Slow starter slams into brick wall...[SPOILERS(maybe)]

Rating: 8/10 (15 May 2003)

I had to wait in the theater for an hour before the previews began. When the movie started, i wished it had been previews instead. The Matrix Reloaded, one fight scene aside, is pretty boring up until the Burly Brawl, some 45 minutes into the film. Once its there, however, the movie is jaw dropping.
The special effects are amazing and the new villans are bad ass. The greatest thing about the movie is the 20 minute long freeway chase near the end. After that it goes downhill, but for the hour and a half from the burly brawl to the freeway chase, this movie excels. The fight scenes are way better than the first film, but nothing really beats the bullet dodge scene either, if only for its inventiveness.
What gets me steaming is that fact that, outside of Link, Tank's replacement, no one that is new in the series is in the film for more than five minutes. This is a shame because: a) Monica Belluci is HOT!!!, and b) the Twins are the baddest villans ever. From their looks to their fighting style to their ghost ability, they are the coolest characters in a long time. They last longer than other extras, but not much.
-------SPOILERS------

The ending is pretty bad. It sets up for the next film, but other movies have done it better(i.e The Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future part 2). It's pretty abrupt and the last 20 minutes before that are less rewarding. All it is is Neo talking to the builder of the Matrix, him explaining something that makes little sense, and Neo winding up in a coma. Something Quasi-shocking happens, the black with "To Be Concluded".
I once read the Contact is the Best movie of 1997, if you don't count the first and last half hours. Same thing here, but the space between that is some of the greatest sci-fi action ever.