Hollywood takes a definitive look at genetic enhancement in the latest instalment in the Bourne series, The Bourne Legacy – to be released next week.

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Hollywood takes a definitive look at genetic enhancement in the latest instalment in the Bourne series, The Bourne Legacy – to be released next week. Jason Bourne has been scrapped and the film focuses on Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), a soldier who has been physically and cognitively enhanced. (“We have never seen valuations like this” someone says in the trailer. Hmmm. Maybe not seen it, but heard it, millions of times.)

According to director Tony Gilroy, the film enhances work which is already being done in secret US government agencies. “There’s no drug testing in war. There’s a very real appetite to have soldiers with increased energy, higher pain thresholds and less need for sleep. The warrior who heals, learns and processes information faster is the dream of every commanding officer. We’re in a place now where the science has begun to make real that dream in a very unpredictable and terrifying way.”

Ethics plays a role, not very large, I imagine, in the film. Research scientist Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) is an ethical ignoramus, but when her own life is in jeopardy, she dimly remembers something about non-malificence.

Michael Cook
Creative commons
enhancement
films
military ethics