A Sequel that delivers on nearly every level

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 2003)

When I saw the first Matrix, I knew that it was the Star Wars of my generation - It had everything: Incredible special effects and choreography, a new set of cult hero images, an idea and indeed, a whole universe devised on such a scale that hadn't been done since Terminator. I consider the first Matrix to be one of the top five films of all time, and so I would be the most anxious and also the most hesitant to see if the magic could be repeated twice more. And after seeing Reloaded, my awe and adulation for the Wachowski's has only deepened.
Trust me, ignore any negative reviews (although the negative ones are getting more attention than the positive ones, which are vastly in the majority) - it's on a different plane to the original, so you can't compare accurately. The first one was a landmark, so of course Reloaded won't be covering entirely new territory, and it's stupid to expect it to.
What Reloaded does is exactly what a sequel/continuation should do, which is add to the story, open new paths, and yes, blow away previous effects completely, and it manages this perfectly. One critic wrote something along the lines of "the action bogs down horribly between set-pieces", which to me just shows that they were being very narrow-minded in their expectations. Nothing gets bogged down - there's just a lot of this lost art called "plot". I find it ironic that in a time when no-brainer tech-fests are churned out at an alarming rate, when a film of meaning and substance comes out (with effects far surpassing any seen in any other film) - it is criticized for it!
The philosophizing is relevant and interesting, although admitedly it is a bit too complex in terms of wording and length - it is the films only downfall (and its a pretty minor one at that) but it is no more complex than what was in the first film, and adds to the depth of the story and makes for interesting secondary characters.
Anything people don't like about this film seems to be largely based on their expectations or lack of understanding, rather than the films own merits. Expecting more action or less plot, and disappointed? That's your problem, not the films. Complaining that it starts too slowly? Again, adjust your expectations. It does start relatively slowly, but that's the nature of the plot - writing in a big action scene before we really know what's going on would be far too forced. Likewise the ending - it's been made very clear that the Matrix trilogy is more one normal length film and one very long film in two parts than a traditional trilogy, but still some people seem to think that the way it ends is somehow "wrong".
The visuals (it goes without saying) are like nothing you've ever seen before - there's even an element of comedy to the way that Neo practically plays ten-pin bowling with the Agents! And the freeway sequence is almost 15 minutes of pure adrenaline - surpassing any and all expectations I had of the action. The fight sequences are expertly choreographed and filmed showing progression from the first film.
One which sticks in my mind is the fight in the chateau entrance hall -four people cart wheeling/somersaulting/jumping across and around the room, >in one wide shot. CGI or real life? Doesn't matter, because it was absolutely stunning regardless. If it was CGI, it was so well done that you couldn't tell, and if it was live action, the co-ordination needed to get four actors positioned properly on wires deserves some kind of special award.
My only concern is if Revolutions knows its way out of the labyrinth it's worked its way into by the mind-blowing twist at the end. But I'm sure that like with this film, the Wachowski brothers will not only meet my expectations, but exceed them!
P.S. SEE "THE ANIMATRIX"!! Apart from expanding on The Matrix universe, it has some truly sensational and beautiful stories and animation!