entertaining, fun and gripping

Rating: 7/10 (5 November 2003)

This film is definately worth seeing, just for the rollercoaster ride it gives you. granted that the end is somewhat... strange... I liked it because it's not some happily ever after disney junk. it's not as good as the first matrix, but then I doubt it was ever intended to be that way, finally one installment that takes place mostly in the real world!
After seeing reloaded I remember coming on here and hearing all the same comments about "what were they thinking???". That movie had long unending fights and went on interminably to finally add some spice with the whole architect thing. All you sceptics thought it sucked until most of you started blabbing your mouths off about "matrix within the matrix"... you made up that stuff yourselves and I don't know who started it, but you all bit and started fighting that line when it was clear that that wasn't so from the first time I saw the movie.
I was gripped during the entire movie (save the end) and came out with a tense neck from the action. My girlfriend (who doesn't like action and war movies) liked this installment, and she hasn't seen the 1st one all the way thru and hasn't seen reloaded either. I'd dare say that this movie might have gotten much MUCH better critique than it's getting here if it had been a movie unto it's own, or if all 3 had been in the same tone, maybe like The Lord of the Rings although it comes off more like star wars. On it's own it's a good movie with amazing and 100% believeable SFX, in the context of the other 2, it's a departure and that I believe made all the matrix fans mad, but the wachowskis hit the nail on the head with a fitting if somewhat annoying ending.
don't pay attention to the naysayers, this movie is worth watching and spending the 8 bucks to see it in a theater. I think that time will give it the credit it deserves in the matrix universe 7/10