Movie Review: The Matrix Reloaded

The Matrix Reloaded

I am a big fan of the movie The Matrix. In fact, if you asked me to list my top ten movies of all time, I think The Matrix would end up on that list, and would probably place in the top five. So it's with that level of expectation I entered the theatre to see The Matrix Reloaded, and it's in comparison with the first film that The Matrix Reloaded doesn't quite measure up. Judged on its own merits The Matrix Reloaded is a pretty good film. Unfortunately, it relies so heavily on plot and characters established in the first film (take my advice: you must see the first movie before even attempting to make sense of the second) that it's almost impossible to judge on its own merits.

The Matrix Reloaded focuses on Neo (Keanu Reeves) coming to terms with who he apparently is, and what he may know of the future. Unable to sleep because of frightening dreams he is convinced are prophetic, he allows his love for Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and fears of her loss to interfere with his decision-making processes. But Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) remains steadfast in his belief that Neo is, indeed," the One" who will free humanity from The Matrix. In fact, he is so certain that his course of action is the right one that he blatantly disobeys orders from the man in charge of defending the last human stronghold of Zion (Commander Lock, portrayed by Harry Lennix) and even tries to enlist his former lover - and Lock's current paramour - Captain Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) to help him fulfill prophecy.

Amidst a backdrop of confrontations with various Agents of The Matrix, the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar works to mitigate the battle Morpheus thinks is the one that will finally end the war between men and machines. Neo, who has become more comfortable in The Matrix, continues to manage feats that astound Agents and his crewmates alike as they search for the elusive Keymaker who may or may not be able to help them access the mainframe holding The Matrix. Neo's would-be nemesis Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) also remains in The Matrix, but he has been changed by his earlier encounters with Neo and has come to represent a threat on a level beyond his original capabilities. He is especially dangerous since he now actively seeks Neo solely for the purposes of confrontation. The group also runs into a pair of new villains simply called "The Twins" (played by twin martial-arts experts Neil and Adrian Rayment) who cannot be killed (press releases say that's because they're already dead and that they're vampires, but the movie doesn't say so) and who refuse to give up the chase at any cost.

The Matrix Reloaded has a script that I told a friend resembled a bizarre hybrid of the Bible and eastern mysticism, and an appearance like nothing so much as an Oliver Stone effort to create an impression of Salvador Dali onscreen. Neither of these are necessarily bad things, though the philosophy does go over the top at times (perhaps not surprisingly, the Web site for the three Matrix films has an entire segment dedicated to "Philosophy & the Matrix", and it's a hefty segment consisting of numerous articles and essays). The storyline is clearly a "bridge" between the first and third movies, which weakens it somewhat. And though the end of the movie offers no closure (much to the distress of the friend with whom I saw the film), it does provide some intriguing possibilities for The Matrix Revolutions, the third film of the trilogy which is scheduled to open in November.

Again, much as was the case for the first film, the special effects set The Matrix Reloaded apart from anything else showing onscreen right now. The wonderful 360 degree camera work is repeated here, of course, but there are some slow motion scenes - most notably within an extended car chase - that are spectacular. The work involving The Twins is also something special. And watch particularly for the moment when Neo battles a host of Agent Smiths (the scene purportedly took 17 days to film, and I can believe it - I looked for a flaw and couldn't find one). The actors are all right. Lennix seems stiff, and Smith never makes me believe she's all that tough. Carrie-Anne Moss, too, seems distracted in this movie, and her performance doesn't measure up to that given in the earlier film. Reeves has made the tormented Neo his own, though, and his confusion and anguish are palpable. And Laurence Fishburne is terrific as a man infused with a powerful spirit of hope.

The bottom line for The Matrix Reloaded is this: If you've seen the first movie, see this movie. It's a certainty you'll need it under your belt to make sense of the third. And if you loved the first movie, you'll like this one just fine.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: The Matrix Reloaded is rated R. It is violent, sometimes graphically so, and the primary plot does not involve a particularly pleasant storyline. The plot is also quite adult in both its nature and its complexity. Despite those factors, I suspect the movie is no more or less complex or violent than some teen-rated video games currently on the market. That being said, I can recommend the movie for mature teens 14 and up, and for adults who can appreciate a really well done science fiction flick.