Disappointing - Possible Spoilers

Rating: Null/10 (17 May 2003)

Unfortunately, "Matrix Reloaded" is your typical Hollywood sequel. What could have been an entertaining bridge between the first and third Matrix films is, instead, a rather boring and far too long appendix to the first film. The story is not great, but the problem is that there just isn't enough of it; the plot of mankind's struggle vs machines does move forward in this film, but "Reloaded" stretches what should have been about an hour's worth of action into more than two long hours' worth of pointless speeches, fights, and "check out our budget" special effects, while injecting far too little of the ingredients that made the Matrix so enjoyable.

Problems with this movie (possible spoilers):
This movie is way too long. The talking scenes are too long. The fighting scenes are too long. The freeway scene is too long. The finale is too long. Basically, every scene is too dang long, making the movie way too dang long. I can't believe this film is only two minutes longer than "The Matrix"... seemed like two hours longer.
Crappy effects. Considering (or more likely, because of) the amount of money spent on them, many of the SFX in "Reloaded" are surprisingly bad. Any time a character is computer-generated - such as the Neo vs. Agents Smith scene - it is quite obvious and looks cheesy and unrealistic, particularly when they attempt slow-motion shots with these CG "actors." Unfortunately for moviegoers, this happens all the time in this film. Computer-generated trucks appear to have no axles and crumple, accordion-like from front to rear, when they hit head-on. Comparing this to the first Matrix film, the first one's effects win hands down... because in the first film they photographed actors instead of drawing them. This one looks like "Spider-Man," which is not a compliment.
Product placement. My desire to buy a Cadillac has never been lower.
Fight scenes. Not only were they too long, but they were also BORING! Neo fights this Japanese dude with one hand. Neo fights a bunch of Agent Smiths with a pole. Neo fights these French vampire things with some backflips. Neo fights more Agent Smiths in a hallway. OK, Neo can fight. But why?
Vampires. Are you kidding me? Please tell me I missed something - possibly while yawning - and those weren't supposed to be vampires. Please.
Lousy cliffhanger. Who didn't see that one coming from about 15 minutes into the film?
Finally, "Reloaded" repeats too much of what we already saw in "The Matrix." Bullet-time, check. People walking around in sunglasses and black leather, Check. Morpheus talking like he's the Sphinx or something, check. Neo stopping a bunch of bullets by giving them the evil eye, check. Somebody dying at the end... no, wait! They're OK after all! Check. What does this movie give us that "Matrix" did not? Pie that makes you have to pee.
About the only area in which "Reloaded" actually moves forward from where the original Matrix left off is in the issue of Morpheus' faith in both the prophecy and in Neo himself; in this film they bring up some interesting ideas before forgetting them for 90 minutes, then remembering them again right at the end. I was also surprised and pleased to see that Zion was not made up of 95% white people, as most filmmakers would likely have had it without really thinking about it.
Why the insistence on a trilogy if you don't have enough for three movies? "Reloaded" is just treading water. This film is like the extra 100 words you type in high school to reach your 500 word minimum on your paper. Filler.