All of the jason bourne movies full#
All of the jason bourne movies series#

James Bond (and most other action heroes) becomes most interesting when he departs from the dictates of his superiors, goes off grid, and works alone to track down nefarious criminals who threaten the world. The closest parallel to Bourne's character is James Bond, but ultimately Bond is an agent of the state, driving state-funded cars, using state-funded exploding watches and responding to government issued orders. Other action heroes, despite their cool skill set or compelling character traits, simply cannot match. These values resonate in a visceral way with people around the world regardless of gender, race or culture. He’s fighting for his identity, his privacy, and his freedom. What makes Bourne such a compelling character is that he’s an individual fighting against an oppressive government force.

The action turns on the government's belief that Bourne has turned into a 'rogue agent' and must be put down lest he reveal the secret (and illegal) activities of the special ops espionage activity conducted by covert government agencies. Bourne's journey to discover who he is requires engaging with the elite government spy agencies for whom he worked. The amnesia wipes out large portions of his memory, but it also wipes clean the government indoctrination that was necessary to turn him into an assassin. In the Bourne series, the title character is 'reborn' (Re-Bourne!) with a new consciousness and a new conscience. The character's story is a journey of self-discovery, both literally as he attempts to recall his past, and metaphorically as he attempts to understand how he could have done the things he did as a professionally trained assassin.Īs with so many stories (from Robinson Crusoe to The Matrix) death or near death (or figurative death) experiences provide an opportunity for rebirth and renewed insight.

All of the jason bourne movies full#

When he regains full consciousness he realizes that he doesn't know who he is, why he was shot, or how he came to be where he is. A man is discovered floating in the Mediterranean Sea peppered with bullets. Following Ludlum's death in 2001, Eric Van Lustbader has continued with the Bourne series, writing another 10 installments over 15 years. The Bourne films are loosely based on Robert Ludlum's novels ( The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum) written in the 1980s.

All of the jason bourne movies series#

Many of the themes relevant to a free society are addressed explicitly in this recent installment, but the film series as a whole features a character that resonates with our desires for individual freedom more generally.įor those who have been off-grid in a northern cabin for the last couple decades, a brief recap might help. The film is the fifth in the hugely successful 'Bourne' spy-thriller series and by all accounts this recent release is a major film event that marks a significant next chapter in a 14-year franchise.įor those who are concerned about the growth of government power at the expense of individual privacy and liberty, the Bourne films offer a lot for the post-viewing café conversation. Jason Bourne premiered at cinemas across North America last Friday, and pulled in approximately $50 million over its opening weekend.