Visually appealing but somewhat internally flawed

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2003)

This sequel is worthy of a 10 * rating; its visual tricks and sound effects are well-wrought and appealing for those who loved the original MATRIX (1999). My primary gripe, however, would be the lack of clarity about whether people truly die and whether the coming of the "One" is illusory and ultimately ineffective. The content of the movie at times drags when the film makers' philosophical "commitment" is revealed but it still has a forward momentum that is highly memorable.
I saw it today in our local multiplex and was amazed at the cavalcade of new characters we as fans were presumed to be able to add to the list of heroes/villains. The initial MATRIX gave them to us a bit more slowly and stayed with a much smaller cast of primary fighters & agents. All in all, a great movie that will be much discussed and analyzed until the Dec. 2003 third segment of the trilogy is premiered and shows what the brothers Wachowski have to say about all the big topics: reality, free will, causality, salvation, among others.