Worthy sequel - and still just as mindboggling!

Rating: 8/10 (15 May 2003)

Even though it could be argued that the start is slow, it kept my attention and got my grey matter going. I personally really liked the sequence where they arrive in Zion. An artistic moment which echoes those grand starship arrivals in the original Star Wars trilogy. There are some parts which I think computer programmers relate to a bit more than the general audience. The concept of backdoor hacks in the Matrix is fascinating! I think that calling the meeting place of Zion a Temple and then turning it into a sleazy nightclub was cheap. On the other hand, I think there was an intelligence to the film that will only be realized on future viewings (it was the same for me with the original Matrix.) In fact I think it may contain some of the most eloquent dialogue of any action/sci-fi movie I have seen. Few action sequences make me go WOW, and fewer make me FEEL wow these days. There were two of three of these moments in this film.

However, in some of the action sequences it is obvious that Neo is CG. Takes the edge off the stunt it for me. Bullet-time is sometimes replaced by CG in this film and it doesn't work so well. I have a feeling that perhaps some stunts may have been physically impossible to put bullet-time cameras on, so they had to resort to CG. There is no question that the car chase sequence is better than the motorcycle chase in T2, and the end of that sequence is the one that made me FEEL WOW! As for the deeper plot of the Matrix Reloaded, one can only hope that the questions and seeming flaws are answered in the third film, otherwise the Wachowski brothers will have a lot of very disappointed movie-goers to deal with.
It kind of leaves you wanting to see the next one as Fellowship left you wanting the Two Towers. But overall I personally enjoy the context of Lord of the Rings more. Even though this film is very good, if I HAD to choose one more movie to watch in the theatre this year it would be Return of the King.