Refreshing--Bourne just builds and builds!

Rating: 10/10 (11 August 2007)

After all the summer films glutted with special effects ("Spider-man 3", "Pirates of the Caribbean 3", "Transformers"), it's a relief to see one film that has real ACTION instead of CGI eye candy.
After the three May-release three-quals that didn't quite live up to their originals, it's refreshing to see this trilogy end so well.
And why does it end so well? Because the Bourne trilogy builds on itself and explores its characters more deeply with each installment. By this movie Bourne's grappling with his unknown past has reached a fever pitch. It explores more in-depth his reaction to the death in film 2. Characters like Pamela Landy and Nikki give performances that are more than just repeats--they actually become deeper.
The action is amazing. Unlike the other big-budget films of the summer (except perhaps Harry Potter 5), there is no CGI to clog the screen. We are not diverted--we are ENGAGED. From the motorcycle sequences to the sniper incident to the car chases (what Bourne film isn't complete without a car chase that goes against traffic?), this movie glues us to the screen in a way that no other action movie has quite managed to do this summer.
The ending is perfect. The emotional ride leading up to it was so intense that I actually cried (which is a VERY rare thing for me to do during an action film). In this movie (and throughout the whole series) the dialogue has been more economic than any movie ever. The words are spare; characters rarely string more than a few sentences together, and they don't need to. Each line has a point, and each word delivers its intent. There is no monologuing; each "slow" moment lasts just long enough to give us a respite from the fast-paced action.
The Bourne Trilogy has, in the past few days, become one of my favorite movie trilogies ever. I haven't seen a third installment this good since "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings". I'm sad to see the franchise come to a close, but the ending's good. And talk about quitting when you're ahead...! If only the other summer franchises could have done the same.