Never intended to be a trilogy

Rating: Null/10 (5 November 2003)

I simply can't believe that the Matrix was originally planned to have two follow-ups. Call me a conspiracy-nut, but given what the Wachowskis have done in the sequels (i.e., nothing), it seems so very likely that the sequels were planned only after the original began to pour a river of money into Joel Silver's pocket. Either that is the case or the Wachowskis are not nearly the gifted filmmakers that "Bound" and "The Matrix" showed them to be. Consider that The Matrix told a complete story (Neo flying into the air at the end promised that he was the fabled One, that he would defeat the machines). Sure it left you with questions, but none that required an answer. Then comes Reloaded, which dials back Neo's powers (he can no longer rip agents apart from the inside, apparently), unanswers some questions (will Neo defeat the machines?), and adds layer upon layer of needless complexity. The whole story was told in the first Matrix. The second two are dross. As beautiful as they are to behold, they're almost completely content-free. For fans of special effects, the sequels are must-see movies. For everyone else, do yourself a favor and consider The Matrix a stand-alone project.