Movie reviews: ‘Bourne’ again

 “THE BOURNE LEGACY”    (PG-13) 3 1/2 STARS

JEREMY RENNER, RACHEL WEISZ, EDWARD NORTON

Matt who?   Those worried that the transition from Matt Damon to Jeremy Renner in the Bourne franchise can rest easy.   Renner, as another of the agents whose bodies have been genetically supercharged, is a perfect fit for the series.   And the story is taut and easy to grab: With all the trouble from Jason Bourne’s outing of the program in the last film, and new exposure of the programs, the government tries to kill off agents like Renner’s Aaron Cross and others like him.   Rachel Weisz is just as good as the researcher Cross seeks out to get the “meds” he needs to stay super.   From amazing stunts in the great white north to chase scenes in urban centers, it’s a nonstop thrill ride that restarts the franchise.

Rated PG-13 for violence and action sequences. 135 min. [MC, RA, RF]

“HOPE SPRINGS”   (PG–13) 2 1/2 STARS

MERYL STREEP, TOMMY LEE JONES, STEVE CARELL

Oh, I left with mixed feelings about this film featuring two amazing leads.   Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones are compelling as a married couple who have let passion and a real connection dissolve from their marriage.   When they go to a counselor (a playing-it-straight Steve Carell) in Maine for a week, it focuses on why and when the magic left.   An uneven mix of humor and heart-rending pain make for an uneven film.   An upbeat ending also seems fairly unlikely, until it happens.   Still, it’s a film that can make marrieds think about the results when connections are taken for granted.  

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving sexuality. 100 min. [MC, RA, RF]

 “THE CAMPAIGN”   (R) 2  1/4 STARS

WILL FERRELL, ZACH GALIFIANAKIS, JASON SUDEIKIS

Yes, there are hilarious, gut-laugh moments that you’d expect from a farce like this.   But while Will Ferrell’s politician is a hoot, the homebody Zach Galifianakis plays as his unlikely opponent gets old quickly.   The plot is just as up and down, with hilarious scenes with a commercial creator and the theft of a police car followed by plodding stretches where laughs are harder to come by.   It reminds you how funny Farrell can be.   But makes you wish for more.

Rated R for crude sexual content, language and brief nudity. 85 min. [MC, RA, RF]

“NITRO CIRCUS: THE MOVIE”   (PG–13) 1 1/2 STAR

TRAVIS PASTRANA, TOMMY PASSEMANTE

For those not used to this bunch of daredevils, it’s all very much like the gang from “Jackass.”   But without the funny.   Instead, you get crazy stunts that often seem to injure the members of the pack who take motorcycles, tubes and even school buses flying through the air to land or smash into targets.   The horrible part: They show people getting seriously hurt and smashed into everything from poles to wooden loops.   I wonder what they’d do if someone died.   Would it be censored  or show as the ultimate movie draw?

Rated PG-13 for depiction of extreme and dangerous stunts throughout, and for language. 88 min. [RF]

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