Legacy and if you’re not familiar with it all, a lot of the film may not make complete sense. Who is Pam Landy? Blackbriar? Simon Ross (Guardian journalist) being shot in Waterloo? Who is Jason Bourne? Those are all questions which may be buzzing in your head throughout the film – but if you even bother asking the last question you probably shouldn’t even bother with the film! For those who have already seen them, you will see how everything links together. The events at the end of Ultimatum have a sort-of domino effect on everything that happens in Legacy. There are overlaps (like the Waterloo scene) and continuations (like Pam Landy giving evidence at the trial) which put the overall picture into a bigger perspective. It’s like changing the lens of your sniper rifle gun.

On the film as a whole, it’s a fantastic action film. Fight scenes, intelligence, emotion, and a story to give the action a backbone. In introducing new characters, I quickly warmed to them and was not constantly comparing them. There are new locations, like Manilla (Phillipines) and some place with lots of snow which are the perfect backdrop. However, I did think it got off to a slow start and you may be confused if you’re not familiar with the previous films. I said I’d review The Bourne Legacy from two perspectives, and if you were to view it as “one of the Bournes”, there are lots of Bourne-esque things to appreciate, like the flashing from action to CIA-HQ, the rooftop chases, the other assassins out to catch you, the super-good-hold-your-breath car/motorcycle chase scenes and more. There are still questions to be answered, however. The door is always open for more, and I can’t help wondering about the future of the Bourne series. Does this mean there will now be more Aaron Cross? Have people had enough? Will there be a prequel? Will the two ever meet? Have they met before?

But wait – trained and deadly (but likeable) assassin plus female accomplice running from the CIA who are trying to kill them..? Haven’t we heard that one before? Uh – yep. And if you’ve been reading the reviews out there, that’s probably one thing they’re using to pick apart the film. Put it this way: it’s not a bad film. In fact, it’s a very very good film. But if you’re going to compare it to the rest of the Bourne films (which naturally we will do), it’s not quite the same. Good, but different. Maybe there were a few things which felt too familiar (but equally you can view it as paying homage).  Which is why I reckon you shouldn’t label it as either a standalone action or the next Bourne film. It’s both.

Bev x

Ps.Oh, and the trailer is kinda misleading. All is not as it seems.

In the super year of 2012, we’ve had the Spiderman reboot, the coolest superhero gang you’ve ever known (aka The Avengers) and now the final instalment of the Dark Knight himself. And boy has superhero world saved the best for last. The Dark Knight Rises is one of the longest films I’ve ever seen (164 minutes) but every minute takes you on an epic, mesmerising, dark, and intriguing journey. Hold onto your (Batmobile) seatbelts, because Nolan, Bale and co. are about to take you on a hell of a ride.

Firstly, I’m on my best behaviour and will strive to keep this beview -sorry, review - as spoiler-free as possible. Because there are surprises and stuff, STAY AWAY from any spoilers or Wikipedia etc. I mean it; if you want to truly enjoy the film, STAY AWAY. DO NOT RUIN IT FOR YOURSELF. And having watched the rest of the trilogy helps an awful lot too – there are poignant moments you wouldn’t otherwise understand, and you wouldn’t have a clue about who Rachel is, or Harvey Dent’s role in the current stance of the city either. 

The Dark Knight Rises picks up 8 years after it left off, and Gotham is no longer the crime-filled city it used to be. Which means that Batman’s suit and mask haven’t even been touched in years; retired Bruce Wayne is like an old man with a cane. However, the arrival of new characters bring a game-changing dynamic to Gotham and Mr Wayne. There’s cat thief woman Selina Kyle, played by Anne Hathaway, whose mystery and feistiness is a direct match for Batman’s. Even though I went into the cinema with the bubblegum image of Princess Mia (Princess Diaries) in my head, thinking “there’s no way Mia could be Catwoman!”, she certainly proved me wrong. Other characters include Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s “good cop” John Blake who is possibly my personal favourite of the film. He may be an ordinary patrol officer but he has idealism and instinct where it counts. And I’m not being biased just because I have a teeny tiny – ok, gigantic - crush on Gordon-Levitt. Marion Cotillard does a good job in bringing Wayne back to his business, and Tom Hardy completes the Don’t-forget-it’s-not-actually-Inception Team as mega hench villain Bane. 

Everybody’s been comparing Bane to Heath Ledger’s Joker, but they’re very different. The Joker was dark, sadistic and sinister and whilst Bane still possesses these qualities, he is this huge bulk of man and muscle who can physically push Batman to his limits. Kudos to Tom Hardy for his astonishing transformation (I think if I ran at him it’d be like running into a brick wall and bouncing straight off). I heard early rumours/criticisms about people not understanding his voice but I found it perfectly audible. In fact, I wanted to laugh at one point at his accent (because I couldn’t tell what accent it was) + digitised voice, but I’ll blame the gas mask. What’s interesting about Bane is that he’s not a one-dimensional villain who just wants to kill everyone, end of. There’s always more… Returning characters Gordon (Gary Oldman), Fox (Morgan Freeman), and Alfred (Michael Caine) each carry huge significance to the story and a Batman film just wouldn’t be the same without them! 

