Matrix series are sci-fi movie for programmers, not philosophical movie

Rating: 10/10 (15 November 2003)

Contains spoilers some one will like it, but some one will dislike it.
I think it is not as good as Matrix I, but better than Matrix Reloaded.
It's quite consistent with the other two Matrix movies, full of actions, very exciting battle scenes. The zion battle can match the Helms Deep battle in Lord of Rings The Two Towers.
From this movie you can get a more overall view of the 'real world', including both zion and the machine city, where the brain of the machine is located. You can have a better understanding the position of the machines, the virus agent Smith, Oracle, Architect, and zion in the 'real world'.
But the plot is less creative than the first Matrix movie. It is somewhat,..., cliched. Although there is still some surprise awaiting you.
From the beginning, Matrix is not a 'hard sci-fi' movie. By 'hard sci-fi' I mean sci-fi's shows more respect for fundamental physics, such as 'contact' and '2001 space odessy', which are generally great works of real scientists.
Matrix, is somewhat between 'soft sci-fi' and 'hard sci-fi'. It is 'hard' in the aspect of programmer's point of view. Its constructs, the 'program characters' in the matrix, are quite believable to programmers. Because if you design such a system, there may really be such objects. (unfortunately some non-programmer audience tends to regard those 'program characters' like oracle, seraph, architect as philosophical symbols, that's a total misunderstanding, and will definitely result in confusion and disappointment. Matrix is a sci-fi movie for programmers, not a philosophical movie for folks. it has some philosophy, but its main interests is not there).
Matrix is not 'hard sci-fi' because it makes some ridiculous assumptions which physicists will laugh. For example, use human body as batteries for machines, neo's super-natural capability extends to real world without any physical explanation ('The One has power not only in Matrix, but also in real world', that's it, no explanation. no wonder people have quarreled on this problem will feel being fooled by the W brothers)
Another major plot hole is the negotiation between the machine's head with neo. After neo helped the machines killed Agent Smith in Matrix and died, why should Machine still obeys its promise? It can jut destroy Zion without any problem. Neo has died, no one can threat the machines, why should machine obey its promise? I don't believe machines have moral standard like human.
Finally a summary of the plot for those interested:
At the beginning of the movie neo was in coma, but actually his mind was trapped in a place between matrix and real world, which is represented as a train station, which is controled by a train man who obeys order of Merovigin. Morpheus and Trinity knew that from Oracle and saved Neo from the trap.
Agent Smith converted more and more entities in Matrix to himself. Oracle feels the threat of Agent Smith. If no one stop him, that will be the end of the Matrix. Oracle knew that, so she gave some hint to Neo. Soon after that, Agent Smith find her, and converted her and Seraph to his copies.
At the same time, there is a battle between machine and Zion. That is a battle in despire. Machines are overwhelming in numbers. Obviously human will lose this battle finally.
Neo and trinity went to the machine city. They encounter strong defenses and Trinity died there. Neo finally faces the head of the machine. He negotiated with the machine head: he will help the machine destroy Agent Smith, while machine will stop destroying Zion.
Machine help Neo back to Matrix, where he fights with Agent Smith and lose. Agent Smith converted Neo into himself. But since Neo was plugged by machine. Machine can decode and destroy the entity he is converted into. And machine also destroyed all other copies of Agent Smith.
So Neo died in real world. But machines kept their promise and left Zion. And the order of Matrix is restored, and Oracle and Seraph and others restored to their original state.
Final words from Oracle, Neo may or may not be back.
That is matrix. So there is temperary peace between human and machines. Some one did not understand the movie at all. Some one are not satisfied with the result. But what do you expect? what can you expect?
Maybe they should let Neo live and destroy all machines? That may be more cliched.