Monday, December 17, 2007

Bourne Then and Now

This weekend we watched The Bourne Ultimatum, and then The Bourne Identity, because one is not enough. I love these films, but everytime I see one, I have to get on my soapbox about action film heros now vs. in the 80's.

When I first saw The Bourne Identity five years ago, I enjoyed it so much that I decided to read the Robert Ludlum novels which the movies are based on. I was very surprised to discover that Jason Bourne in the novels is really a chauvanistic jerk. He kidnaps Marie from a hotel and forces her to help him at gun point. It's been long enough since I read them that I don't remember if they get together, but I think at the least she helps him of her own free will after that. He is also ruthless and amoral. I recommend the books, because the stories are great, but they are definately different. There is also a Bourne Identity movie made much closer to the time of the books, and it's Bourne is very close to the book Bourne. We didn't enjoy it very much.

However, knowing the books, I laugh everytime I watch the new Bourne movies. It is such a great example of how the cultural expectations for men and relationships leave a lasting imprint on the hero. Far from the macho jerk in the books, Bourne in the movies is a Really Good Guy. He's an assassin, but he only kills the other assassins who are trying to kill him first. He doesn't carry a gun, but rather finds one each time he has to use one. He can speak any language, evade a chase in any tiny vehicle, defend himself with a ballpoint pen or rolled up magazine, yet he is lost without Marie. When it comes time to enlist Marie's help, he offers her a lot of money, and lets her choose. That is so much more appropriate behavior, because women today need to choose their destinies. It isn't until the bad guys kill Marie that he moves from reactive to proactive, and we know it's all because his heart is broken, so we can forgive just about anything. He's a killer we can love. He hardly even swears.

I sit there laughing and pointing out these things as we watch, and I love the films because Bourne is the kind of hero I can empathize with, for all the above reasons. I guess I'm as shaped by the culture I live in as Bourne is.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, now I know why we are friends! I LOVE the Bourne movies. I have seen the last two in the theater the week they came out. What I love about them (beside all the points that you have already made) are the scenes in the CIA command and control rooms with all that amazing technology. I really enjoy the main CIA female character ( I think her name is Pam). How she is so powerful in all those control room scenes. I spent a lot of my childhood wanting to be that character. And then my favorite is at the end of the second movie when the hero tells Pam that she should "get some rest" Oh that Matt Damon would validate all my hard work and tell me I should take a vacation!!! And then the whole thing is topped off with the Moby soundtrack. What's not to like?

Heidi said...

I got you out of the woodwork! I'm proud of myself.

Anonymous said...

Do you have pictures from the Christmas musical?
Aunt Gretchen