"The Dark Knight Rises" may have been the most anticipated series installment of the summer, but for all its buzz, the curtains have closed on that universe. The new Bourne universe, on the other hand, is just getting started.

In the new, Matt Damon-less "The Bourne Legacy," Jeremy Renner mans the spotlight at Aaron Cross, an elite member of Outcome, a covert government project aimed at producing chemically enhanced super soldiers. After program head Byer (Edward Norton) decides to terminate Outcome – and consequently, its participants – Cross escapes and goes rogue, taking the program's lone surviving virologist, Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), on a desperate mission to save both their lives.

True to form, this new "Bourne" hits the ground rolling, and if you're not mentally prepared it's easy to get a little tangled in the wheels. The storyline is laden with intense militaristic and scientific discussion between high-level operatives; to them, it's just another day in the office, but audiences should prepare themselves for a little cerebral exercise.

It doesn't take long for the film's adrenaline to kick in. After assembling its many moving parts, "Legacy" becomes an intense action thriller fully worthy of the Bourne brand. Renner is pitch-perfect in his role, channeling the Jason Bourne ideal while still maintaining Cross' individuality. Norton's performance – which is equal parts doggedly militant and dangerously reasonable – is equally riveting.

The only real obstacle "Legacy" never really overcomes is the ghost of Jason Bourne. The original rogue agent doesn't make an official appearance, but his presence looms over the action by way of a disjointed subplot based on the events of "Ultimatum." Although it provides an impetus for "Legacy" and brings the aftermath of "Ultimatum" into perspective, the scenes cause more than a few stumbles in an otherwise intricate and exciting movie.

Despite its minor lapses, "The Bourne Legacy" is a brilliant hand-off of the original "Bourne" trilogy. The skillful writing, direction and acting converge to near perfection. While it carries the Bourne name, it holds its own and then some as a new piece of the universe. Sequel-happy studio execs would do well to take note of this one: much like Aaron Cross is a new breed of government soldier, this Bourne" spin-off is a satisfyingly well-executed new breed of sequel.