How is the Matrix?

Rating: Null/10 (23 May 2003)

There has been a lot of negative reviews in newspapers regarding this film, I personally think that a lot of people had already decided they weren't going to like this film before they saw it. It doesn't really matter because the Matrix Reloaded is superb, and don't believe anything anyone says otherwise.
Before I saw the film I was worried it wasn't going to live up to mine or it's own expectations. In particular I thought it would just become another action film, set apart only by the computer effects. I worried that the depth and intelligence of the first would be forsaken and the characters made irrelevant. Kudos to the Wachowskis for not betraying their initial vision because on every front, Reloaded not only maintains the spirit of the first film but builds on it. The characters are built further, particularly Neo and Trinity (Keanu Reeves is still perfect as Neo and he even gives actual acting a shot, but Carrie-Anne Moss is still pretty wooden), although you might find it hard to believe, the chemistry between the two is actually very strong, you really believe that they're in love (making the decision Neo takes at the end of the film all the more believeable).

The plot moves the film along nicely, the characters play well off of each other, all the new ones fit perfectly into the film (especially Seraph and The Keymaker) and there's some interesting tension between the humans as it's clear that many are still not convinced that Neo is The One. Agent Smith returns (many times over) and brings the same wonderfully restrained humor as before, as well as the inescapable menace and danger. What's great is that this film goes even deeper, exploring much more the whys rather than the hows of Neo's power, which is what really makes you want to see the final film. Once again, the plot is as absorbing and compelling as the fight scenes.
And so, finally, to the fight scenes. Everyone already knows about the 100 Agent Smiths taking on Neo, and the $40 million Highway battle. However, there are other fights all of which match or excel the first film and the choreography is truly exceptional. The fight against the Agent Smiths is, without a doubt, the greatest ever and the Highway chase is incredible. It is impossible to really describe these scenes, to re-phrase Morpheus, 'No-one can be told how good the Matrix (Reloaded) is, you have to see it for yourself'.
Go see it, go see it now.