Metaphysical Graffiti

Rating: 6/10 (5 July 2003)

Though merely competent overall, `The Matrix Reloaded' is a better movie than the original, probably because this time out directors/conceptualists the Wachowski Brothers have no tolerance for the muss and fuss of explaining themselves to their audience--they just go about their business of crafting a universe in which they can stage all the martial arts fights and epic car chases they want and doll it up with prohibitively dense metaphysics that have meaning only to themselves and those that want to pretend they're in the know. There's apparently no need to bother with what appear to be major plot holes (such as whether Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, whose woodenness makes him weirdly perfect for the lead, is human or not--everyone keeps reminding him he is, even though he can fly) or characterization (the actors either under- or overact and some are caricaturized--most notably Lambert Wilson as the campy Frenchman Merovingian--to the point of embarrassment). But what the Wachowski Brothers do well, they do exceedingly well: those martial arts sequences (choreographed once again by the legendary Woo-ping Yuen) and the climactic fourteen minute freeway chase are thrilling in their carefully analyzed revisiting of shopworn action scenes; they don't know when to quit, but for some reason, it's impossible to not be fascinated. (Note: this film was viewed in the IMAX format and it's a wonderful choice for such an elaborate production. But the seemingly high-definition format also points to the struggle makeup artists will have to deal with in the future: every zit and facial imperfection is highlighted for the entire world to see and if I were Laurence Fishburne, I'd have that thing above my forehead checked out.)