The Matrix Revolutions Review
by Jerry Saravia (faust668 AT aol DOT com)October 18th, 2004
THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (2003)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
RATING: One star
After seeing the dreary "The Matrix Revolutions," I have nothing but sour feelings for this series. The original "The Matrix" is possibly better than my initial pan of the film, though I am not sure it works as a kung-fu actioner with sci-fi effects and occasional existential quotes. "Reloaded" is a far better film, stronger in every department though it too gets mired in over-the-top action scenes, like an interminable 14-minute freeway chase. Still, "Reloaded" had moments where the reality factor of sense and smell in a virtual reality were put forth, as well as questions about machines versus man. "Revolutions" could have put the cap on the trilogy by taking such ideas further, as promised by "Reloaded." Instead this movie is overlong and exhaustingly repetitive, coasting on a never-ending mirage of shootouts and shoot-them-ups that border on noisy overkill. Call it revolutions of an underimagined script.
Neo (Keanu Reeves), also known as Mr. Anderson, the hero and savior of "The Matrix," was last seen in a coma. He is finally brought out of his coma and is trying to figure out how to save the city of Zion. You see, Zion will be demolished by the expedient spider-like robots with tentacles, known as the Sentinels, and thus destroy the world the humans live in. The evil Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), last seen battling Neo with multiple clones of himself, is hellbent on destroying Zion as well, though his nefarious plans include nothing more than living amongst all his clones in a rain-drenched, anonymous city (what a visionary)! Smith is from the virtual reality world and must get rid of Neo, and Neo must save Zion. No X-Box games will be awarded to anyone who can guess that these two will battle to the death yet again.
Meanwhile, Jada Pinkett Smith, returning from "Reloaded" as Niobe, is shown to commandeer a ship with such class, sweat and authority that she is easily the best thing in the entire movie. There are also diminishing returns by Carrie Anne-Moss as Trinity, Neo's leather-clad girlfriend, the Obi-Wan-like Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne, looking quite bored), and many other characters who bark orders and not much else - unless you have seen "Reloaded," you'll have no idea who they are. The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson), the Frenchman, returns all too briefly along with Monica Belluci as his wife - nice but fleeting. Most of "Matrix Revolutions" consists of battle scenes galore, guns ablazing in slow-motion, ships moving at near-hyperspace speeds and hundreds of Sentinels moving with whiplash ferocity across the screen, but what in blazes is all this about? What is at stake and whom should we root for? Neo is practically left out of the movie until the last third - either it is a blessing or a disappointment to see Keanu Reeves in a supporting role. The Oracle (Mary Alice, replacing Gloria Foster who died during production of "Reloaded") is nothing more than a philosophical mirage, though philosophy takes a backseat more than ever for endless, pointless, cumbersome action scenes. The ideas of reality and virtual reality that were starting to develop in "Reloaded" are practically nonexistent in this sequel. The only reality is that this trilogy really had nothing up its sleeve after all.
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