Go back 15 years, and you'd laugh if someone told you Matt Damon was destined to headline one of the biggest action film franchises of all-time. In 1999, he was known for The Talented Mr Ripley and Good Will Hunting. He mastered these quiet, thoughtful roles, displaying an endearing reality: here was a real man, an everyman who wouldn't look out of place in a mechanic's van or a ticket booth. You might have thought these traits didn't lend themselves to testosterone-fuelled action blockbusters. Fast-forward to 2014, and Damon's taking on trained assassins and hijacking spaceships. Don't be fooled. He might look more Joe Bloggs than G.I Joe, but that just makes him even more impressive when he delivers lines like: "I'm gonna ask you some simple questions. You're gonna tell me the truth or I swear to God I'm gonna kill ya." It gives a sense that you don't have to be Superman to save the day. You can be - you know - normal. So Bourne turned Damon into a veritable, believable action star. Although he's stepped away from the franchise for now, he's still on our screens this year taking back valuable art from Nazi thieves in war-torn Europe.
Mike Revell is the author of STONEBIRD (Quercus, 2015), and is an award-winning journalist. He has written for the Mirror and NFL UK. He lives near Cambridge, and has an unhealthy obsession with American football, Doctor Who, and Game of Thrones.
