We are all familiar with Jason Bourne, amnesiac superspy, but what about Jason Bourne, champion for literacy? Throughout his saga, we’ve seen Bourne match wits against the best the CIA has to offer, but if you watch closely you’ll notice that he’s trying to send a strong message about the power of the written word.
The Bourne Identity (2002)
As Jason faces down the first of two scooter riding assassins in mortal combat in his sparsely decorated Parisian apartment, the natural choice to defend himself from a knife attack is a ballpoint pen. It’s quick, pointy, and might eventually give his opponent ink poisoning. What’s great here is that any attempt to dwell on the pen being mightier than the sword (or in this case, a punch knife) is left by the wayside.
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
You’re fighting a highly trained handcuffed German sleeper agent in his own apartment and he’s got a kitchen knife, what else can you do but roll up a copy of “Das Beste” and beat him about the head with it? Such an effective weapon this was, I bet you never looked at your doctor’s office’s pile of National Geographics the same way again.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
When Desh raises the ante from good ol’ hand to hand to a full on table lamp, Bourne is happy to oblige him with what looks like a grade 10 math textbook. Here’s an equation for you: Jason Bourne + book = massive concussion.
And that’s one to grow on.
Hahaha, gotta love these subliminal messages! I haven’t seen the Bourne Trilogy in a while, but I do have it in Blu-Ray. I gave my grandparents the Bourne Identity to borrow, and they did like it! They know what’s up…lol.
Merry Christmas!!
Josh Lipovetsky.
Merry Christmas to you too, Josh! My Dad’s a huge fan of the series too, he watches it about once a year, and gave me the thumbs up for this little peek at the movies’ “subtext”, so to speak.
All the best to you in the New Year!
*applause*
Glad that Damon keeps his blockbusters full of important PSAs. Please keep us abreast of any more you see hidden between the lines.
Thanks for checking in, Fletch! It’s nice to see he can take a break from doing PSAs in episodes of Entourage and spread the wealth around a little more – ’cause Knowledge Is Power!