A Second Part that Improves the Whole

Rating: 9/10 (27 June 2003)

Being a casual fan of the original The Matrix, I was looking forward to seeing The Matrix:Reloaded in the theaters. However, I was not quite ready to line up at the door donned in a Neo costume for a midnight showing on opening day. Having seen Reloaded, I can now say that I may be one of those people (sans the Neo costume) when The Matrix:Revolutions is released this winter. I cannot say that I think that Reloaded was as good as the original. Yes, it contained more action. Yes, the special effects were better. Yes, both the plot and the dialogue were more intricate and at times more head scratching. But Reloaded lacks what its predecessor had, the element of complete surprise. The wool has already been removed from our eyes. We know what the Matrix is. I cannot think of any plot twist that will be able to match what happens when Neo swallows the Red Pill. All that being said, after seeing Reloaded, I now appreciate the story as a whole. The Matrix and The Matrix:Reloaded when viewed as one complete story far surpasses viewing each as it's own single entity. While the original had mildly peaked my interest, I am now fully enthralled by the entire mythology of The Matrix (I highly recommend viewing the back stories available online on the Animatrix). Much like The Lord of the Rings series, I can no longer imagine The Matrix without contemplating Reloaded. As for Reloaded as a movie itself, the fight scenes are amazingly choreographed, though sometimes a little excessive. I would recommend the movie for the fight with the multiple Agent Smiths alone, as it is a phenomenally staged battle. My criticism lies mostly in the editing. This is a movie that could have definitely been shorter. Many scenes were unnecessarily long, such as the dance orgy after Morpheus' speech, or flat out unnecessary, such as Neo's fight with Seraph. But beyond the flashy fight scenes and special effects, its strength lies in the most unlikely (to me at least) of places, its story. It is a movie full of philosophical questions and religious allusions. The end scene with the Architect in and of itself warrants a second viewing, as it is quite a bit to wrap the brain around. And the way it handles its main theme is done exquisitely. What is reality? Is the "real world" just another part of the Matrix? Is Neo The One? All questions I will be asking as I stand in line for the midnight opening of The Matrix:Revolutions.