MR takes itself too seriously to be fun.

Rating: Null/10 (12 December 2003)

"The Matrix Reloaded" took itself entirely too seriously to be fun.
When Neo did "his superman thing", and derived no joy from it, I knew this film was going to collapse under its own weight. He should have flown up, hollered something ecstatic and then whooped on his way. Instead he acts as if flying is one more gritty chore he must endure.
Then there is the attitude toward women. Link enters his abode hollering "Where's my pussy"? and he is talking about his wife?! In most households I know of, Mr. Link would have been relegated to the doghouse until he learned some manners. Then the way that capt. says "Niobe" as she talks to her former flame, Morpheus. It is in such a way that he is demanding she come to him... and she does! Are they telling us that in this hardscrabble future, where women risk their lives just as much as men, that the men are really only chauvinistic pigs?
Well, no. White women fare better in the film, so I must conclude they are catering to prevailing stereotypes. (In this alternate universe there should be no notion of prejudice as a battery is a battery is a battery, regardless of outer casing.) Why does it always seem I'm the only reviewer who ever speaks up against violence toward women, nasty stereotypes and inappropriate behavior (in so-called children's films) that Hollywood keeps feeding us?
The dialogue is ponderous; the love scene between Neo and Trinity fell surprisingly flat (no chemistry whatsoever!), and Morpheus' speech was too pompous for all the dancing that followed.
The first Matrix film stood on its own two feet. This one can't because they gave it no "mini-ending" to tide one over until the next film came along. The desire to milk more money from the viewing public (or to copy the Lord Of The Rings in its epic three picture deal, which is more believable when one realizes Hugo Weaving was in both trilogies.) is too obvious for taste.
Will I see #3? I will, but not in the high dollar theatre... or even in the expensive "one night rental" for new releases. No, I'll wait, just like I did for this one, until it goes into the bargain rental bin.