Mr. Anderson takes on the Robots (The Matrix Reloaded (DVD))

Member Name: Hunting_Bears

Product:	The Matrix Reloaded (DVD)
Date:	23/05/03 (211 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great special effects, Monica Bellucci, Neo kicking ass

Disadvantages: too much humour

'The Matrix' was released in 1999 and was a big surprise to everybody. How could anybody work up enthusiasm for a Keanu Reeves science fiction film after the dreadful 'Johnny Nmemonic'? 'The Matrix' was actually a truly outstanding film that changed the way action films were created and executed.

The special effects were mind-blowing and original and the story was mind-bending, taking references from philosophers like Jean Baudrillard and mixing concepts of hyper-reality and simulcra into an action spectacular. 'The Matrix' could be described as an intellectual action film (maybe the first) and this contrasts with the usual Hollywood idea of the action genre.

The Wachowski brothers made 'Bound' (1996) and before that wrote the Sly Stallone film 'Assassins' (1995) I hated 'Bound' and 'Assassins' but I was bowled over with 'The Matrix'. The brothers take martial arts, action films, Japanese anime and science fiction to new level that I guess can never be repeated.

'The Matrix' concerned Thomas Anderson's search for a computer hacker named Morpheus. When Morpheus gets in touch with Anderson, Morpheus offers two choices: a red pill and a blue pill. One pill offers Anderson the chance to go back to sleep so he can live in ignorant bliss. The other offers Anderson the truth. A small band of people who have woken up to the truth; Morpheus, Trinity, Cypher, Switch, Tank, Dozer show Thomas Anderson (hacker name Neo an anagram of One) the world and how the machines control everything. Morpheus then drops the bombshell that Anderson is in fact the saviour of human kind and that he is 'The One' a man who cannot only bend the rules of the Matrix but can save the last human city; Zion from destruction. The first film deals with Neo learning about the Matrix and how he can help destroy it.

The film ends with the brilliant line "
I'm not going to tell you how this ends, I'm going to tell you how it begins". Neo then flies off into the sky leaving the audience stunned. Four years later 'The Matrix Reloaded' is released.


'The Matrix Reloaded' was hyped beyond belief, not only is the film an event but the marketing campaign was an event in itself. I think it was ridiculous and pointless (synergy at its most vulgar). The film is set six months after the original and with a bigger budget and more cast members to introduce the world of the 'Matrix' gets bigger and better. The start is a bit rocky and uncertain almost confusing but once it settles down it is unbelievably incredible, almost unreal, I have never seen anything like it. I didn't need the marketing campaign to tell me that the film was good (do the producers and marketing folks have so little faith in filmmakers and audiences?).

I will reveal only a little of the plot because it's better if you don't know a lot about it. Six months after the original story ended Zion is under increasing threat from the machines. The council of Zion (some stupid old people) sends Neo and his crew back into the matrix so that they can try and find a way to defeat the machines. Neo visits the Oracle and she tells him that 'The Keymaker' has the answer that he is looking for but Neo will have to make a choice whether a main character lives or dies (its pretty obvious who from the opening sequence). 'The Keymaker' is being held by The King of the Matrix Mirovingian (an absurd Frenchman), Morpheus, Trinity and Neo visit the King and are told by the King that he will never give up 'The Keymaker'. The King's wife Persephone (a truly beautiful Monica Bellucci) helps them get 'The Keymaker' and this leads to one hell of a car chase that is both expertly choreographed and jaw-dropping. That is all I am going to tell you about the plot
.


Joel Silver is the producer of 'The Matrix' series and he is a loud mouth Yank who has been telling anybody that will listen that 'The Matrix Reloaded's' effects will be that great that nobody will be able to repeat them. Quite a big claim and for most of the film he maybe right. The only time I noticed a moment of weakness in the effects was when Neo fights about one hundred Agent Smith's. The real Keanu Reeves is replaced by a CGI version and it's pretty obvious. The film scores high points in the scenes such as the car chase, which left the entire audience and me breathless. My favourite special effects sequence is when Neo is flying through the city and going that fast that he is destroying it, debris whirlwinds around him and it's just incredible to look at. The much hyped car chase sequence is also fantastic. Whether its Morpheus fighting Agent Brown on a truck with a samurai sword or Trinity riding a motor-cycle through heavy traffic in the wrong direction it's pretty hard not to be impressed by the vision of the Wachowski brothers.

What I liked most about 'The Matrix Reloaded' was its mind-bending ideas that I cannot really divulge but when Neo confronts the Architect of the Matrix the concepts get pretty far-out. The Wachowski's certainly read a lot of philosophy and this makes 'The Matrix Reloaded' quite special, here is an action film that features a plot about reality, identity and religion.

There are a few weaknesses in the film that I found quite annoying. There was too much humour and it ruined the seriousness of the film. Whether its Mirovingian's stupid French accent or characters saying 'Whoaa' after Neo does something amazing the humour does grate and the Wachowski's are hardly comedy geniuses. The scene's set in Zion itself are rather rubbish. Morpheus making a speech to the masses and sounding like Agent
Smith
(listen to his voice) is stupid and the rave scene is just awful. If Zion is under constant threat from the machines you would expect the survivors to be rather feral but they all live in a hip underground metropolis with great costume designers.


The new characters are introduced in this film; Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) is rather cool and Persephone (Monica Bellucci) is stunning and mischievous. The scene in which Persephone kisses Neo is brilliant just for the anger on Trinity's face. Mirovingian is terrible, Link the new pilot on the Nebacaneezar is a good addition and the Twins are awesome, they fight with razorblades and are quite menacing. On a whole the acting is nothing special but that doesn't matter because they all look really cool in their sunglasses and Prada clothing.

'The Matrix Reloaded' can be described as a flawed masterpiece and it certainly heralds the dawn of a new kind of cinema. I can't wait for 'The Matrix Revolutions' in November. Go and see this film because it really is a landmark in cinema.

In addition Agent Smith is the funniest thing in the film that is actually very amusing, he is out for personal revenge because he is trapped in 'The Matrix' after Neo jumped into him at the end of the first film. After Neo fights about one hundred Agent Smith clones he says "Fighting him felt like it did back in the corridor, it felt like dying" sounds like an omen for 'Revolutions' because Agent Smith is far from over.

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