James Bond and Jason Bourne are different in so many ways. However, most movie fans would say that they’re probably the two biggest names in super-spy films. But as you know, there’s not much appeal in having a “top two” of anything. We as a culture crave a Number One, and popular espionage franchises are no exception. So who is the better super-spy, Bourne or Bond? We thought we could break the question down into categories and then award each character a point for each. What we came up with after we did that is what follows. So put on your tuxes or Boston accents, super-spy fans, and please enjoy James Bond Vs. Jason Bourne: Who’s the Better Super-Spy?
Style: Bond
Super-spies in real life probably want to draw attention away from themselves. But in the world of Hollywood espionage, style is a key part of a spy’s persona. Just think about how kickass Black Widow looks, or Nick Fury for that matter. And when it comes to comparing the two of these cinematic spooks, the better dresser is obvious. James Bond wears a tux like a tree wears wood, and even if he’s not in his signature evening-wear, Bond still has the coolest set of tactical outfits. Heck, Bond even wears that hospital gown well at the end of Casino Royale. There’s just nothing that looks bad on that guy.
Stealth: Bourne
But for real, it is generally a bad idea for a spy to be flashy. That’s why we thought to include this second category in this article, and why we’re giving this point to Jason Bourne. Bourne is all about real stealth. You won’t find him in a tux or expensive sports car ever. In fact, you probably just won’t find him in general. Bourne can hide out with the entire world looking for him, and though Bond does a bit of that in Skyfall, he just can’t compare to Bourne. Keeping himself hidden is essentially a full-time job for Jason Bourne, and more of an occasional hobby to James Bond.
Weapons: Bond
Ok, let’s clarify one thing at the top of this category. The weapons of James Bond’s 1960’s films are way cooler than anything either modern Bond or Bourne are using. But even without counting the retro, sci-fi gadgets of Sean Connery or Roger Moore, Bond’s weapons still out-rank Bourne’s.
Impressively, films like Skyfallbrought Bond tech into the modern day, with gear as useful for breaking into an online banking database as they are a casino. And though we love that Bourne’s got kind of a MacGyver way of making anything a weapon (remember that time he fought those people with only books?), we still have to award this point to 007.
Combat: Bourne
Speaking of fighting, we’re pretty sure Jason Bourne would beat James Bond in a purely hand-to-hand match. Bond is impressively trained, of course, but too often he relies on his trusty Walther PPK to win his fights for him. Jason Bourne is a spy who isn’t afraid to really get physical. He frequently takes on several thugs at once and almost always comes out on top. Bourne displays a variety of advanced fighting techniques and skills that make him a serious threat to enemies. We’re not saying he’s Iron Fist or anything, but if it was just a boxing match between the two, our money would be on Bourne.
Luck: Bond
You’d better have a pretty huge supply of luck on your side if you’re planning on super-spying in movies. Every secret agent who’s ever been on the big screen has had to navigate a constant stream of death-traps and killer antagonists, and it takes more than just skill to get out of those situations. Both Bourne and Bond have got this in spades, but we think it’s Bond that takes the cake. He survives a few more fatal falls, dodges a couple more snipers, finds out information just before it saves his life. On the whole, Bond gets dealt a couple better hands, with maybe the exception of that torture scene in Casino Royale. Still, we still think this point belongs to Bond.
Intelligence: Bourne
Maybe it’s in part because he’s not as lucky as Bond, but we think that in a duel of wits, Jason Bourne would come out on top. He’s always four or five steps ahead of his enemies or, hell, even his friends. James Bond is smart too, and we sure wouldn’t want to go up against him in a contest of IQs.
But Bourne’s is the intelligence of a survivor. He doesn’t have the money or connections that are behind the James Bond missions, so he improvised with his exquisite mind. And, occasionally, a loose pile of books.
Villains: Bond
Every super-spy has to have a menacing, shadowy enemy. Jason Bourne certainly has his share, including the government for which he works. But when it comes to villains, very few fictional heroes have a more impressive line-up than James Bond. From Blofeld to Le Chiffre and all the others in between, Bond’s villains are the very definition of psychopathic masterminds. They have no remorse, an unlimited amount of hidden agents, and a will to conquer that could make Napoleon uncomfortable. Plus, they’ve got way more cats. And it is the official belief of Screen Rant and it’s parent company that villains should have cats.
Practicality: Bourne
You know, no matter who wins this match, it’s pretty obvious that Jason Bourne would be a better spy in the real world. Bourne’s plans are down-to-earth and practical. You won’t ever see him driving a car into an exploding train just to catch up with a villain, he’ll just speed up the car. Still, movies are, well, movies, and sometimes that means the impractical answer isn’t just the more entertaining one, it can be the necessary one. But if we just wanted something simple done, like delivering a package, Bourne is your best bet. There’s way less of a chance it’ll end up on fire and in a hot air balloon. And nobody wants to get their mail that way.
Loyalty: Bond
Both James Bond and Jason Bourne go rogue at various points in their respective movies. But while Jason Bourne spends pretty much his whole franchise running from his country’s government, James Bond at least spend some time fighting for Queen and Country. And we think that’s pretty important in a super-spy. After all, they daily risk their lives in their country’s service, and if their mission is a success, no one will ever know. A thankless job like that takes some serious devotion, and though it definitely wanes for 007, we think he still has more than Jason Bourne.
Winner: Bond
We get that you might’ve expected this from the very beginning, but believe us when we say Bond was not the clear winner when we started this. In fact, Bourne fans could take this article in a different way than Bond supporters, even though the former lost. Think about it, James Bond has had decades of films to become the best spy in cinema and he just barely won a contest with a character who’s only appeared in four films (and took a break in between the third and fourth!). But that’s just one take you can have on this debate, what’s yours? Do you like the categories we picked? Did we give the points to the right spy? Let us know in the comments section below!
