"Cataclysmic" indeed....an unexpected system failure

Rating: 4/10 (23 June 2003)

1999 was supposed to be the year when Star Wars Episode One was meant to rule the roost. However, its thunder and glory was ultimately stolen by a film that was being touted as just another typical sci-fi tale. Nevertheless, that films state-of-the-art effects, storyline and action were all that anyone could talk about, and has led to a new film trilogy being born. The second part of the trilogy, like the first, is set to knock all competition to the curb.
We pick up the action a short time after its predecessor, with the population of Zion believing that Neo will help rid them of the machines and save the human race forever. However, news soon filters through that the machines have finally located Zion, and will have annihilated the human race within hours. So, Neo, Morpheus, Trinity lead a small group to discover how The Matrix can be destroyed. Their first stop is Neo's second visit to The Oracle, who tells him of a significant ally he must find: The Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim), who holds several thousands of keys important to the composition of The Matrix. However, he is being held by maniac Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) and his wife (Monica Bellucci) who refuses to release him at all costs. The Keymaker's purpose: To lead Neo into the construct of the system and to the Architect (Helmut Bakaitis.) With his white hair and jargon-laden spiel, he tells Neo, in no short terms, that no matter how hard he tries, the machines will triumph once more. Oh, and Agent Smith (a criminally wasted Weaving) pops up again, this time with the ability to clone himself. Wonders never cease.
Of course, the action and SFX is like nothing you have ever seen before. Throughout the film, we are treated to awe-inspiring special effects, some of the finest you may ever see - the much-hyped freeway scene being the pick of the bunch. However, some of the set pieces drag horribly, and overdo the measured nature of the original. The films big downfall though is the narrative. Whereas the first's simple yet effective exposition was expertly calculated, Revolutions' is saturated in largely superfluous dialogue, with the majority of the story laden with psychoanalytical and religious undertones, and the directors' insistence on filling up the story with dodgy dialogue, which leaves the viewer bewildered and dazed. Acting wise, it is Fishburne and the superb Moss who are the saving graces, both exerting panache and charisma, despite playing second fiddle to Reeves, who, sadly, is as wooden and one-dimensional as ever. Weaving and Pinkett-Smith are also effective, but are both enormously underused. The directing is on autopilot throughout, with the Wachowski's exerting enough flair and panache to keep everyone happy.
"Revolutions" does exactly what it says on the tin for the most part, entertaining, engaging and stylish, but its overindulgence in clunky dialogue and shoddy plotting may make even one viewing of this film one too many. ***