Dull with occasional moments of fun

Rating: 4/10 (16 April 2006)

I recently re-watched Reloaded, having forgotten most of the details, and without the expectations from Matrix hovering.
Unfortunately this mostly confirmed my original feelings that there are some good scenes, and a few great moments, embedded in long stretches of tediousness.
I didn't find the film particularly difficult to follow; even the architect's speech which was pointlessly verbose. I don't think that either this movie or the original had anything fantastic to say, just a couple of interesting thoughts in passing that were well expressed (e.g. the now classic blue-red pill scene). Unfortunately the seriousness is taken to absurd heights here, making those who follow the rather superficial philosophies annoyed rather than intrigued. Admittedly, those who have never experienced a philosophical thought in their lives find it incredibly deep - nice targeting of the "average Joe" there.
I watched this on DVD with a 120" projector screen, so picture quality is great; but there is actually not that much visual excitement to be had. The (in) famous moments like the "Burly Brawl" are still dull and with the benefit of high quality display the CGI limitations are once again visible.
One scene showed as a flash of the original's lean fun: near the end of the highway chase, Morpheus suddenly stops mucking around and takes out the Twins in a moment of pure adrenaline-charged movie excitement. The scene at the Merovingian's staircase-entrance is also fun, though it threatens to overstay it's welcome like so many others.
Perhaps we should put this movie down as an example to film students of the importance of editing. None of it is exactly bad, but everything is too long, too wordy, too over-the-top. Cut an hour out and this could be a good movie. Instead it merely stumbles through to a particularly unexciting cliffhanger ending.