A daring and innovative film, but a bit too heady for most.

Rating: 6/10 (11 June 2011)

"The Matrix Reloaded" is an ode to the highs and lows of sheer wretched excess. There's an incredible amount of what can only be called overload here - too much extemporizing, too much pop philosophy, and too much bloat. But the action here really is too much - in the best way possible - and that saves this movie. "The Matrix Reloaded" begins with an overwrought and over-philosophized first act, mostly set in the "real world." We see the last human city, Zion, which is a giant cave set deep within the Earth. In retrospect, I suppose the over-the-top action sequences set in the Matrix, and the whole sequence with the Merovingian are just as bloated as the tedious first act, which is set in the "real world" of Zion. However, there's a critical difference: the Matrix is a cool place to be, and the "real world" looks a one-way trip to chronic depression. All this made me wonder why the humans were at war to save Zion from the machines who control the Matrix. Wouldn't it make more sense for them to defeat the machines, take over the Matrix, and plug everyone back in so they can stop living the Soylent Green lifestyle of Zion and start living the good life? Still, with all the brilliant, groundbreaking action any movie fan could want, "The Matrix Reloaded" is ultimately a rewarding film.