best-action-hero

Best Action Hero: Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne, or James Bond?

Written by   (author of Obvious Conclusions)  |  Date Updated: March 11, 2020

jason bournejack bauerjames bond

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There is not a movie or TV show with Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer, or James Bond that I have not seen. I refer to them as the great JB triumvirate.

It cannot be a coincidence that all of their initials are JB. James Bond obviously came first. And when Robert Ludlum was writing the Bourne Series, he probably subconsciously chose the JB initials because he was 007 fanatic. And, a few years back, when they named Jack Bauer, I can assure you that this subliminally factored in.

So, now you need to decide. Who’s the best of the JB’s? Who would win in a fight? Who gets the hottest girls? Who has the best action sequences? Who’s the coolest? Factor everything in and vote now (if you would like to articulate your vote, use the comments below):

Who is the best action star?


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Richard Cummings

Richard Cummings is a writer, traveler, and web content developer.

Get your copy of his latest book entitled Obvious Conclusions, stories of a Midwestern emigrant influenced and corrupted by many years living in San Francisco and abroad. It just received its first outstanding review "...reminiscent of David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs" on Amazon UK.
Richard Cummings
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Richard CummingsBest Action Hero: Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne, or James Bond?

Comments 9

  1. Brian (breal) Smith

    this was a tough one, considering…

    Bond was the origional, how can you not vote for the origional.

    Bourne would definately win in a fight over any of them,

    But…

    Bauer is the coolest, SOB on the plannet… the guy has cheated death more times than i can count, and thus gets my vote as the #1 JB

    Brian

  2. Rodrigo

    i know you´d say “shall we watch another 24”? but i think that bourne is the coolest, he definitely fights!!!

  3. John Ebert

    Well as I casted my vote to James Bond, for his long-time legacy to all the movies & dramas he appeared in the passed.. James Bond has quite a history behind him for what he has done in his entire Acting Career..
    I won’t argue though that, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Southerland) though, has a history behind his legacy as well, but for “24” he has probably made the “BEST” TV Show Drama in TV history..
    The way “24” was to me, appeared so “GREATFULLY” “SOPHISTICATED” of all time, and with how technically & psychologically, how he could make such happenings that in our news that we commonly read today is just “PHENOMINAL” yet how he created such a show to be as attractive as it was, mainly I think for what he cast acted in the show of “24” was things for us to see in many more ways than one, between today and the future yet to come, and that’s just what he did…
    I don’t know of a new TV show drama like that will ever fill in the holes of what “24” was, and his good thinking to end the show on a high note, which is few of so many other shows, like of other shows, either they went not long enough, or too long.. But how Kiefer Southerland (Jack Bauer) how he done it, had to be a very well created show, to end just on the high note.. But there were 2 other shows that ended like that too, back in history, and that was “DUKES OF HAZARD” & “CHEERS” only the 2 others I knew that started and ended on high notes, and now “24” that sure takes a lot of work and dedication to make a TV show series start & end on a “HIGH NOTE” anyways Kiefer all the best in ur upcoming future movie making of urself, My very Best to you

    John
    Yours Truly

  4. Cual

    ok guys, james bond has been entertaining and thrilling the world with action for a long time, jack bauer is probably the most stressed guy in the universe, well for a while at least, now his like “what? ure gonna torture me? ok go ahead”, and we all wondered “what wil bourne find next?”.

    if i had to choose between them ill choose jack, the choices jack had to deal with and the things he came up with give him the first place as the best JB

    but the title says “Best Action Hero”, JHON MCLAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!, come on guys i really like the heroes u mentioned, but the best action movies to date are the die hard films

    MCLAIN Kicks ASSSS

  5. Chris

    I’m a fan of all three.

    Jack Bauer is badass because he knows how criminals think and makes decision on the fly. But what makes him dangerous is his contacts/people he knows, his knowledge of weaponry and the terrorist mind. He has the CTU division at his dispense and frequently talks with the President. Out the these three Bauer has the best resources and is definitely the best leader.

    James Bond is just cool and is tough. He’s very good with technology and is the luckiest SOB on the planet. The new James Bond can fight and beat some ass. He gets the women and always plays it cool. By far, James Bond would be the coolest of the three to be… just because he gets the women.

