THE BEST MOVIE OF 2003 (until Revolutions comes out possibly)

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2003)

When I went to see the first Matrix I left the cinema in a daze. I had never seen anything like it before in a movie theatre. Afterwards I became a huge fan of the film, of the characters and the philosophy that the Wachowski brothers were exploring through their highly imaginative universe. Being such a fan I awaited The Matrix Reloaded with baited breath. Would it be as good, were the negative reviewers on to something. Well, I shouldn't have worried. The Matrix Reloaded delivers and then some. This is without doubt the best blockbuster of the year. Forget X-2 and T-3, this film is how Hollywood blockbusters should be made. A great story (if one that will take multiple viewings to take in), characters we come to care about and an intelligence rarely seen, this is film making of the highest order.
The film has a lot going against it. The film can have no clear beginning and no clear end (the cliffhanger is fantastic), but what it does is to continue with what we know and to explore the universe that is at the heart of the story and in doing so breaks all the rules and difficulties that second movies in trilogies have. The film begins a new storyline for the series, links it back to the original and leaves us gagging for the next installment.
Performance wise the film is magnificent. Keanu Reeves shows us that he was born to play Neo as, like in the first film, he delivers the finest performance of his career. Okay so he may not be Olivier, but he is emotionally wonderful as Neo as the character must make some stark choices towards the end of the film (don't worry, I'm going to remain spoiler free) and must deal with what is troubling him throughout the film. His scenes with Carrie Anne Moss are also brilliant, the chemistry between them believable and the moment they share at the end of the film majestical. Laurence Fishburne brings a brilliant wealth of authoritarial faith and craziness to Morpheus (still my favourite character) in his quest to prove the prophecy regarding Neo. However, the film is stolen by Hugo Weaving. Agent Smith may not have as much to do with the story this time around, but the mixture of humour and evil that the character brings is hillarious yet disturbing. The character's ability to clone himself leads to many a great confrontation as well as the funniest action scene of the year.
Along with Neo vs 100 Smith's fight, there is the car chase which, along with the aforementioned fight scene, are contenders for the classic scenes of the year. The car chase inparticular is stunning as it is violent, beautiful yet brutal. The awesome sight of two trucks coming together and cars spinning in the air in bullet time are awesome sights to behold and ensure that no other action film will be as good this year.
The film is a classic, pure and simple. I am sorry but I love it. I have never enjoyed a film so much in my life. The negative reviewers can talk and write all they want about how bad the film is but I love it. The film is beautiful, gripping and stunning in every regard, from the action scenes to what has to be the most erotic love scene ever filmed. November cannot come fast enough, but be thankful folks that it is only six months and not another four years.