not all that glitters is gold

Rating: 4/10 (8 November 2003)

Having just walked out of the theatre, I can only say this movie is a disappointment. After Reloaded, I was hoping for....something. What I did see was a very pretty CGI fest that reminded me of the longest video game introduction ever. Dialogue was corny, ideas were muddled, and most of the action was just overdone or recycled.
The first Matrix movie was fresh, it had great philosophy, it had man vs machine, good vs evil, reality vs theory, etc. What did the second two add? All new philosophy slopped on your plate like a cafeteria lunch lady (and just as unappealing), enough graphics to make your eyes water, and a shipload of characters hyped up and simply left as window-dressing with little to do in the movie except give the illusion of evil (without really DOING anything).
When I got to the "climatic" fight between Neo and Smith, I laughed. It was silly, childish, and completely overdone, as something out of Power Rangers or a Saturday cartoon. It was not mind-blowing or awe-inspiring, or evoking of any emotion, except for maybe disbelief. The sort of why-oh-why disbelief.
And I do resent the posts that say anyone that does not like this movie has limited intellect and simply "didn't get" the idea. My intellect is fine, thank you very much, and I don't need a movie to gauge it for me.
I voted this movie a 4/10 because the idea was okay, nothing new, some of the war scenes were well done, and because no one throws a sneer like Hugo Weaving.