This is not going to be easy ...

Rating: Null/10 (8 November 2003)

Generally speaking, the movie was good ... to everyone who said that this movie was not worth the time, believe me, they are completely wrong; that being said, I am talking to those of you who saw and enjoyed the first two. If you didn't see or like the first two, then yes, this will not be a good movie.
HOWEVER, since a review is supposed to be general, that is what I will try to be ... but it isn't going to be easy, mostly because I'm torn on my opinion of this movie. The easiest way to handle this would be my traditional approach of "The Good News" and "The Bad News" ... However, bear in mind, this WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!!

The Good News: 1. Special Effects. If you like them, this movie is full of them, and they do an incredible job with them. Basically, it boils down to your opinions on them, and since I think special effects are a growing and important 'revolution' in the film world, I support them, and was very impressed. 2. Carrying with the ideas from Reloaded, this movie ventures even further beyond the borders of the Matrix and brings us into the Machine World itself. Fantastic and unbelievable, maybe, but at least we get to see it. 3. Proof that Neo is the one! At last! We keep hearing "the one, the one, the one" and in both movies, he is an epitome of a succesful failure ... at last, he wins, and makes a big point of it! 4. Smith is a phenomenal villain ... starting from the bottom and becoming ultimately equal with Neo ... a well established villain, coming very close to the quality of my beloved Lord of the Rings films.
AND ... The Bad News
1. STILL STILL STILL a ton of unanswered questions ... I understand that mysteries have to linger, but if you are going to see this one (as I was) to get some answers to your "Matrix Questions", you will leave feeling unfulfilled, because some are answered, while others are introduced ... not to be judgemental, but it MAY be that the Wachowski's built a world too large to handle ... there is A LOT unanswered ... 2. What's the deal with the little girl? I mean, obviously she's 'good', but what is her purpose? Future Oracle? See Point number 1. 3. SUPERIOR FAILURE in not bringing back the following characters (or not bringing them back to a reasonable level of film-time); The Merovingian, Persephone, The Twins, and The Architect. 4. Would like to have seen more one-on-one fighting ... yes, the Zion scenes with thousands upon thousands of sentinels WAS VERY COOL ... but the Matrix gained its reputation through enhanced, visual representations of one-on-ones ... would like to have seen more ...

All in all, this movie gets an 8/10 ... how is this measured? Well, the goods and bads PROBABLY weigh each other out, giving it a 7 average (since anything under 4 is bad, an average movie gets a 7) ... therefore, the extra point is really gained because this movie is part of a trilogy that needs to be looked at, really, as one movie to be rated properly ... what does the Matrix trilogy get? An 8/10 ... with this movie being the middle - ground (better than Reloaded, worse than The Matrix) ... so, overall, I believe an 8/10 represents the true quality of both the film and the trilogy ... should you see it? I would recommend seeing it in theatres, but if you don't bother seeing it on tape, then yes, you are missing out on a good movie.