Bear with heavy traffic with ‘Bourne Legacy’
Jeremy Renner AFP FILE PHOTO
Can a car chase really go far in the chaotic, ever-congested streets of Metro Manila? Only in the movies!
Local officials are bracing for some Hollywood action—and possibly a barrage of complaints—as they advised motorists about the closure of several roads starting next week to make way for the filming of “The Bourne Legacy,” the latest in the movie franchise based on the espionage series created by Robert Ludlum.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino said his agency would try to ease the effects of the road closures during rush hours by designating alternative routes.
But he also assured motorists that most of the shoots would be done during the wee hours of the morning or late at night.
Tolentino said the MMDA would also tidy up the areas selected by the production team to make a good impression on international moviegoers.
Roads to avoid, when
In the City of Manila, the mayor’s office said it had granted permits to use the following roads for the “Bourne” shoot:
San Andres Street from January 11 to 15; J. Bocobo Street corner Remedios Circle from January 18 to 19; Leveriza Street (from Balingkit to San Andres) on January 15; San Andres Street corner Quirino and Taft Avenues on January 14; Riverside Road, Real and Sta. Lucia Streets in Intramuros on January 25, and February 17 and 18; Jones Bridge on February 5; and R. Magsaysay Boulevard from February 8 to 15.
The city government also granted permits for the use of Remedios Circle in Malate from January 18 to 19, according to Rafaelito Garayblas, secretary to Mayor Alfredo Lim.
Tolentino said one of the scenes to be shot would be a car chase in the Edsa-Taft Avenue area in Pasay City—which, in real life, is notorious for round-the-clock traffic jams.
There will also be scenes on Ayala Avenue in Makati City, at the Marikina City public market, and at the Navotas City fish port, he said.
Manila part of story
Manila will serve as the setting for the “climax” or the last 20 to 25 minutes of the film, according to Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairman Briccio Santos.
“Most of the movie’s action scenes would be filmed here. I heard that (lead actress) Rachel Weisz would be riding a jeepney as it spins around,” Santos told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “A chase scene would also be shot along the MRT (Metro Rail Transit) line.”
He noted that “Manila would be filmed as Manila” and not as a stand-in for another city.
“Manila is part of the story,” he said. “What I know is that Bourne’s group comes here in search of a rare medication and some forces are trying to stop them.”
He said all the cast members, including Oscar-nominated actor Jeremy Renner, had already arrived in the country. “This is a good thing. This film will bring us back on the map. In the future, we hope to accommodate more of these foreign films here.”
Some parts of the film would also be shot in scenic spots in Palawan province, Santos added.
Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, Bourne Legacy is the fourth installment of the blockbuster series. The first three had Matt Damon play the title character, Jason Bourne. With a report from Jaymee Gamil
