When The Bourne Identity hit theaters in 2002 it was well received as an entertaining and smart action/thriller. Five years and two films later, the Bourne legacy is the new standard for spy films, a domain once owned almost entirely by one man - Bond. James Bond.Unfortunately it is a virtually impossible task to review and discuss the Bourne films without also discussing the Bond franchise. They represent two very opposite ends of the spy movie spectrum and Bourne seems to gain a lot of praise as a result of people voicing a growing disdain and boredom with the Bond franchise. So let me start there.
A product of the Cold War era, and many would argue prisoner to it as well, Bond has come to embody what people think of when they think spy or spy movie. Almost everyone you know can recite the famous lines ("Martini. Shaken, not stirred.", etc, etc.) can hum the tune of the James Bond theme and have seen the famous Ursula Andress beach scene from Dr. No. He's 007, has a license to kill, drives fast cars and loves beautiful women... all of them. Literally! He kills without remorse, never mouses his hair or creases the suit. He's Bond.
By the late 1990s and early 21st century movie-goers had started to tire somewhat of the predictable, formulaic Bond claiming the whole franchise is a relic of the Cold War era from which it came. The world was different now and they wanted something different. In short, Bond was no longer "smart".
Along comes Jason Bourne, a man without a memory of his past but all the skills to be one of the most lethal men on the planet. He is no James Bond. Suddenly we are presented with a spy who is only concerned with learning his past, regrets/laments his actions when he is forced to kill and falls in love and is totally committed to one woman whom he mourns when she is killed. He is anything but high society and Jason Bourne definitely gets beat up on the job. Not only is Bourne noticeably more "human" in his character, the whole premise of his story is more realistic and believable in its concept and execution. He isn't fighting super villains with outlandish "toys" or sleeping around with every attractive woman he comes across; he is a highly trained agent determined to find himself and bring down the people who have stolen his life. Unlike Bond, his is a personal war. There is one enemy, one ultimate goal and not the episodic villain.
Bourne is grounded in the real world with its pedestrian weapons, no real high-tech gadgets to speak of and situations that are plausible or, at the very least, conceivable. Picking locks, hacking computers or using advanced evasion techniques are the tools employed by Jason Bourne and it creates a realism that you never get in a Bond film. I would agree that the films are better for it because they feel gritty and edgy. It is wholly different, and in this case, different is good and welcome.
Through the Bourne trilogy we get plenty of action, drama and good old fashioned espionage that thrills! The pace is often frantic and break-neck and it serves to keep you the viewer engaged, interested and entertained. Matt Damon is solid leading man and damn fine action hero, if you consider Bourne to be an action hero. Perhaps he is more the victim, but the final chapter of The Bourne Ultimatum certainly leave that open for debate. Without question the Bourne Trilogy has opened the door to a new era of spy films and set a high bar in the process. The spy movie is back with a vengeance and it is good to see that the genre is anything but stale.
Now before I conclude this post, let me back up and address the Bond franchise from a different angle. It might seem that I just slammed the Bond series as a worn out bag of tricks, a hold-over from previous decades. After recent installments such as The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day, I would have agreed. They did nothing for me, which was too bad since I really enjoyed Tomorrow Never Dies and love Goldeneye.
The latest installment of Bond, Casino Royale, however, is amazing! The film definitely recaptured the excitement of Bond and did so through a markedly revamped approach that employed more realism, far fewer fantastical elements and a more human portrayal of Bond with Daniel Craig. It did everything right and hopefully has rejuvenated the franchise. Even so, with all the criticism of Bond films, I defend them for the fact that they have always been pure escapism, whether tied to the Cold War or not. People watch Bond films knowing exactly what they'll get and they eat it up. That isn't to say that the formula hasn't gotten stale over time, but the purpose of a Bond film should never be forgotten.
The Bourne series is the new gold standard for spy films and I loved it from beginning to end. If more films follow this example, I look forward to what the future has to offer, especially if we get more Casino Royales as well. Bourne was a wild ride, it had heart and connected with the 21st century world we live in. If you haven't yet seen these films, do yourself a favor and check them out. If you like spy films, you won't be disappointed.
Bourne Ultimatum - 9/10
The Bourne Series - 9/10
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