One of the best movie sequels (A Spoiler Free Review)

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2003)

The Matrix Reloaded is a terrific sequel that was made with the Matrix "junkie" in mind. It is clearly a movie for those that want to delve further into the Matrix universe. The Wachowski's should be commended for not putting out a sequel that does not pander to the casual viewer, or complete morons simply looking for an event picture.
I think this is why you see such a disparity between views of the movie. If you consider yourself a casual fan that is going to see it for the special effects alone, you'll find yourself bored and confused by the sections that are heavy on plot and the mythology. Sure, Reloaded is LOADED with dazzling effects and fight scenes, but that doesn't make a movie by itself.
Likewise, if you are expecting the exact same movie as the first, you'll also find yourself disappointed. The first Matrix was about Neo's journey into the "rabbit hole" and discovering what the Matrix is. Obviously, it is impossible to do the same plot over again. Reloaded is focused more on the fight between man and machine.
For me, I found Reloaded to be the best movie sequel in quite a while (since perhaps the Godfather II or Empire Strikes Back). There are a ton of new interesting characters. Some of the best were: Merovingian, Persephone, the Twins, and the Key Maker.
The special effects were nothing short of amazing. I loved the first Matrix, but a lot of the stunts were obvious wire work. With Reloaded the fight scenes are much more fluid and many times it was impossible to tell that a lot was done using wires. There are times the action starts to appear to be a little too digital, but it then slowly pans in to reveal the actual actor, not a digital creation. It is beyond me on how they did some of those things. There is a lengthy "car chase" scene that redefines that entire type of scene. I have never been a fan of car chase scenes, but this one revamped my opinion of what it could be.
I won't get too much into the plot, so it does not spoil anybody's fun, but I loved the scenes with the Oracle and Architect. No doubt, the late Gloria Foster (the Oracle), will be missed in Revolutions. She was one of my favorite characters in both movies.
My only complaints of Reloaded is that there are so many new characters, that some get too little screen time (Ghost, one of the main stars of the video game Enter the Matrix, is hardly in the movie at all). But, perhaps we'll see more of them in the upcoming Revolutions. And, I thought it was necessary to show Zion and get to know it's people, but the scenes in Zion could have been tightened up and perhaps 5-10 minutes could have been cut out of these scenes, without effecting the movie.
The bottom line is that Reloaded is a thrill ride for the Matrix junkie, but casual fans will not be as pleased. This Matrix junkie gives reloaded a 9.5 out of 10. Bring on Revolutions!