The Matrix Reloaded Review
by Dave Bolick (bolick AT pacbell DOT net)June 4th, 2003
Remember that ultra cool red pill/blue pill, once-you-go-through-the-door-nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-again scene / shot in the original Matrix? Well, there's nothing remotely like that in The Matrix, Reloaded, so be forewarned... The plot is completely incomprehensible beyond the basic premise that Zion, the underground city where the rebels--or whatever they're called--live, will be destroyed within 48 hours unless Neo can... do something to prevent it--I can't remember what. The original film was logically flawed by the whole notion that all the conflicts take place in some sort of virtual reality (Why not just give the good guys more powerful programs? And when the virtual game's over, who gives a crap who won in any case?). In "Reloaded," the logical problems are vastly increased. For example, any character can turn into a clone of Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) at any time, except, apparently, for some of the top good guys like Neo and Morpheus. No reason given, or maybe I missed it. Dozens of Agent Smiths go after Neo, who kicks all their butts to some happenin' techno dance soundtrack accompaniment. Then there are two pale, dreadlocked bad guy heavies who can dematerialize and rematerialize elsewhere at will, and yet they still bother to participate in vehicle chases instead of just materializing inside the target vehicle and killing the occupants. Oh, and Neo can fly around like Superman. There's no reason for the many fight scenes and car chases. None. I figured the actual Matrix would be featured in the movie and that the plot would involve the underground trying to destroy it and liberate those imprisoned within; there is no Matrix in The Matrix, Reloaded, at least not that we ever see. Those mechanical octopi are back, but they don't so anything except look menacing. Keanu's acting is even worse than usual. I mean, he was OK in the original, but here he just looks half dead. Laurence Fishburne is still a great actor, but he's put on some weight, and they obviously jimmy the camera angles to try to obscure this unobscurable fact. Carrie Ann Moss is reduced to playing little more than Neo's slam piece, despite a pretty cool motorcycle/acrobatic/explosion scene right at the very beginning. Everything that's supposed to give some idea as to what's going on--such as Neo's meetings with "the Oracle" and "the architect"--is nearly completely incomprehensible. Combined with the non-stop CGI fights, car chases, dematerializations, and so on, it all just becomes a non-stop, special effects mess. Oh, and there's a bad-guy character who appears once in the film, then again at the very end, before you're left hanging ("to be concluded") until next year (a preview is shown at the end of the closing credits). No explanation as to who he is or what his motives are. I thought this would be a good movie, especially after Ebert and Roeper gave it their imprimatur. The original film had the whole what-if-your-life-were-just-an-illusion thing going for it, and of course that red pill-blue pill scene was one of the coolest movie moments ever, but Reloaded is just beyond awful. If you're thinking about seeing it because you like killer special effects, then go for it; you won't be disappointed. But if you liked the philosophy and the cool look and were hoping for an at least minimally comprehensible plot, you might wish to reconsider. I suffered through it, but there's no reason you should, too. If you saw this movie and liked it, that's great; I wish I'd liked it, but I didn't, and that's my tough luck. At any rate, I'm not interested in getting into any discussions or debates; I'm just trying to warn folks who might not be into it as much as you were. Thank you.
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