The Name's Brand; James Brand
There are numerous web pages devoted to the Bourne versus Bond debate. Who's the superior in your book? Robert Ludlum's brainwashed bionic man - a gritty, focussed, über-assassin, who wouldn't be distracted by Swedish supermodels or a bottle of Bollinger; or Ian Fleming's naval commander - not just a resourceful killer, but a witty philanderer and nouveau cuisine connoisseur.
Whatever your decision, there's no denying that the Ludlum character's film franchise resulted in Bond being (ahem) bourne again. Daniel Craig's new, more bruising Bond, owes a lot to Matt Damon's rogue spy; there are less quips, less gadgets and less girls in Casino Royale, as no doubt will also be true of the upcoming Quantum of Solace.
However, there's definitely one thing that there's more of in Bond, one area that Bourne can't compete in: branding. I can't remember the name of the magazine that Bourne roles up to use as a bludgeon in The Bourne Supremacy, but I can recall the make of watch Bond wears in Casino Royale. Mainly because, in what must be one of the worst product placement fumbles in film history, the love interest in the film explicitly asks him.
Companies have paid a rumoured £44 million to have their drinks, cars and watches consumed, worn or driven by Britain's most cavalier covert operative. At least you can't accuse Bond of 'storing up treasure on earth' - most of his possessions have been pulverised by the time he's halfway to saving the world.
But it's Bond's love of the finer things that has corporations vying for his endorsement, and men envying his lifestyle: Bourne just isn't bourgeois enough.
It's tempting to think, though, that in an age of financial uncertainty Bond may lose his allure; after all, isn't it aspiring to a life marked out by luxury and finesse that has, in part, helped procure the current state of global financial affairs? As the Proverb says 'Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf' (11.28). The image of a flourishing plant is often employed in Scripture to describe those who've been led to a place of flourishing by making God their confidence (e.g. Psalm 1:3, Jeremiah 17:7-8).
We may have become wise to the belligerent branding of Bond, we may prefer basic Bourne, but let's also admit that the playboy par excellence only ever offers the illusion of confidence. For a security that's never shaken, never stirred we need to look elsewhere.
Jason Gardner
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