Who will like this movie?

Rating: Null/10 (16 May 2003)

Well, you've waited 4 years for it, and now the second installment of the Matrix trilogy is finally here. Will it live up to the standards you set after seeing the first film? Depends on what you liked about the first film.
Reloaded is the Empire Strikes Back to The Matrix's Star Wars. Think about the difference between Star Wars and Empire. Star Wars could stand alone. It had a definite beginning and end. So did The Matrix. Empire Strikes Back had much less action and much more philisophical mysticism; Luke spent most his time with Yoda, Han and Leia spent a large amount of time on an asteroid flirting instead of shooting things. Empire didn't end cleanly; clearly, there was more to the story. I won't give away any of the plot of The Matrix Reloaded, but it definitely is much more of an Empire Strikes Back than a Star Wars.
So will you like this film? If you thought the first film was the coolest action film you ever saw, if you want more kung fu, more near-miss escapes, more daring rescues, then this film definitely has that. If you want attractive actors who look even hotter when they are in the matrix, that is here too. Explosions, chases, cool special effects; oh yeah. But that stuff is mixed in with lots and lots of talk. LOTS. And most of that talk is about stuff that might make more sense to you if you have a degree in Philosophy, with double-minors in Programming and Political Science.
So if you found the philosophical side of the first film interesting, then this will be even more interesting. If you like comic books, you'll probably love this movie as much as the first one; so many comic-ready poses, so little time! If you like Stanley Kubrick films, with the color themes and the lengthy silences, then you will definitely enjoy Reloaded. If LAN parties are a part of your social life, you will like this film.
But if you just want one action scene after the other, with more fighting and less thinking, you might be a bit disappointed.
And if you are the girlfriend of a sci-fi boy who didn't really get the first movie, please, please stay at home. Or at least leave your cell phone at home.