The Matrix Reloaded Review
by Chris McGeachy (chrismcg AT shaw DOT ca)May 16th, 2003
The Matrix Reloaded
Written by Chris McGeachy © 2003
3.5 out of 4 stars
Forget all of those 'negative' reviews. I've never really been one to follow the crowd. In fact I'll admit that there are often times that I do like to play Devil's advocate just for the sake of arguing. When the first Matrix film came out in 1999 we had only been given a taste of what the Wachowski brothers had to offer. This taste was in fact but a morsel on a platter of exquisite candies, probably filled with liquor. It's hard to imagine that it 's only been four years since we last stepped into the Matrix, especially considering the new heights in both computer animation and film craft that the motion picture industry has achieved. In a world where sequels can be the life or death of a classic film I was definitely very pleased to see not only the return of these characters in Reloaded but the 'raising' of the stakes as well.
This film is set approximately six months after the first, starting not in the computer-generated Matrix but in Zion - the human home world. We finally get a glimpse of this post-apocalyptic world - a world that is divided by those who believe that the One will fulfill a prophecy and those who believe that Neo does not in fact hold the key to the Matrix. Morpheus, a true believer of the prophecy, heads back up top with Neo and the gang to try and win the war - but there's a catch. It's been discovered that millions upon millions of robots are digging at Zion - trying to get to the core and the juicy human goods inside. Time is running out for our ill-fated heroes and this is when things start to heat up as Neo must finally realize his potential or all will be lost.
The imagery in this film needs mentioning first, returning are the influences of Geiger but we're also given some different glimpses of this post-apocalyptic war zone. The Matrix Reloaded offers visual treats for all kinds of audiences - be you the cinematic scrutinizer or just the person looking for the great action - this film delivers in a big way. I was just as easily impressed with the cave dwelling peoples of Zion, and some of the imagery used during those scenes in Zion. Believe it or not the Wachowski brothers have only directed two other films, the first Matrix and a short film called Bound (1996). Both these films impressed me with their visual styles, and Reloaded is no different - these two have an eye for story, and they're able to relate it so well on the screen.
Ah yes, and Hollywood has been looking for distinction in a martial arts style action for years - here it is folks. Though the style of fighting and their principles are taken straight from Hong Kong cinema, special effects and the goal to bring the fighting up a notch made this entry a very exciting one. A scene where Neo fights multiple clones of Agent Smith - who by now we've found out can clone himself - is breathtaking. There is also the big budget car chase down a freeway that sees Agents and heroes hopping from car to truck in a dance of light and excitement. The bar was raised here as well. The cinematography on this entire production is something to gawk at, beautiful wide shots, no fast-paced edits during the action scene and a look that is totally genuine in so many places makes Reloaded a delightful treat for the eye.
We can't forget the mythology either. This series took itself to unprecedented heights during the first film of the series and I was definitely skeptical that Reloaded would be able to even match the startling revelations of the first film. Again the Wachowski brothers answered the call, this time by questioning the plausibility of the one himself and of the merit of the human resistance. I found that this film had just as many surprises as the first in terms of storyline, and it was definitely a worthy addition to this already stellar series.
Reading reviews of this film, I think people are a little misguided with good reason. The first Matrix film needed to be seen at least twice to even grasp everything that was being thrown at you. 'Causality' and purpose in Reloaded is a huge theme, and it runs throughout. There are hints of it everywhere - and those who aren't looking for it are not going to find it. There are characters who find new purpose, there are others who find old purpose lost, but the Matrix definitely has running theme of purpose. People who weren't into the lore or the philosophical aspects of the film were a little disappointed - yet I ask what they did expect from this film, you have a group of humans that have at one time found out a horrific truth about the reality of their lives - wouldn't you turn to philosophy and faith?
My problems with this film were generally minor. I was a little disappointed that the character played by Jada Pinkett was underused in the latter half - as was the rest of the population of Zion in my opinion. The ending of the film also seemed to come at the wrong time - there are cliffhangers and there are cliffhangers, but the film opened too many cans of worms before finishing itself off - and I'd wished we'd been kept more in the dark for the third film. Dialogue once again was an issue for me, though this time it wasn't so much a problem with clichéd dialogue rather meaningless drivel. For instance a scene involving Neo and the architect of the Matrix seemed to drag on and string out things using semantics - and this wasn't the only time characters were talking gibberish to me. But these are minor nuisances and really didn't stop me from enjoying, and more importantly, understanding this film.
The action is here, though the scenes in between may be a little heavy on philosophy and purpose for some. I love the mythology created, and I thought this film was not only a testament to the series, but to great cinema as well. This is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen with the big sound, and I'm almost certain that this will maintain a cult following for years to come and be looked back on as one of the greats of our time.
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