The Matrix Reloaded
Directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski
Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne
Moss
Warner Bros.
Rated R for sci-fi violence and
some sexuality
Stater rating: *1/2 (one and a half
stars)
The
Matrix: Overloaded
With The Matrix Revolutions coming to theaters on November 5th,
it felt necessary to go back and review The Matrix Reloaded. The original Matrix film is a truly great piece of cinema history, a modern classic
if you will. The Matrix may have borrowed plot details from The Terminator and other sci-fi hits like it, but it was the style, the fighting and the wonder that made The Matrix so different. Never before had we seen such wonderful imagery, such entertaining fights and such an
interesting vision. Star Wars may have been the big release of 1999, but The Matrix were the only two words critics and fans had on their tongues that summer.
The Matrix Reloaded, the first of a two-part sequel was released early this
summer on May 15th. It was greeted with open arms from a growing number of fans, including several die hard Star Wars fans, disappointed that Lucas couldnt provide the excitement they got from
The Matrix in the first two episodes of his failed trilogy.
The lights dimmed, the green Warner logo appeared, the
matrix code fell and the audience was silent with anticipation. It was a wonderful two minutes. The remaining 136 minutes,
however, were muddled with overloaded action, boring dialogue, weird philosophy and an underground sex romp/dance that only
Zalman King (Red Shoe Diaries) could be proud of. The Matrix Reloaded is more or less an action porno. Its one useless dialogue piece to the next with fifteen minute
fight sequences holding us over for the two hour running time.
Several months later, October 14th to be exact,
The Matrix Reloaded reached DVD and VHS. While the sales have been rather high,
does the film still fare as poorly as it did in the theaters? In many cases, its worse. The film is still confusing and irritating,
but now its confusing and irritating on a 19 inch TV screen.
The problem with The
Matrix Reloaded is that it forgot the rules the first set down. At the end of The
Matrix, Neo learned that he did not have to dodge bullets. He learned he was beyond that. He was a game genie of sorts,
hacking the matrix code as he saw fit. He exercises this newfound ability on Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), by entering his code
and erasing him. At the end of The Matrix, the audience was meant to think that
flying and deleting agents was only the beginning for young Neo, our Jesus figure. He was going to open the eyes of the world
with his strengths and bring an end to the tyranny and pain caused by the evil machines. We were wrong.
Apparently flying is the only thing Neo can do. He somehow lost the ability to hack the agents and he must again dodge
bullets. Also, somehow, Agent Smith has come back from deletion. Perhaps he was protected by Norton Anti-Virus. It is pretty
much up to the audience to figure that one out. These issues are among hundreds of problems the film has from open to finish.
Neos fight sequence with the Smiths is fun, but lacks any
suspense since we know that Neo can kill Smith, or at least he used to be able to. Either way, he still has that nifty flying
trick he can use to get away. We also see werewolves and vampires yet when they fight Neo, they dont turn into the creatures
we know them to be, they use weapons to kill Neo; something we know wont do the trick in the first place. More or less, each
sequence is an excuse to show off Neos fighting skills. Thats what the first film was for, not this one.
Ironically, the best sequence in this sci-fi epic is the
mega chase on the Los
Angeles freeway, which is actually a giant rip off/homage of Super
Mario Brothers 2. Remember the part in that game where you had to get the key and these ghosts chased after you? Sound
familiar? Thought so.
Where is the wonder? Where is the magic? What the hell
happened? The only thing holding this film together is its confusing, but interesting speeches from the Merovingian and The
Architect, two of Reloadeds more deadly creatures. People talk about these speeches
even today. It has been promised from producers and other various industry folk, that The
Matrix Revolutions is the real juice of the two-part sequel.
Until then, we are treated with the DVD of Reloaded. The first of many most likely, the DVD is filled with hours of extras (sadly no commentary) including
a rather interesting behind the scenes making of the Matrix videogame, Enter the Matrix
and the hilarious Will Farrell MTV Matrix spoof. Skip the Justin Timberlake crap
and go straight to Farrell, playing the Architect; its honestly the best thing to come out of The Matrix since the first film. The Matrix Reloaded may be a fine
film on its own, but compared to its big brother, Reloaded is one of the biggest
disappoints in recent memory.
