SFX: 10 rest: 1

Rating: Null/10 (20 October 2004)

Even the first Matrix movie was a disappointment for me, because i was being told by everyone and his aunt that (besides having very original fighting scenes) this is something unheard of in Sci Fi, such hyper-original story involving virtual reality and something that really makes you think. I went to cinema happily expecting a subtle interplay of virtual and "real" reality, finally a SF film worthy of best SF literature, only to find out that it's about stupid evil robots eating people (or whatever). Where i expected wit and originality, subtleness and philosophy, i found Hollywood clichés, really not so different from Alien type of movie, as everyone thinks it to be. But i'll grant them (Matrix fans) that at least in the world of SF _cinema_, Matrix did scratch a surface - but no more - of something interesting, which can't be said for 99% of other SF movies.
As for Matrix Revolutions, i really thought i'll die of boredom. The forced pump-up to the siege of Zion was so shallow i was almost congratulating myself on seeing through the hype (and into nothingness) already in the first movie. These guys obviously don't have anything to say apart from hitherto unseen camera-angles and shooting speeds. I saw the film on DVD, and while i barely survived through the film itself, i enjoyed the second disk, which is all about how they made it, immensely. I really do appreciate all the effort put into special effects. It is all ground breaking, no doubt. But absent this insight into all the intricacies of virtual humans, computer graphics and miniature models, while you watch the movie it just boils down to "yeah, nice effects, but..."
My point being that SFX is NOT ENOUGH to make a good movie. And virtually everything else in this movie S U C K S. Acting? There is no. Characters? They're all carton cutouts 1 milimeter thick ans seen a zillion times. Story? Who can honestly say they got it? If it's about "fight for what you believe in and believe in love", as some here say, i think it takes some finesse if you want to make the message work - it's not enough that a character in the film says those words. In these fascinating "the-making-of" documentaries, most people were talking about what they did and how they did it. But occasionally, some would find it appropriate to talk about "deep philosophy" that this movie carries.
The effects were great, but philosophy - please spare me.