Estimated Reading Time 3min
Jason Bourne is a spy with amnesia. I wrote about a spy once and can’t remember where I put my keys half the time, so clearly we’re practically the same person. After revisiting The Bourne Identity movie and finally picking up the novel it was based on, I discovered something surprising: For once, the movie won. Easily.
As always, spoilers ahead.
The Movie Version of Bourne Is Much More Likeable
This seems to be becoming a recurring theme in these Book vs Movie reviews. Hollywood tends to make characters more likeable. Books, on the other hand, often seem determined to make them frustrating. I genuinely enjoy Matt Damon’s portrayal of Jason Bourne. He’s capable, sympathetic, and easy to root for.
Book Bourne? Not so much. I found him abrasive, irritating, and surprisingly difficult to care about. For someone suffering from amnesia, I felt remarkably little sympathy for him.
The Story Is Almost Completely Different
There were so many changes between the book and movie that it felt like the filmmakers picked a few ideas from the novel and then built an entirely different story around them. Yes, Bourne is found in a boat. But after that, many of the events, relationships, and plot developments head in completely different directions.
It felt less like an adaptation and more like someone took a handful of concepts from the book and decided to tell a new story. Personally, I prefer adaptations that stay closer to the source material and only make small changes when necessary. When you’ve read the book and recognise the original story, it can be frustrating to see everything turned upside down.
The Book Handles Bourne’s Injuries Better
One area where the book definitely stood out was the severity of Bourne’s injuries. Movies often have a habit of giving characters life-threatening wounds and then letting them continue fighting ten minutes later as though nothing happened.
The book doesn’t do that. It makes it very clear how badly injured Bourne is, particularly in the opening chapters. The physical consequences of those injuries are given far more attention, which made the danger feel much more real. I appreciated that aspect of the novel.
Bourne Never Stops Complaining
My biggest issue with the book wasn’t the plot. It was Bourne himself. He spends a huge amount of time frustrated that he can’t remember who he is. Now, that sounds reasonable at first. The problem is that it never stops.
Every few pages I felt like I was being reminded that Bourne was annoyed, angry, or frustrated with his memory loss. Not because people were hunting him. Not because his life was in danger. Just because he couldn’t remember things. After a while it became exhausting. Instead of feeling sympathy, I found myself becoming irritated.
I Didn’t Finish the Book
This doesn’t happen very often. I usually push through and finish books, even if I’m not enjoying them. The Bourne Identity became the exception. I stopped reading. I wasn’t enjoying the experience, I wasn’t interested in continuing, and I didn’t feel like spending more of my reading time forcing myself through a story I actively disliked. Life is too short, and there are too many books waiting on my shelves.
Book vs Movie: Which Was Better?
For me, the movie wins without question. I enjoyed Matt Damon’s version of Bourne. I liked the streamlined story. I appreciated the action and pacing. The book had a few interesting ideas, particularly when it came to the realism of Bourne’s injuries, but that wasn’t enough to overcome how much I disliked the main character. In fact, I disliked him so much that I never finished the novel. That’s probably the clearest verdict I’ve given in a Book vs Movie review so far.
Have you read The Bourne Identity, seen the movie, or both? Did you prefer the book or the film?
See You in The Adventures!
Christy Grace
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