Crisp Criticism - "The Bourne Legacy", "The Expendables 2", "The Campaign"

The Bourne Legacy (2012/US)

After Jason Bourne exposes their operations, the CIA decides to eliminate all other experiments of the sort, which includes an agent with enhanced mental and physical abilities who refuses to go quietly.
Dull, overlong entry in the otherwise charming series, with its main character cast aside and its director’s chair filled by the screenwriter. For these reasons, Gilroy is more interested in the science and history of the novels, making the experience less like an adventure and more like an exam.
 

d – Tony Gilroy

w – Tony Gilroy, Dan Gilroy   (Based on the Novel by Robert Ludlum)

ph – Robert Elswit

pd – Kevin Thompson

m – James Newton Howard

ed – John Gilroy

cos – Shay Cunliffe

p – Patrick Crowley, Frank Marshall, Ben Smith, Jeffrey M. Weiner

Cast: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Zeljko Ivanek, Oscar Isaac, Stacey Keach, David Stratharin, Joan Allen, Scott Glenn, Albert Finney, Donna Murphy, Corey Stoll, Elizabeth Marvel, Louis Ozawa Changchien

The Expendables 2 (2012/US)

The Expendables reunite for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.
Superfluous sequel; less dumb than the original.
 

d – Simon West

w – Richard Wenk, Sylvester Stallone, Ken Kaufman, David Agosto   (Based on the Characters by Dave Callanham)

ph – Shelly Johnson

pd – Paul Cross

m – Brian Tyler

ed – Todd E. Miller

cos – Lizz Wolf

p – Basil Iwanyk, Avi Lerner, Danny Lerner, Kevin King Templeton, John Thompson, Les Weldon

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Liam Hemsworth, Terry Crews, Randy Coulture, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Campaign (2012/US)

In order to gain influence over their North Carolina district, two CEOs seize an opportunity to oust a long-term congressman by putting up a rival candidate.
Tired, mean-spirited, hardly accurate satire that is yet another comedy filled with stupid people doing stupid things that don’t make sense. This one also goes soft at the end.
 

d – Jay Roach

w – Shawn Harwell, Chris Henchy

ph – Jim Denault

pd – Michael Corenblith

m – Theodore Shapiro

ed – Craig Alpert, Jon Poll

cos – Daniel Orlandi

p – Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Adam McKay, Jay Roach

Cast: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine LaNasa, Sarah Baker, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Cox, Karen Maruyama, Grant Goodman, Kya Haywood,