Jan Wahl Movie Review: 'The Campaign' & 'The Bourne Legacy'
The Campaign (R)
(KCBS) - If you think real life political campaigns get ugly, they're actually warm and kind compared to the campaign in the outrageous comedy, "The Campaign."
In order to gain influence over their North Carolina district, CEOs put up a rival candidate in order to oust a longtime Congressman.
Will Ferrell is the sleazy and dimwitted Congressman Cam Brady; Zach Galifianakis is his naive opponent, Marty Huggins. As the campaign heats up, we experience moments of lunacy and retaliation. At least half of the movie is funny, as in laugh out loud bad taste funny, but there are also moments of smart, wild political satire.
Director Jay Roach has experience with political movies as well as high comedy flicks like Austin Powers, and a well rounded cast helps to buoy this wacky comedy in search of the truth.
Not for kids. Two and a half hats.
KCBS Entertainment Reporter Jan Wahl:
The Bourne Legacy (PG-13)
The fourth in the "Bourne" series, expands the universe of the Robert Ludlum novels. This time out we center on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the previous movies. A good cast includes Jeremy Renner, Scott Glenn, Edward Norton and Rachael Weisz; unfortunately, there is a real problem with the script. It is muddled, overly complicated and, unless you just finished five minutes ago watching the other films, hard to follow.
It's not until the second half that we are pulled into what is going on, though the TV ads help explain some of it. Some good action sequences, but not as successful as the other films. Yes, it's a highly popular espionage franchise, and I'll be looking forward to a better Bourne 5.
2 hats.
See now: hope Springs, Moonrise Kingdom.
Home viewing: Bel Ami, Darling Companion, The Lorax.
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