A lackluster sequel in desparate need of your approval

Rating: 4/10 (18 July 2003)

(SPOILERS AHEAD, NOT THAT THE ENDING IS WORTH BEING SURPRISED ABOUT) The Matrix Reloaded is a sequel. It should be expected that it will fail where all sequels fail; trying far too hard to blow the original away. But The Matrix Reloaded does this to such an extreme and with so little value that it becomes almost unwatchable. The Matrix was a pop culture phenomenon due to its new premise and mind-blowing special effects. The premise cannot save The Matrix Reloaded. There is nothing novel, so the basic weakness of the movie is evident. The special effects in the second film seem like a 9th grader desparate for attention and approval from his peers. Special effects in The Matrix were interesting and quick; an effect would happen, end, then the audience would be left saying "wow, what just happened? how did they do that?" But in The Matrix Reloaded, special effect are interesting, but drawn out. It feels as if the Wachowski brothers want us to be fully aware of how cool they and their movie are. We're all supposed to say "Oh golly, slow motion! The Wachowski brothers must be brilliant to have thought of showing people getting kicked in the face slowly! All hail!" By the fifth drawn out slow-motion kick in the face, the movie becomes quite tedious. Without the exploration of a new premise and well-paced special effect, The Matrix Reloaded falls flat on its face as another sequel desparate to show how different and better it is from its original. With these features, the movie is a medicore viewing, which borders on entertaining from time to time. But The Matrix Reloaded concludes with an ending that leaves the audience cheated. After paying eight dollars and sitting through 2+ hours of drawn out fight scenes and sprawling lackluster CGI cityscapes, closure is to be expected. But The Matrix Reloaded uses an ending which is frowned upon in 1st grade story-writing: "To be continued." There is no attempt at an ending in the film, just a huge cop-out. Movies can end without definite conclusions (Lord of The Rings, Star Wars, The Matrix), but to not even hint at an ending leaves no doubt of the total lack of inspiration in The Matrix Reloaded. The audience deserves better than a "tune in next time, kids!" The Matrix Reloaded ends in such a way as to shift from medicore to insulting. Had The Matrix Reloaded admitted to itself it was a sequel, it may not have had such glaring examples of trying too hard.