Like being trapped in a room where they only play "Enigma" songs ...and liking it

Rating: Null/10 (19 January 2004)

Deep you say? Nope. Something from Above, something Higher and Transcendental? It sure works it ass off to look like it, but don't be fooled, this movie is REALLY all about one thing, and its style. The emotion is stylized, the dialogue is stylized, the characterizations are stylized. In fact, I'm pretty sure that there is no real story, only a series of intertwined plot contrivances artlessly overexplained throughout this self indulgent film, necessary only because they provide a springboard for Kung fu battles and other fun stuff. But is it bad? Well.. This movie is fine viewin' in spite of its flaws until it hits a few rough patches during the scene with the Architect, where it ALMOST catostrophically crumbles before our eyes(*spoiler* The Architect "reveals" that Neo is not really a religious deity, but a systemic anomaly. How could anyone think this is a smart move? "Forget what you thought you know. This is reality" Excuse me? The 15.00 bucks I spent on the first Matrix were wasted?... you want us to show up for chapter 3?). Luckily a subsequent scene casts doubts on the "revelations" made in that time filler of a scene. Some nice scenes where we see Smith's pathological hatred of humans manifest itself in really schizo ways (such as, when his consciouness enters Bane's body, and then he begins to slice himself), and a Highway sword battle are among its virtues. Infact, the WORST thing I can say about this movie is that it left the door open for the Matrix Revolutions, which is the WORST movie in this series. The truth: Only see the sequels if you're a casual movie goer with no emotional investment in this, or if you're a completist. Reloaded is fun, but the story doesn't end until Revolutions, and even then, not really...('cuz we just need the Matrix Resurrection right?). Intellectually, I acknowledge that Neo doesn't really win until the end of part three, but emotionally I feel this series already had its its Great Wondrous Moment of Triumph with the climax of part one. Three and a half stars.