The Matrix Reloaded

Well, you've waited 4 years for it, and now the second installment of the Matrix trilogy is finally here. Will it live up to the standards you set after seeing the first film? Depends on what you liked about the first film.

Stop the presses! Keanu Reeves has set a new record for himself-he actually goes through an entire movie without saying the word `whoa'. That is what you'll be saying throughout the movie, since the special effects are nothing short of amazing.

Neo, our hero from The Matrix, is back again, along with Morpheus, Trinity, and the rest of the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar (those that didnt die) floating through the real world. This time, he somehow has to save the last human city of Zion before the machines destroy it. Also, he's in love with Trinity. Pretty much where the first one left off.

The fight scenes were wonderful, even if many of them echoed the first movie. Much of what I saw in a battle was the same as I'd seen before in this series; it was simply built upon (put into another background, fighting more people at once). Another problem with the fight scenes was that when Keanu Reeves had a stunt double, you knew it. The directors didn't even attempt to conceal it, often zooming in on an actor that was certainly not Reeves. Yet, these problems could not ruin the coolness of the film.

What did almost ruin the film was the cliched diologue. Unfortunately this was most noticable in the major revelation toward the end of the movie. I won't say what happens, but be sure to have your dictionary ready if you don't have a great grasp of the English language. And be sure to groan when you hear the truth. Actually, the movie was full of cliches. There was even a scene where the main characters travel behind a book case that hides a secret passage.

The rave/love scene in Zion was not quite what I was expecting to see in this movie but still very good. It was very sensual. By the end I felt like I needed a cigarette.

So if you found the philosophical side of the first film interesting, then this will be even more interesting. If you like comic books, you'll probably love this movie as much as the first one; so many comic-ready poses, so little time! If you like Stanley Kubrick films, with the color themes and the lengthy silences, then you will definitely enjoy Reloaded. If LAN parties are a part of your social life, you will like this film.

Overall, good movie, as far as sequels go it isnt among the rare breed that are better than the original, but thats by no means a bad thing.

Page 2 >>