Possibly disappointing, but Epic.

Rating: 7/10 (31 October 2003)

I was lucky enough to catch an advance screening of the Matrix Revolutions in D.C., and I would say that the type of film the Matrix started out to be really didn't carry through to the end; though, I would also say that this isn't such a bad thing. I thought the cinematography near the end was superb, I was sincerely caught up in the tension, and I suppose the only thing that bothered me was that I wanted the storyline to go in a different direction.
**Warning: Possible spoilers ahead**
I guess with that type of story, with trying to explain some semblance of existence, there are only so many results you can end on. You can rework old ideas in new ways, and no pun intended here, but Jesus, isn't there some other way of supporting human existence than martyrdom?
To be fair, it was a great blending of the West and the East in terms of religious ideas. Maybe I was looking for some sort of answer, some sort of transcendent meaning in the film the Waichowsky brothers could have never presented in an entertaining way. Maybe I just liked the open endedness of the first.
Overall, though, I would say that I was more impressed with the fight scenes, the beautiful choreography of Agent Smith versus Neo, the epic presentation of two god-like characters, and the wonderfully constructed ride of the Battle of Zion than I was with any sort of hint at intellectual exploration of reality. Whereas the first seemed to have quite a bit of it, the second lacked in it, the third had nearly none of it.
If you liked intellectual side of the Matrix, don't go into the third installment looking for more. If you liked the ride, you might have some fun.