Too much of not enough

Rating: 6/10 (19 May 2003)

In our first opportunity to revisit The Matrix we have arrived at a time when freeing people from the Matrix has apparently become Neo's (and others) full time job. It turns out there are several ships that cruise around "freeing" people. But now Zion is being threatened with destruction by the machines and there are two approaches being considered for repelling their attack: 1) fight them face-to-face and defend Zion in the real world or 2) send in "the One" to destroy the Matrix from the inside.
That's it, that is all there is to the plot. The bottom line is that the story has been sold out to the special effects, and those weren't even as good as the first movie. There are several times when the special effects are completely computerized and in fact look like a computer video game. For comparisons sake the Star Wars prequel graphics are far superior. There is no substitute for actors (LOTR being the only possible exception).
The script was apparently so focused on the fight scenes and special effects that it basically forgets it's self. There are several sub stories that arise but are never developed, explained or addressed with any satisfaction. Link's wife is mad at him for working on the Nebekenezer (but it is hard to tell), Neo and Trinity are in love (but didn't we all know that already? was a 5 minute "love" scene really necessary?), some kid who Neo apparently saved is following him around (why should we care at all about this kid, Neo doesn't? and who the HELL is he?), Morpheus and Niobe used to have a thing I guess (but again it is hard to tell), There are a couple of "ghost twins" that are quite powerful (but who are they, where did they come from, and how come there is not more concern for the damage they can do?) and so on and so forth. By developing just a couple of these lines (or limiting the love angle) there could have been much more support for the main story. Instead they end up just being the frayed edges of an unraveling rope.
Keanu's style of acting (if you can call it that) no longer fits here. It was perfect in the first movie, but it fails here, Neo almost appears to be board with being "The One".
I guess I have to go see Revolutions in the fall, just to see what happens. But unless Revolutions somehow salvages the end of the story, I will consider the story to have ended with the first one.