Matrix : Reloaded (The Matrix Reloaded (DVD))

Member Name: Leolover

Product:	The Matrix Reloaded (DVD)
Date:	03/06/03 (106 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Absorbing story, phenomenal effects

Disadvantages: some unnecessary new characters, hasn't pleased everybody - but nothing really will!

The Matrix Reloaded has generated mixed reviews since its release on 21st May 2003. I was one of the first to witness the return of Neo, Trinity and Morpheus on the opening night, and I was surprised and bewildered by the media's lukewarm reception of what I consider an awesome, jawdropping giant of a movie.

We see so few good sci-fi movies these days. Those that do make it to the cinema are clichéd, predictable and generally follow a standard format. Even the eagerly awaited Star Wars prequels disappointed many fans of the original trilogy with their over emphasis on repetitive, unrealistic special effects and lack of character development (the stilted acting didn't add to their appeal either). The original Matrix was like a breath of fresh air with its dazzlingly simple yet fascinating concept, breathtaking action sequences and appealing characters. Admittedly, it had special effects by the truckload but they were so polished and well executed, and so neatly fit into the context of the plot that they did not subtract from the story in any way whatsoever.

The original film spawned a cult following and fans awaited the sequel with bated breath. Would the enigmatic Wachowski brothers be able to deliver a film of equal quality and widespread appeal as the first movie? In my opinion, the sequel easily matches and in some cases surpasses its predecessor, but it has undoubtedly failed to appeal to as wide an audience as the first movie.

To briefly set the scene; Neo (Keanu Reeves), who was established as 'the One' believed destined to save the human race from enslavement by the machines in the first movie, is now a well established messianic figure in Zion, the only remaining human city on the planet. Along with his great love Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) and father figure Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) he trawls the Matrix searching for highly developed, sensitive people to release from their false existence into the real world
, where they will contribute to the ongoing battle against the machines.

In this second instalment of the trilogy, Neo comes up against the machines again; they are planning nothing less than the total destruction of Zion and all remaining opposition to their control of the human race. Can he overcome his own personal demons and make the harsh choices necessary for the salvation of mankind, as well as overcome opposition from those who refuse to believe he is 'the One?' You'll have to watch the movie to find out!

All the old favourite characters are back, plus plenty of interesting new ones. Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving - superb) is now a renegade program, having been 'released' from the matrix by Neo in the first movie. He provides some great comic moments in this sequel. Trinity and Neo's passionate love affair is at its peak in this movie, and the chemistry between them is very evident and well presented onscreen. New characters such as the evil twins (played by English actors Neil and Adrian Rayment), and the delightfully demonic Merovingian add new interest to the story.

Keanu Reeves has improved no end in his portrayal of the haunted, reluctant hero Neo. The awkward and sometimes exasperating Neo of the first movie has become a compelling, dynamic character in the second. Carrie-Ann Moss is still delightful as feisty, passionate Trinity, splendidly sexy in her skin tight PVC catsuit. A somewhat podgier Lawrence Fishburne is still good as Morpheus. Morpheus was a very distant and Godlike figure in the first movie, but he comes across as a more fallible character in the sequel and is more endearing as a result.

Some of the new characters were superfluous. Niobe (Jada Pinkett) seems to have been included as a bit of extra female totty, she adds nothing to the plot and is not a particularly interesting character in her own right, but she looks good in a PVC catsuit. The 'Keymaker' (who immediately
made me think of Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters!) is a sweet little oriental guy but has little significance to the story. Monica Belucci's Persephone is arguably more important as she stirs up some jealousy from Trinity and adds depth to out understanding of the relationship between Trinity and Neo, but she didn't really need to be in the movie for as long as she was.

The special effects are simply amazing. Take the fight scenes from the first instalment and magnify them to the power of 10, and that's what you've got in this sequel. A fight between Neo and a thousand Agent Smiths, although a little too long, was extremely well choreographed and great fun to watch. The car chase at the end of the movie, which I was expecting to be bored by, went really quickly and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The images of Zion, the human city, are intricate and absorbing. The effects in the first movie were described as groundbreaking, in the second movie they are simply phenomenal.

Much has been made of the 'deeper level' at which this movie works, but I prefer to think of it as an expansion of the story begun in the original 'Matrix'. There has always been a spiritual level to the story; Neo as 'The One' cannot be explained or categorised either by the machine world or the human world; we have always known he has some sort of higher purpose and a role in the salvation of man. I do not feel that the philosophising that takes place in the sequel is overdone, although some reviewers clearly do as many cite this as one of the films biggest failures.

The movie is a masterpiece, but one which I feel will only be recognised and given the credit it deserves when all three movies can be seen together. Perhaps the movie disappointed many fans because it isn't just about the fight sequences, it is a complex story with many layers that cannot be absorbed from a single viewing. If you haven't yet seen it, and
plan to, I envy you the experience you have to come. I plan to see it again and again, but nothing will match that initial excitement, the buzz of adrenaline that is the first viewing of this phenomenal film.

Summary: