all technology, very little substance

Rating: 5/10 (16 May 2003)

The film's attraction is entirely in the cinema experience of the massive size of the images, their detail and the speed of the action, and being hammered by the "Rage Against The Machine" style soundtrack.
Unfortunately there is no plot worth spitting on; virtually no character development; and so many gruellingly drawn out fight scenes that you just don't care who's getting hit, you just want it to stop.
I ceased caring about any of the characters after the first 30 minutes and would have walked out if I wasn't accompanied by my Matrix-mad games-fanatic brother. He loved Matrix:Reloaded (though he admitted it was not perfect).
Picky people like me will wonder why the freeway scenes have signs that can only be read in the drivers' rear-vision mirrors. It was filmed here in Australia, but if they were going to pretend it's America then little details like this could easily have been attended to.
I really did like the first Matrix movie - in which Keanu was totally charming and got a chance to act. There was character development, a tight enough script, it was well paced, with action scenes that were impressive and concise, and there was a plot you actually cared to get involved with. Unfortunately I found Matrix:Reloaded to be reloaded with absolute tedium - it's all technology and very little substance. Hi-tech PC games fans will no doubt think that it's heaven on a stick and they'll race out to buy the X-box game and start getting excited about Matrix 3.
As a sequel I believe that X-Men ll leaves this film wallowing in it's dust - and I think I'll go and see X-ll again just to wash the remnant skid-marks of Matrix-Reloaded from my synapses.