Not bad

Rating: 4/10 (8 December 2003)

MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS!
For years to come after the hype surrounding these movies has died down i think people will look at this trilogy and realise that it is good....but not great. From this movie i believe that what people will remember is the ending. Does it leave it open for a 4th instalment? that's for you to decide but the Ending itself is one of the worst i have seen in a film EVER and it ruins what was a very entertaining saga.
In short this is the worst of the three movies. That's not to say that it is bad but it is a very agverage film. It does have its moments. The attack on Zion is fantastic but it is the high point of what is an alright movie.

Everything leading up to the attack is great. But the Wachowski brothers seemed to have forgotten what made the first film so great and, instead, turned a brilliantly original concept into your typical sci-fi adventure. This film is also far more cliche ridden than the other two, delving into mushy lovey-dubby territory when you least want it.
After the main attack on Zion the movie goes seriously downhill. The final showdown between Agent Smith and Neo is the least impressive fight scene in the whole trilogy, which is a huge anti-climax as it is what many people have been looking forward to. Trinty's death scene was so over the top that most of the cinema started laughing and who can blame them? This movie also proves that Mr Reeves cannot act to save himself. Just look at his pittiful attempt to be upset when the love of his life is lying there dying.
A major downside to this saga is that it leaves alot of questions still open. This can be good for people who want to make up their own minds but for a mainstream and mostly passive audience that this is made for it only acts as a anomoly. There are also many questions answered in Enter The Matrix and the Animatrix but for those who have never seen these it acts as another downside. Many people i know could not understand why they were looking for Niobe's ship at the beginning of this movie. Play the game and find out.
It is too long too dramatic and an almighty anti-climax to an otherwise great trilogy. But that said the first half is very entertaining and the battle for Zion is awesome. It does not, however, detract from the fact that the last half hour of this movie is overly long and drawn out.
3/5