Better Spy Series: Mission Impossible or Bourne?

[The Batman]

With both film franchises currently at five films each, which is the overall better series, which one has the better action scenes, and which one has the better protagonist?

 

[Symbiotic]

Back when they were each just three films, I might've said Bourne, but I think so highly of both Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation that those two films alone make M:I the overall better franchise for me.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Agreed with Symbie.

Also I don't really like counting Bourne Legacy as that wasn't even a Damon movie.

 

[TheVileOne]

It's tough because the last two Mission Impossible movies were really well done. I love the original Bourne trilogy, but then you have Bourne Legacy which was awful and Jason Bourne which was very flawed.

I guess overall, pound for pound, I will say Jason Bourne for the first three movies.

 

[Rorschach2012]

MI no contest. It's so stylish and well written for the most part

Bourne has never worked for me, I don't know why

 

[Mysteryman]

I like both.

 

[DOBSON10]

I like both but Bourne is significantly better to me. The first two Bourne movies are both much, much better than any single Mission Impossible movie. Going by the last two movies in each franchise M:I is catching up a bit but nothing that comes close to topping those first two Bourne movies at the moment so I'm going with Bourne.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Mission: Impossible has been better lately, but none of the films in that franchise touches the original three Bourne films. So I went with Bourne, easily.

 

[Whatupman]

Bourne easily. Ethan Hunt is no where as compelling as a protagonist as Jason Bourne is. And Damon is the better actor.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Bourne just shades it at the moment, but M:I6 may change that. Last 2 M:I movies have been great.

 

[The Shape]

Mission: Impossible, FTW.

Better action, more variation in style/substance between each of the films, and a more enjoyable franchise overall.

 

[Elayis]

The first three Bourne's are all solid to great films. Legacy was forgettable and last year's was terrible and tarnished Damon's stellar trilogy.

Whereas with M:I, the only one I genuinely think is good was De Palma's. M:I-2 I enjoyed when I was younger but can now see the flaws; it's still a guilty pleasure, though, and I have fun when I watch it. Abrams' was okay but nothing special; felt more like an episode of Alias than a M:I movie. Ghost Protocol is trash, and I can't see anything about that movie that people like. And Rogue Nation I went into expecting to love (as McQuarrie's Jack Reacher was a favorite of mine in 2012), but again I was very disappointed by it. I don't like the more comedic and grandiose bent the franchise has taken.

 

[DyeLorean]

I like them both but Mission: Impossible. There's just more "spying" than in the Bourne series, which is basically The Fugitive x5. The world around MI is far more fun and interesting, specially considering how much they dropped the ball in Jason Bourne, they proved they can't really do much, they keep repeating the same plot lines over and over again, is exhausting.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I think the MI series is one of the most consistent movie series' there is. I know MI2 is not looked upon favourably these days, but I find it extremely entertaining.

 

[STARMAN]

I go with the Mission Impossible series. I enjoy the last few more than the first few in the series. Bourne has quickly become redundant. The same story. The same basic chase sequences and fights.

 

[DrPsyche]

Agree. And not only "spying stuff". I liked the Mission Impossible series more, because it's full of bright and exciting special effects. The heroes also use various super-technological gadgets in their missions.

 

[Schlosser85]

I prefer Bourne. Not least because I prefer Matt Damon to Tom Cruise.

 

[titansupes]

For me it's a battle between four movies-- Bourne 1 and 2, and Mission 1 and 6. Those are the only two of each franchise that have done it for me.

I went with Mission.

 

[JimThompson]

Bourne by a country mile. It is not that the Mission: Impossible films are poor; Bourne films are just that good.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I like them both a lot but when it comes to the spy genre, I can't help but feel like huge global threats are more entertaining so I went with MI. The Bourne films are much more personal, which is part of what makes them really interesting, but there's a part of me that just NEEDS to see a race against time to stop a bomb from going off in my spy movies. I can't help it.

Now, one could argue that the lows of the MI franchise are lower (MI2 is a straight-up bad movie) but I would argue that MI has never sunk to the level of The Bourne Legacy. Though it's debatable whether that film is "truly" part of the Bourne franchise.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Mission Impossible comfortably for me.

 

[Filmfreak]

I like MI but Bourne is on another level.

 

[Web-Head]

Mission: Impossible for me. I'm a fan of both and while I don't think Bourne reaches the lows of MI2, I don't count Bourne Legacy, I don't think the Bourne films reach the highs of the MI films.

 

[Immortalfire]

Bourne. But only the first three.

 

[OutOfBoose]

MI is at least fun.