Prepare for action with Matt Damon's Oakley M Frame Strike sunglasses from Green Zone

The former Jason Bourne heads into battle with his Oakley shades.

There’s little doubt that Ray-Ban is the number one name for sunglasses in Hollywood. It’s been with us for over 70 years, its distinctive logo recognisable all over the world with its endless list of famous film wearers including the Blues Brothers, the Men in Black and Tom Cruise’s randy teen, Joel Goodson from Risky Business. And while Ray-Bans continue to thrive as the brand to beat, it’s not so hot when it comes to sportier shades. Instead if you’re looking for something with a more athletic edge, perfect for taking your performance to the next level, you need a pair of Oakleys.

Oakley first took on the world in 1975 when budding designer, James Jannard set up shop in his garage with just $300. But he wasn’t stuck in the garage for long, his innovative ideas for motorcycle grips and goggles opening the door to further opportunities and in 1984 we got the first pair of Oakley sunglasses. The name’s come a long way since then and has really become a force in sports sunnies, visors and goggles signing exclusive deals with the likes of Ducati and Lance Armstrong.

Yet it’s on the big screen that we’ve really come to take notice. Oakley’s sporty image makes it a great fit for action heroes, with comic book crime fighters like Cyclops (the Oakley Juliet in X-Men and the Oakley Penny in X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand) and Blade (Oakley Fours as seen in Blade II) rocking the look. While its popularity among serving military men sees Hollywood also reaching for the Oakleys with Eric Bana doing so to play Sergeant First Class Norm “Hoot” Gibson in war thriller, Black Hawk Down.

And that’s precisely the case in new war drama, Green Zone. Reuniting Matt Damon with Brit director Paul Greengrass after their über-hits, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, the movie sees Matt tool up as Roy Miller, a U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer who agrees to help the CIA sniff out weapons of mass destruction in Iraq only to go rogue when he suspects a conspiracy. And while he might not be playing nice with his colleagues, he is obeying one classic rule – Oakley eyewear.

Matt wears the Oakley M Frame Strike, which, like so many Oakleys, is at the very cutting edge of design. Thanks to its hinged frame and three-point fit, it’s comfortable and secure; the XYZ Optics promises maximum clarity whatever the conditions and the Plutonite lenses with Iridium coatings blocks 100 per cent of all harmful rays while reducing glare. Oh, and they look pretty cool as well allowing you to switch up the look with five interchangeable lenses (in case one doesn’t coordinate well with the combats).

If the M Frame with its quirky shape is familiar, you might have seen it in cop actioner, S.W.A.T. (everyone in that cast, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J, the lot of them worked the look) or The Hurt Locker in which Jeremy Renner battles bombs in M Frame Sweeps (get yours, see right). And so we welcome Matt into the Oakley gang and remember some past pairs that really stole the show.

The old faves include Jeremy’s Sweeps, Denzel Washington’s Inmates from The Book of Eli, John Travolta’s Square Wires from The Taking of Pelham 123, Vin Diesel’s Rokrs from Babylon A.D. (with built-in speakers for wireless music streaming!), Jon Favreau’s Radar Paths from Couples Retreat and, a real blast from the past, Tom Cruise’s now discontinued Romeo I’s from Mission: Impossible II (thank God for eBay!)

So pick an Oakley pair for that edgy, athletic look this summer.