There’s certainly no shortage of fights, explosions, and car chases to witness onscreen these days, but much of the action is, frankly, dull—the result of a tired series or a simple lack of creativity.

Just over a decade ago, however, the Bourne Identity set the action bar high. And since today is the tenth anniversary of the franchise’s second film, The Bourne Supremacy, we’re taking a look back at how the series got action right, how it has weathered the last 10 years, and what action films circa 2014 can learn from the trilogy.

Doug Liman, executive producer,...