Revolutionary

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2003)

Story: A Acting: B Direction: A Visuals: A+ Overall Grade: A
Okay, first of all, I loved the first Matrix. I couldn't wait for the next 2. BUT I did not see Reloaded in the theater because the critics and my friends told me it was terrible. I listened to them and ignored it all the way until last week when I reluctantly rented the DVD. Much to my bittersweet chagrin, I liked it. A lot. The action + special effects were awesome (in the true sense of the word), the story was fluid and the themes dealt with were relevant and intelligently handled (the major theme being free will vs. predestination and how love works out out within that apparently paradoxical framework). Excellently executed in a taut, thrilling, butt-kicking, name-taking rollercoaster ride of a movie. Good stuff.
First lesson learned: Movies are subjective. Everyone has different tastes. Your taste is not mine. I will never listen with absolute attention to a critic or my friends again. Of course, I will weigh their opinions and tack them on to my "discretionary buffer zone" before deciding to see a movie - but I will never make an absolute decision based on others opinions in matters of subjectivity again. Second lesson learned: Expectations suck. (Which is probably why the critics and my friends were let down with Reloaded)
Now, onto dealing with Revolutions...from my perspective:
After my unexpectedly pleasant encounter with Reloaded, I eagerly anticipated seeing Revolutions. This time around, critically speaking, the critics reviews were tougher and my friends expectations were once again shattered. They either *liked* it, mildly disliked it or hated it. All were disappointed by it. Hmmm...what was I to think? I learned my lesson after seeing Reloaded...this time around I was going to ignore them and go into it with no expectations. I decided to let the story take me where it was going instead of me having a preconceived idea as to where I 'expected' it to go. I just saw it. I LOVED it.
First lesson reinforced: Critics suck. I can't fully trust my friends' judgments ever again. Second lesson reinforced: Drop expectations (of a subjective nature of course...moral expectations are a different ball game). Sometimes when it comes to judging film, instead of letting the storytellers take us on a journey, we become the backseat drivers. We kick and scream, begging the driver to change his/her course because it's not where we wanted to go. I surmise that this could be the reason that most folks disliked Revolutions. They jumped into the car wanting to go somewhere else.

Now Revolutions was definitely a change of atmosphere and pacing in comparison to the previous two. In this movie, most of the story took place in either ZION or a spacecraft. The feel of this movie reminded me of ALIENS (Alien 2)...dark and at times creepily suspenseful. And unlike the first Matrix and Reloaded, the filling isn't comprised of mind-blowing special effect laced - reality-defying kung-fu action sequences. Instead, the action, however quantified, is INTENSE in a different way. Replacing the usually ever-present hand-to-hand combat is a craaazy techno-war between the humans and machines with an insane amount of bullets being fired. FUN. Furthermore, for the first time in this trilogy, I felt a genuine sense of fear. I actually feared for the lives of the characters faced with imminent death. The Wachowski's did a tremendous job portraying courage in times of absolute terror...which is a large part of the movie. And the ending...wow...now this is RIDICULOUSLY COOL. Neo and Agent Smith duke it out for the last time. I must say that this is the BEST fight scene depicted in the trilogy (again...in my opinion). I left the theater very satisfied.

For many, the depth of philosophical exploration in the Matrix series was not adequate enough. I disagree. Although I concede that I did leave the theater with some questions still unanswered (ontological in nature), the simple truths brought out by this series WERE more than enough for me. Revolutions was a terrific compliment to the previous two, ending the series brilliantly - tying together the loose strings Morpheus, Trinity and the people of Zion were anticipating. Simplicity is often very profound. Faith. Hope. Courage. Love. Hate. Life. Death. Choice. Fate. These are the concepts the Matrix tautly grappled with - and with boldness like no other film I have ever seen. Simple concepts...yet each with significant relation to our core existence.
Now, the movie did end kind of open-ended. We weren't really given complete answers to everything. Well...I hypothesize that the Wachowski bros. left our questions insufficiently answered for a purpose. Not that they want us to believe there is another movie coming that will seek to offer further explanation, but they want us to choose what we believe. Maybe they want us to take the journey Neo and the others took instead of telling us plainly. If all the questions were answered, we wouldn't have to think. Now that would be a shame. Hmmmm...could it be? It's possible. :)
10/10 (a 10 is a rarity from me)