Bourne vs. Bond

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James Bond is "an imperialist and he's a misogynist," Bourne Ultimatum star Matt Damon has told an unnamed AP writer. (Let me guess....Dave Germain?) "He kills people and laughs and sips martinis and wisecracks about it." Jason Bourne, on the other hand, "is this paranoid guy. He's on the run. He's not the government -- the government is after him. He's a serial monogamist who's in love with his dead girlfriend and can't stop thinking about her. He's the opposite of James Bond."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 25, 2007 at 8:37 AM

comment #1

le corbeau says ...

He's a nice hired killer who you want to just give a big hug to.

Posted by le corbeau at July 25, 2007 12:34 PM

comment #2

JaySmack says ...

I agree with the "imperialist" part, (James Bond does work as the hammer of the British government for plots that as often as not don't even directly threaten Britain, only it's varied "interests") not so sure about the misogyny though.

Nothing Damon said can be disputed. Kudos to him for having the balls to say it out loud.

Posted by JaySmack at July 25, 2007 1:03 PM

comment #3

Ian Sinclair says ...

I like them both, but the difference between Bond and Bourne is that Bond is a man and Bourne is a boy.

Posted by Ian Sinclair at July 25, 2007 1:44 PM

comment #4

Monument says ...

By what standard of measure?

Posted by Monument at July 25, 2007 1:58 PM

comment #5

Ian Sinclair says ...

Well, one is urbane and sophisticated and the other one is America.

Posted by Ian Sinclair at July 25, 2007 2:00 PM

comment #6

Ian Sinclair says ...

whoops -

American college kid.

Posted by Ian Sinclair at July 25, 2007 2:01 PM

comment #7

le corbeau says ...

One has a hard job to do and is doing it; the other is feeling sorry for himself and looking for his bad parenting figures to blame all his troubles on.

Posted by le corbeau at July 25, 2007 2:04 PM

comment #8

Monument says ...

I guess where you live, American college kids look like they are in their mid-thirties and all of the men drink martinis and blow shit up indiscriminately. Sounds like a great place, where the fuck is it?

Posted by Monument at July 25, 2007 2:05 PM

comment #9

Ian Sinclair says ...

Don't curse on a massge board, Monument. It makes you look like an oaf.

Posted by Ian Sinclair at July 25, 2007 2:14 PM

comment #10

bmcintire says ...

But what was Bourne before he lost his memory? A cog in the government wheel trying to be James Bond. And 22 films into the Bourne series (after Damon has long since lost his hair, shape and appeal), we'll see how well the ghost of the dead girlfriend plays. Both series are entertaining, but as has been mentioned before, the tortured amnesia will wear out its welcome pretty soon.

Posted by bmcintire at July 25, 2007 2:34 PM

comment #11

Ian Sinclair says ...

Indeed. The point is that a Bourne movie HAS to be terrific because the character himself is so dull, while a Bond movie can sometimes coast because the character of Bond is so interesting to so many people.

Posted by Ian Sinclair at July 25, 2007 2:45 PM

comment #12

George Prager says ...

"Indeed. The point is that a Bourne movie HAS to be terrific because the character himself is so dull, while a Bond movie can sometimes coast because the character of Bond is so interesting to so many people."

The character of Bond was created by a cuckold. Which is why Dr. Sinclair finds him so interesting.

Posted by George Prager at July 25, 2007 3:04 PM

comment #13

christian says ...

ian fleming's bond never joked about killing people. it made him sick. another reason the books rule.

Posted by christian at July 25, 2007 3:44 PM

comment #14

Ian Sinclair says ...

Like everyone else here, i usually ignore the imbecilic, barely literate "GeorgePrager", who is here, as usual, as incorrect as he is unamusing, but the record should be put straight in case anyone is dim enough to pay attention to a twat like Prager: Ian Fleming, far from being a cuckold, was a notorious adulterer, who only maried his long-term married lover, Lady Anne Rothermere, when she became pregnant with his child.

Posted by Ian Sinclair at July 25, 2007 4:17 PM

comment #15

Ogami Itto says ...

"Ian Fleming, far from being a cuckold, was a notorious adulterer, who only maried his long-term married lover, Lady Anne Rothermere, when she became pregnant with his child."

So Fleming is the misogynist, then?

Posted by Ogami Itto at July 25, 2007 5:03 PM

comment #16

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

After seeing the third in the series, I'm ready to say it (and get flamed for it, caution be damned): Bourne > Bond. Anytime. Anywhere. Gritty realism; more weight to his struggle, Bond looks like a fucking cartoon next to him. Yeah even Daniel Craig.

LOVE to see a Best Pix nom (a la the Fugitive) for BU even though it will never happen. So deserving.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at July 25, 2007 5:04 PM

comment #17

le corbeau says ...

"So Fleming is the misogynist, then?"

Read Quantum of Solace and you tell me.

(that's not a "you tell me" as in "of course he is," it's a "you tell me" as in "maybe, but it's not that simple.)

Posted by le corbeau at July 25, 2007 5:19 PM

comment #18

George Prager says ...

"Ian Fleming, far from being a cuckold, was a notorious adulterer, who only maried his long-term married lover, Lady Anne Rothermere, when she became pregnant with his child."

From "Never Had it So Good" by Dominic Sandbrook:

"It was not a very happy marriage; indeed, within four years she had become the mistress of Hugh Gaitskell and was to remain his lover until his death."

I guess the con is up, Sinclair! Admit, it, you're a Chav married to a Meat Pie Mum!

Posted by George Prager at July 25, 2007 5:44 PM

comment #19

christian says ...

Quantum of Solace is one of fleming's finest stories and if that attention to character were put into the films...

But a cuckold you say? Shocking, positively shocking.

Posted by christian at July 25, 2007 7:25 PM

comment #20

MovieBob says ...

Yeesh, what a tool. Does Damon REALLY think that the folks who have "who would win?"-type discussions about movie characters are really having it out over Bourne vs. Bond at this point?

And besides, which one is "better" is sort of a pointless question in these two cases: Bourne and Bond are BOTH basically fancied-up macho wish-fulfillment figures that primarily differ because of national origin and era. Bond (the movie Bond) is the distinctly British fantasy of status-quo restorer "gentleman warrior" ideal, filtered through Cold War skullduggery. Bourne, on the other hand, is the distinctly American fantasy of the one-against-the-world avenger who only fights when his personal space/life/property is breached filtered through post-Nam paranoia.

Posted by MovieBob at July 25, 2007 9:18 PM

comment #21

malibugigolo says ...

If Damon had read this book he would have learned that Bond didn't enjoy killing, he took satisfaction in doing his job well.

His reactionary view about sex that a man that enjoys having sex with women is a misogynist sounds like something his man hating lesbian college teacher popped into his mind.

Posted by malibugigolo at July 26, 2007 1:30 AM

comment #22