The Brothers Grin

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2003)

Ah the Wachowski Brothers... Just when you thought it was safe to re-enter the Matrix, they pull the rug from underneathe us. Just when you think you've worked it all out, those mischievous brothers do it again. Of course the element of surprise is gone... they know that... the weight of expectation weighs heavily.
In the original we smiled, we grinned and we nodded at references to Alice, to Christ, to reincarnation, to dreams and to Zion. Intermingled with all these we saw Kung-fu, guns-a-blazing and some pioneering special effects. All which should have warned us that the rabbit hole could go much deeper. Fools that we were, we thought that was all...
I'm not sure what the fans were expecting. From the polarised comments I've seen written I suspect they didn't know either... Personally I had no idea what I was in for. I tried not to speculate too much and was pretty mindful of "sequelitis": The Matrix would afterall be a tough act to follow.
Generally, I approve of the results... the Neo/Smith encounters, extended fight scenes, the adrenalin pumping freeway melee (it does take the car chase to new heights of destruction), the numerous doors, the gatekeeper, the Twins. The other stuff that we loved was there as well: The Oracle, the Agents, the mindblowing eye candy and the philosophical babble. Sometimes it is a trite pretentious but always fun... at times very tongue-in-cheek.
Admittedly the sex/rave scene threw me... I could have lived without it. I understand why they've put it in there but I don't particularly like it. In a mechanistic, programmed world -- it seems that unbridled passion is the last bastion of human spontaneity. Oh yes, I understand that... but I still think it was just too intense and too long just the same.
I somehow doubt that we're supposed to take it all very seriously. The title "The Matrix Reloaded" should give us a clue to that. A clever title with a double entendre. The enslavement of humanity that the previous film speaks about runs much deeper and takes a much more sinister tone. The Brothers take a different tact with this one and all that appears to be isn't all over again.
Hardly flawless... but always engaging. A bold effort.