An epic tale of nothing in particular

Rating: 6/10 (9 November 2003)

In some respects it isn't really fair to put down The Matrix because it doesn't stretch to three films. The third outing is a little better than the second, with better action and a modest Star Trek level plot.
I did like the action scenes, which didn't always give way to the meaningless fast paced CGI of many films these days. They reminded me of Aliens, with frenetic life or death fighting scenes backed up by hokum characters. But Neo's journey now follows a separate and unhelpful subplot, much like the video game it is no doubt modeled for.
After seeing the various short films in the Animatrix, its obvious that The Matrix as a whole remains a strong idea, even past the first movie. But under commercial pressure, the need for fireworks finally upends the whole enterprise, and we come away knowing that at Least Return of the King will still be worthwhile.