Slow, but solid and enjoyable

Rating: 7/10 (10 September 2004)

To tell the truth, I've always found The Matrix phenomenon a little overrated. While I enjoyed the original film for what it was, a slick sci-fi/action comic book on celluloid, I felt the script was needlessly rhetorical, and attempts at depth and philosophy were instantly floored by one-note performances. That said, it was still a lot of fun with imagery that has become every bit as iconic as more substantial genre staples.
Cut four years to Reloaded, and what we have is a totally different style of film. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Reloaded is every bit as good as its predecessor, neither better nor worse. Still don't expect any 'acting' here, but what we do receive is further exploration and enhancement of the exciting premise the films are based on. Reloaded might be less action and more talk, but the talk is genuinely interesting, and for the first time, The Matrix comes across as being a genuine sci-fi franchise that at least is making a half-decent stab at greatness, as opposed to being the vidkid's wet dream.
The action comes in short bursts, but what action it is! The highway chase sequence is brilliance, true edge of seat stuff that even surpasses the first film. What's not so great is the unhealthy fascination with slow-mo shots. It creates a feel of 'yes guys, we know you can do special effects, now GET ON WITH IT'.
But the true strength of Reloaded is its perfect fit with the original film.
It answers the questions, its philosophy is less rhetorical, and while its characters come across as even weaker than they were in the first film (no mean feat!), the story is too engaging for you to really notice.
It isn't a classic, it's just a strong follow up to a strong mainstream popcorn film. With a little less overconfidence, stronger character development and tighter editing it could have been truly great.
7/10