Not as good as the original but still a worthwhile movie

Rating: 7/10 (14 December 2008)

"The Matrix Reloaded" is the second film in the Matrix trilogy. Here, a war to end all wars looms between man & machine. The fate of the human race is in Neo's hands but first he's got to determine exactly what's expected of The One.
It seems that the Wachowski brothers took a "Star Wars" approach to their trilogy. By that I mean that this middle film is basically a cliff-hanger that sets the stage for the final showdown.
Most of the principal actors are back and there are a few new faces as well. The acting is generally on par with the previous film; in other words, not outstanding but solid and above average for an action flick.
The action itself, though, is strangely not as satisfying as in the "The Matrix". This is puzzling because it cannot be denied that the effects are even more polished than in the original film. I suppose that the novelty had worn off somewhat but I also think that some of the action set-pieces seem arbitrary and tacked on. It also doesn't help that, unlike in the first film, the 'good guys' seem to be practically invincible. Where there's no danger, there's no excitement.
Another drawback for this film is that the further exploration of the inner workings of the Matrix gets tiring after a while. But that may be just me, since I have a dislike for science fiction that emphasizes science at the expense of fiction.
Nevertheless, the Wachowski's deliver the goods once again in the visual department. The direction is solid throughout and the effects are even slicker than in the first film. The music, including the score by Don Davis, has much of the same flavor as the original.
In the end, the film failed to live up to the expectations of fans and I count myself among them. It's not necessarily a bad film but it isn't likely to make you rush out and see the concluding film, even with the cliff-hanger ending.