I went to the Bourne movie and it made me think a lot about the nature of sequels. As a writer I feel like a story can encompass more than one book. Some tales work in that fashion for movies as well. Lately I’ve been bantering with my co-teacher about how Alien and Aliens work as a feature together so long as you start the film in the right spot. Other movies are less like that. Bourne is less like that. In truth the nature of the film dictates one film. The remaining stories are circular and add nothing new to the story other than tidbits of information that inform his forgotten past without affecting who the character is at present. In that manner Bourne and the Taken movies are identical. Start with a tried and true formula, add a dose of new tech and roll with it. Perhaps these films are attempting to serve as mirrors for where we are in society and how we react to the same things differently based on where we are as individuals.
I could be giving the film way too much credit.
Was it fun? Yeah. The car chases and fight scenes were tied together with the twine of a plot still old and frayed from overuse. Yet it held and entertained and made all kinds of money. That, after all, is the goal.