Lacks Everything That Made Its Predecessor An Instant Classic

Rating: Null/10 (26 November 2014)

Opening with a sequence that was just an indication of stupider things to come, The Matrix Reloaded discards the carefully structured premise of The Matrix, replaces it with a fairly complex but far too messy plot filled with nonsensical philosophies, and is far too concentrated on its action spectacle & visual effects than the storytelling elements, yet failing to do justice to either aspects.
Set six months after the events of the first film, The Matrix Reloaded continues the rebellion of free humans against the machines & the journey of Neo in finding a way to end the war before it's too late. With only 72 hours remaining before an army of sentinels reaches Zion, it's up to Neo to find a way soon but standing in his way is an old foe who is now more powerful than ever before.
Written & directed by the Wachowskis, the highly anticipated sequel is unfortunately no match to its predecessor & is a convoluted mess from start to finish that gets too carried away with its themes. However, there are still moments of great imagination in few sequences & the visual presentation is pretty neat as well. But it all doesn't stack up in the end & it largely remains a bloated, uninteresting affair.
Cinematography somehow manages to maintain a level but is doesn't add anything to the groundbreaking feat it managed to achieve the last time. Editing isn't up to the mark for it is unable to provide a smooth flow & fails to trim moments that linger for way too long. VFX is a mixed bag as few effects-laden scenes look too cartoony while others are spellbinding. But Don Davis once again chips in with an amazing score.
Coming to the acting department, there isn't a single performance worthy of mention & even the new additions bring nothing new to talk about. Action choreography ranges from borderline ridiculous to downright awesome, with my favourite sequence being Neo's fight with Merovingian's men which in my opinion is perfectly blended with other elements, especially the score, & despite being over the top, is incredibly exhilarating.
On an overall scale, The Matrix Reloaded feels like a sequel written in hurry to cash-in on the success of the original. There are few interesting ideas present in its story but the film lacks the consistency & discipline when it comes to implementing them. It tries to do too much, throws a lot of questions at the viewers without offering any sort of explanation & lacks everything that made the first chapter an instant classic.