    Jason Bourne is one of a kind. He’s a genius with photographic memory and unmatched knowledge of martial arts and weaponry. The government spent millions of dollars training him. He came to the US with no money, no weapons, no resources, no friends and took on the US government by himself and won. He knows how to operate technology and kill using the least amount of time and energy. If your hiding he’ll find you, if your running he’ll snipe you, if you fight him he’ll break your bones but most likely you’ll never see him coming and you’ll be dead. Bourne was trained not to be seen and make assassinations look like accidents. Bourne is not the best leader or the coolest nor does he get the most women but he is the most interesting and the most deadly.

    If all three of these guys were fighting against each other, Bond and Bauer wouldn’t stand a chance unless they work together and come prepared with their technology and resources. But still my money would be on Bourne.

  6. Shay

    Jack Bauer is my 1# favorite choice. You better believe it. No on and I mean no one is going to feel the gap that keifer did portraying one of the best characters on t.v. Love you always, Jack Bauer. You should’ve have a better ending. Let’s hope the 24 movie will fulfill that.

  7. Matthew Taylor

    Tough one,

    Bourne is a good option to go for because he is a strategist and almost everything goes to plan with him… But he’s on his own, no one to communicate with.

    Bond is another good one because he has a license to kill, so he would be able to use whatever weapon/fighting style he wishes, where as Bourne will have to gain the trust of the weapon supplier.

    But… Bauer is no strategist, he does what is necessary, when the time is necessary, and can deal with almost any situation. He also cheated death more times than I can count.

    So, I would have to go with Bauer, as he has contacts, fighting skills, he could take over the entire pentagon with a pistol and a silencer if he wanted to, he won’t give away important information, and, he will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER die.

    Apart from old age.

  8. Rob

    This is definitely a question that keeps me awake at night.In the end it’s a matter of taste.If you prefer a rather conventional good guy trying to escape his murky past, but with superior unarmed combat skills and resourcefulness, then its Jason Bourne.However, though all three characters face moral dilemma’s, Bourne is by far the most straight laced(well, from the beginning of the first film and his amnesia), which i personally find makes him a little tame compared to the others, Bond especially.He is essentially on a quest for the truth, whereas Bond and Bauer’s objectives are to avert global or national catastrophe, arguably a more relevant goal than merely discovering one’s past.However,Bourne is clearly the most skilled fighter and driver of the three, and his films are superior.
    Jack Bauer is a highly determined, driven character who makes immense personal sacrifices on (literally) a daily basis, often at the expense of his family and romantic life.However, he only has two tones of voice (tense whisper or spittle spraying shout) and can be at times dull to watch due to his role in the show as merely a catalsyt to resolve the crisis, rather than an actual human character, and his personal life at times feels tacked on, like a necessary filler not properly thought through and at odds with his other traits.Bauer also, unlike the other two, usually operates as part of a team, rather than alone, and therefore has a great deal of manpower and technology on his side.Bauer’s dark, rebellious side was explored more thoroughly in season 8, however, revealing a psychopathic element to his character,intent on revenge after years of unrewarded sacrifice, which proved compelling.Bauer’s ability to perform under the most intense pressure and against the clock remain unrivalled.
    And yet despite the merits of these two characters, James Bond’s (particularly Connery and Craig’s Bonds) unwavering coolness, morally enigmatic nature, suave charm,suggestive cheek,murderous cruelty,emotional detachment, indifference to women and sheer unbending ruthlessness and determination to get the job done in the face of impossible odds, all underlined by a scarcely visible yet still tangible vulnerability and emotional scarring, make him an undisputed winner.He has an element of darkness, danger and moral ambiguity that the others lack;at times,he appears merely as a coldly murderous sexual predator, using his 00 status and licence to kill in order to satisfy his urges to kill and seduce.However, a closer analysis reveals an emotionally scarred and weary individual with a desire for risk and thrill that borders on the suicidal, who presents a front of utter invulnerability and fearlessness as protection from a world that has orphaned him and destroyed his conscience.Bond is ultimately a hard man, hurt by life and his job, yet realising that his role as assassin and provocateur is ultimately a necessary one in a brutal world, and that sacrifices must be made to his own soul for the achievement of a greater good.It is this willingness to accept the dirty, reprehensible aspect of his work, and the inimitable panache with which he does it that make Bond the first, and still best, action hero.

  9. Jack

    Jack bauer is the best. Bourne is a joke. What exactly has he done? Jack! All he did was run away and kill people after him. Jack Bauer has saved the U.S.A. countless times dealing with entire terrorists factions and god knows what. And as for James Bond. They need gadgets just to make him relevant. Take away the gadgets Bond gets and he’s useless.

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