Then we have the Batman himself. Christian Bale does an exceptional job as caped superhero, but also as a vulnerable and helpless citizen of a breaking city. And it’s his job to, well, rise. There are elements of Batman Begins and his emotional backstory (literally. But you’ll find that out later) and lots and lots of different emotions (many courtesy of good ol’ Alfred the Butler); moments where you want to cheer/woop/smile/cry/hug someone. Although Batman is central to the plot (after all, it is his film), the whole ensemble and story means that you don’t even notice when he’s been off screen for a bit. The whole thing just works.  

I can’t say much about the actual plot without ruining things, but I will say that you will not be disappointed. Unlike a lot of films these days, there is substance and a backbone to the story well-established by the predecessors in the trilogy. Rich vs poor, triumph vs failure, fear vs courage and overcoming fear. Add that to disaster on a large scale (I’m sure you’ve seen the trailers), impressive CGI sequences and fight scenes, especially the hand-to-hand combat of Wayne vs Bane, and cool new gadgets, and you’ve got yourself an action-packed action film. 

Ultimately, The Dark Knight Rises sits comfortably up very high with my all-time favourites. It’s one of those films which I want to (and would pay to) see again, as there are mind-boggling, intricate details you might miss the first time round. As a conclusion, it is thoroughly clever, satisfying and will make you wonder and cry even after the closing credits. Leaving the cinema, I had a million things to say (or, ahem, squeal) so the natural thing to do was to write a review and transfer some of my excitement to you, the lovely reader. Even in the streets walking home, I’d look around me before speaking about the film just in case I ruined it for an unsuspecting passerby before they had the chance to see it. The moral of this review is to go and watch it, so that we can exchange excited squeals together without having to worry about the spoilers. Now go! 

(Ps. Here's a funny "This is what The Dark Knight Rises poster should look like" spoof. On the left, the poster forThe Dark Knight.)

So it’s been a whopping long time since I’ve blogged (eek sorry), and I only happen to have an excuse for the past week. Which is that I’ve been on holiday. I am currently riding on post-holiday blues, resigned to PJs at home watching Friends, lamenting the sudden death of my social life. What happened to the limitless energy I could somehow summon at 3, or 8 in the morning? And why has singing songs from musicals at the top of your lungs on an average street suddenly become unnatural? I blame the sun. Costa del Sol did live up to its name, after all. While I laze around aimlessly, it feels only right that I give myself an aim for the next twenty minutes and mull over some of my holiday highlights. Let’s call this bit the “Travel and Lifestyle” section.

Staying between Marbella and Fuengirola (aptly nicknamed “Fun Gorilla” by us tourists who cannot for the life of us pronounce Spanish words.), we had enough local bars and restaurants to keep us more than satisfied, and both towns were only a short bus ride away. Marbella is really great for the beaches and for shopping (especially SHOES!) whilst Fun Gorilla never sleeps. On our first day, the porter had mentioned “party time” at Fun Gorilla, but it wasn’t until we went there that we realised it offers the same vibes as your infamous party zones like Zante, Magaluf, Kavos and the like (basically what you see on BBC’s “Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents” but not as extreme). Full of bars where virtually everyone is English and streets ridden with the drunk and sober (me), it’s actually a very exciting environment. If you ever happen to visit it, the most popular bar when we went was “ForePlay”; don’t be too put off by the name as it’s actually a pretty decent place (bar the millions of bras on the ceiling as decoration…)

A majority of the holiday, however, was all about chilling. Whether it was by the pool, in the apartment or at the beach, relaxation was a haven. We stayed at “Miraflores Beach and Country Club”, a gigantic resort of apartments and little villa-type buildings with restaurants and bars on site. We had a shared pool with our nearby neighbours which was one of my favourite places to be; I hadn’t enjoyed swimming in years, and I’d never been on a holiday where reclining on a sunbed was a popular pastime. (My holiday history has mainly consisted of sightseeing, seeing sights, and sighting stuff.) The beaches on the coast are mostly sandy with (supposedly harmless) jellyfish as constant company. You pay a few Euros for a sunbed and a majority of the day is sorted! Of course, there is the occasional interruption of street-sellers trying to get you to buy sunglasses/DVDs/watches/handbags, and by the end of the week I was feeling increasingly guilty at saying “No thank you!”. So I have come up with the proven successful formula of “No thanks, but have a good day!”. Add that to the sweetest smile you can conjure up, and it works 9 times out of 10. (Panic did set in during that odd one time.)

The best souvenirs, in that area of Spain in particular, were bracelets. A whole gorgeous collection of friendship bracelets, leather bracelets and anklets were on display practically everywhere we went. I couldn’t resist buying a few to bring back home (average 3 euros per bracelet), as well as experiencing other Spanish classics before leaving – paella, sangria and pina colada. Yummy. Speaking of yum, Spanish Haribo are the best I have ever tasted. They have fruit jellies and a “Favorito” packet which I so badly wish I’d bought more of. Word of advice: If you go to Spain, buy Haribo!! And then buy me some too...

Flying straight back into the embrace of British rainy weather is a sharp shock from Spanish 30 degrees C at midnight, but I guess there are plus-sides to being home. I can walk round about a thousand shades browner than I used to be, I can relive memories through the many, many photographs taken and talk fondly of my holiday, I can bore my friends and parents (and you) of all the details, and well – I’m home. And home is good.

Until next time – or should I say…adios! 

Bev x

(I never really did perfect my Spanish, by the way. “Es muy bonita!” (at the sights), “Si por favour” (to any question), “Gracias” (my most-used term) seemed to do the trick. And gesturing. Lots of gesturing.)