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The Matrix Reloaded (Widescreen Edition) Customer Reviews (28 - 30 of 78 Reviews)
Stunning Visual Effects - Diluted Story Line
Not having viewed the first "Matrix" film, I had to evaluate this film on its own merits ... which is a good thing, because as I had no basis of comparison, I could enjoyed the stunning visual effects and futuristic fantasy concepts without preconceived notions. However, *now* having viewed the original "Matrix", I can see the flaws of this sequel in the 'continuing saga of the Matrix'. Overall, it is the stunning visual effects that are most memorable: fantastic flying scenes, artistic kung fu & ju jitsu fights, acrobatic leaps including walking on walls and ceilings, photographic views of the gears and machines which keep the underground city of Zion functioning. Another important reason for the film's success is the original creative concept of humans entering the computer program called "the Matrix" to beat it at its own game, i.e. to alter or change it. This idea *alone* makes the film a block-buster at the box office. The inclusion of martial arts and spirituality add further to the intrigue and mystery of the story line ...
Unfortunately, the sequel lacked the depth of the original theme: Neo discovering "who he is", "finding his own path" and realizing he is "the One" who will challenge and possibly ovecome the Matrix program. The build-up to his decision to seek information from the Oracle was nicely done but the actual meeting was a let down. Another minus to the film is the deliberatley prolonged fight scene with the Agents named Smith. It detracted from the impressive and artistic merits of the martial arts fighting. The car chase scene with the Evil Twins on the highway was also lengthy and exaggerated . There were missed opportunities to film stunning views of the mountains and valleys of Switzterland, personally I think Neo & Trinity arrived at the Swiss castle looking for the key-maker way too soon. Also, they found the dungeon in the castle where he was locked up too easily. One intriguing twist in the plot could have been to develop a romantic interlude between Neo & the French mistress of the "god-father". The writers of the film could have explored Trinity's ability to deal spiritually with a "love triangle". The "party scene" after Morpheus' speech to the humans seemed primitive. It appeared to trivialize the seriousness of nature of the invasion of the machines.
Overall, the sequel was good but left one feeling the film was hyped up too much. No doubt the Matrix trilogy will change how films are made in the future but it should never be forgotten that technical merit does not replace important themes in a story. Place equal emphasis on *both* and I will gladly see the third film in this series. Erika Borsos (erikab93)
A Rush of the Reloaded
It's been four years since directors Larry and Andy Wachowski left us restlessly craving for the sequels to the cyberpunk action film "The Matrix." But from just the trailers alone, images of thousands of furiously swarming machines, elegantly fast-paced kung fu, and other mind-bending special effects, it seems like the Wachowskis can back up the hype.
Envisioned as a trilogy, "The Matrix" will continue the saga May 15th with its first sequel, "The Matrix: Reloaded," concluding with the November release of "The Matrix: Revolutions." In the first film, we witness the story of the hacker Neo (Keanu Reeves), who discovers that his reality is a mere computer-generated simulation created by artificially intelligent machines to use humans for their own purposes, and that he is the only hope for freeing mankind. "Reloaded" begins recently after the events of the original; Neo and company learn that the machines are on a massive rampage to annihilate the last human city, Zion, and everything depends on Neo and the finding of the Keymaker, a new character with access to the machine world. But rescuing the Keymaker is no simple task, as familiar protagonists Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) are confronted with new enemies, such as the Twins, a pair of phantom guardians who have the ability to vanish and reappear, and the temptress Persephone (Monica Bellucci), who will try to seduce Neo from his following his destiny. But what made the original "Matrix" such a household name was not only its sleek story of cyber alienation, filled with saturated religious innuendoes and philosophical overtones, but also how it was visually presented. The idea of mind over matter gave birth to memorable kung fu wirework and the redefining scenes of "bullet-time," in which the camera captures all 360 degrees of an action sequence. What fuels "Reloaded"'s hype though, is that even though "bullet-time" will return, the directors promise to bring new special effects that surpass the original's and redefine cinema.
Spending over 100 million dollars on the special effects alone, the directors are reassuring their words with new technology including "virtual cinematography," which can realistically duplicate anything, from a wall's mold right down to the pores of an actor's face, apparent in the heart-pumping adrenaline rush that is Neo's battle with one hundred Agent Smiths (Hugo Weaving). And that's only the beginning. "Reloaded" itself will have Morpheus and Trinity kicking and flipping through a climactic battle over a long stretch of freeway while cars are obliterated, Neo will fly through cityscapes at insane speeds, and Zion will finally be visually revealed. With so much explosive eye-candy and a story to back it up, "Reloaded" will undeniably make May 15th something for moviegoers to look forward to.
Note: this is only a preview, and will be replaced with a review soon after the movie comes out (either that or whenever i feel like it. laziness rocks).
Many levels of reality-check
The nature of reality, the nature of time, the nature of choice, the nature of fate, the nature of free will, the nature of prophecy, the nature of a messiah, the nature of a Superior Force in the Universe.... all are questioned in this film, as they so often are anyway in my own head, about our own reality... so I loved it. Interesting and interconnected issues emerge. The power and nature of love... for those who aren't interested in a bit more deep thinking, fear not - the action, the setting, the effects, the comic-book feel and the relationship between Neo and Trinity amply fill the time in the cinema seat. It's thrilling from start to finish and it has plenty of comedy moments - and don't forget to wait till the credits have finished for a preview of the Matrix Revolution. If you've ever read about the Bible codes or near-death experiences, you'll get the chills while watching this, I assure you. Watch out for George Dubya Bush, he makes an extremely fleeting 'appearance' at a very pertinent moment in the script. Subliminal, man. Keanu Reeves excels in this film, looking deeply sexy in every moment onscreen... which doesn't hurt one little bit!
PS - in Hebrew, 'thought' also means 'computer'. Something for you to ponder.
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