262. The Matrix Reloaded; movie review

THE MATRIX RELOADED
Cert 15
133 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong violence

Ah, the tricky sequel. The Matrix was blow-away brilliant and Matrix Reloaded was always going to fall short because it couldn't possibly look as fresh.
We could no longer be surprised by the originality of the parallel worlds or the skill of the slow-motion action sequences.
Therefore, it simply becomes a story extension and, consequently, the wow factor is lost.
Sure, the special effects are even more stunning and the chase sequences are even more complex but, by 2019, such scenes have become relatively commonplace.
Suddenly, The Matrix Reloaded takes us from an arena where the only resistance to the machines is one ship and Neo (Keanu Reeves) to a whole underground kingdom, called Zion.
In addition, Neo is now in a full-blown relationship with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and has visions of her demise.
So, as Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) and his rival both in politics and in love (Harry Lannix) argue over war tactics and female captain (Jada Pinkett Smith), Neo frets over whether to help save mankind or his girlfriend.
And, of course, there is Hugo Weaving (or, indeed, many Hugo Weavings) as the 'agent' who wants to polish them all off.
The Wachowksis flaunt having doubled their budget since The Matrix with even greater special effects but, even though I had watched its predecessor only a week before, I was a bit lost.
Indeed, I was even prompted to read up to see if I had missed an episode.
I am sure that hardened fans of the series would be able to plug what appeared to be plotholes to me but they shouldn't have to.
In The Matrix, I felt that The Wachowskis had created a classic but with Reloaded they had lost the freshness and simply opted for bigger and brasher.
Some might say that is great. I am afraid it didn't chime so loudly for me.

Reasons to watch: It's The Matrix, innit?
Reasons to avoid: Too big and blustery

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Making just over $740 million worldwide at the box office, The Matrix Reloaded is the highest-grossing film in The Matrix franchise. The studio sent over 8500 copies to movie theatres, which earned Reloaded the Guinness Book of World Record for “Widest Print Run.”

The final word. Keanu Reeves: "These films are not anti-technology and not anti-human. As I said, it's not about spectacle for the sake of it. It is about your humanity but not just for personal entities but for the future. What will be your relationship to simulation and to your computer, to technology? This is not seeking to demolish or destroy but to have an evolution of a real life within it. Don't let that machine put a screen before your eyes. Use it to see clearer." Whoa Is Not Me

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