I liked it. (Don't shoot me for doing so)

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2003)

Wow, I read a lot of the comments and was surprised by the amount of people who thought this movie sucked. I for one liked it. Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith) was amazing again. He's such a dynamic and captivating actor. All of the Matrix films have showcased his talent as an engaging villain. If anything, I think he's wasted on Lord of the Rings.
I was riveted to my seat during the battle sequences. I felt for the characters fighting an impossible fight and the visual affects only enhanced those feelings. I didn't mind the philosophical dialog in any of the films, including this one. People who showed up for the action seem to be particularly irritated by all the chatter. True, the W Brothers are no Shakespeare or Cohen Brothers for that matter. The dialog *could* have been better, but I've seen a lot worse in many other films. I'd say that this Matrix is better than the second Matrix but I have to agree with most that this film can't hold a candle to the first Matrix.
I think the thing that hurt the W Bros was their reliance on their video game and the Animatrix for providing a lot of back-story missing from the second and third film. I can see why some people who didn't rent the anime and the game would get confused about what happened to the Oracle, why that kid keeps following Neo around, etc. They took a gamble and judging from all the people stating they were confused, I don't think it paid off the way they were expecting.
I've bought the second Matrix on DVD and watched it a few times now and as a result, I've caught a lot of things that I've missed. This Matrix, I have no doubt, will have a similar affect on me when I buy it on DVD. The W Bros should take this as a sign that they need to learn a better way to explain their epic stories to an American viewing audience that needs it handed to them on a platter with a note and lit sparklers sticking out of it. The movie is surprisingly deep, full of amazing visuals, and nearly wraps up all the lose ends but not all of them. Why not? Judging from the past, the W Brothers may continue the Matrix story in other mediums like comic books, games, or even more anime. I don't think they're done yet, and perhaps that is why some people didn't like this movie. It's not a completely open and shut book. It's an ending with question marks that only some people can see, depending on how aware of the matrix they have become :-)
Overall, I give the film a B+