BLU-RAY REVIEW

Bourne Legacy, The

Featured In Issue 172, December 2012

Picture4.5
Sound5
WSR Score5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
61119881
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
Violence and intense action sequences
(Retail Price):
$34.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
135
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2012
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
11/11/12
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Tony Gilroy
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 7.1, DTS 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

"The Bourne Legacy" pulls back the curtain on a government secret even darker than Jason Bourne. When Bourne exposes Operation Treadstone at the end of "The Bourne Ultimatum," he sparks a bonfire that threatens to burn down decades of research and development into the building of better spies and warriors. In "The Bourne Legacy," audiences discover that there are actually a variety of covert intelligence programs—all of which now feel the threat of exposure. On the verge of having their conspiracy revealed by agent Aaron Cross (Renner), members of the government's intelligence community will stop at nothing to erase all evidence of their top secret programs. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director/Co-Writer Tony Gilroy, Co-Writer Dan Gilroy, Editor John Gilroy, Director of Photography Robert Elswit, Second Unit Director Dan Bradley, and Production Designer Kevin Thompson; three deleted scenes with optional commentary (HD 06:48); seven featurettes: "Re-Bourne" (HD 06:11), "Enter Aaron Cross" (HD 07:11), "Crossing Continents: Legacy On Location" (HD 08:22), "Man Vs. Wolf" (HD 04;36), "Wolf Sequence Test" (HD 01:39), "Moving Targets: Aaron And Marta" (HD 06:11), and "Capturing Chaos: The Motorbike Chase" (HD 07:49); D-BOX® Motion Code™; upfront previews; BD-Live functionality; and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 1080p AVC picture exhibits good resolution, with fine details in the picture delivered well. Details in the shadows are also readily apparent and black levels are solid, although there are scenes that look a bit murky and "plugged-up." The picture has a similarly gritty and harsh appearance as the previous Bourne releases. The color palette is strongly saturated with natural hues, rich and warm, and at times, vibrant tones. Contrast is nicely rendered. Overall, the picture is consistent with the previous releases in the series, with an intense cinematic quality. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack, like the previous DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby® Digital, and Dolby TrueHD 5.1-channel versions of previous releases, is an all-out barrage from start to finish, with each of the channels incorporated into the soundscape constantly. The added two rear channels conform to the Dolby theatrical 7.1 format, adding to the room-filling soundfield immersion. Deep bass, dropping below 20 Hz, is delivered through each of the full-range channels when used, and the LFE channel is incorporated well, with even deeper bass and extreme intensity. Bass is deep and tight and really infuses the room with low-end energy. Phantom imaging is employed quite frequently, creating a lively experience. Dialogue intelligibility is generally good, with relatively good spatial integration. This is a standout release in the series tradition and one that is immensely enjoyable. (Gary Reber)