Sorry for the delayed review as I was quite busy this past week and when I was about to pop in The Matrix Reloaded disc Thursday night, I learned it was scratched and wouldn't play. This week I'm continuing my trek through The Matrix trilogy and in the following weeks I will review The Matrix Revolutions to cap it off and John Wick to coincide with John Wick: Chapter 2. The reason I decided to review The Matrix trilogy prior to John Wick is that John Wick: Chapter 2 sees a reunion between actors Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne. Anyways, I'm well aware I've fallen behind in regards to reviewing some of the recent releases but will definitely get around to seeing Patriots Day and Split soon, no promises for The Founder and Gold but I intend to see those as well. Other reviews I haven't mentioned but can all but guarantee will be coming in the next two weeks include The LEGO Batman Movie and John Wick: Chapter 2.
'The Matrix Reloaded' Review
The Matrix Reloaded picks up with Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus continuing their efforts to thwart the machines and our heroes must learn the secrets of the Matrix if they hope to save mankind. The Matrix Reloaded was written and directed by the Wachowskis as the duo sought to expand the immersive world they created in The Matrix.
The Wachowskis succeed in some avenues but ultimately are unable to find the spark that made the original so great. The Wachowskis' visual plane is much more of a mixed bag than previous efforts with post-apocalyptic production design and streamlined futuristic special effects blended seamlessly together in contrast to the CG-rendered versions of characters, who look like poorly designed avatars from a dated video game, utilized in the more outlandish action sequences.
The Wachowskis nail the action sequences when they're not trying to break the boundaries of what visual effects are capable of in filmmaking. However, these effects heavy sequences don't hold up to today's standards and that's to be somewhat expected from a fourteen year old movie but these are just awful. The sequences actually shot by cinematographer Bill Pope are a remarkable display of varying fight choreography from visceral hand-to-hand combat to a riveting chase sequence to the thrilling sword fight in the Chateau. These sequences are made even cooler thanks to another digitized soundtrack from Don Davis that's a perfect fit for the world of the Matrix.
All the action's fairly memorable and there are plenty of cool moments interspersed but there's one thing that nearly undermines it all. There's simply no major stakes. This is largely due to the Wachowskis' script that negates the most crucial element of any action screenplay, vulnerability. It's difficult to truly become invested in the onscreen exploits if the screenwriters can't bridge the gap, leaving none of the threats to seem credible when Neo can simply walk away from everything unscathed.
Another problem with the Wachowskis' screenplay is that it fails to properly address gaping plot-holes that emerge as a result of bringing back characters simply because they were cool in the original or fail to explain what really happened in-between the previous film and now. The Wachowskis did a fairly good job of laying out the rules and concepts of the Matrix in the predecessor but this time around so much is left unexplained, making it difficult to ascertain why certain events or actions are able to occur. The Wachowskis almost threw the idea of grounding the story (and quite literally characters) completely out the window.
Most cast members return for the sequel with Keanu Reeves' Neo much more confident in his own abilities and prowess, Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity given further humanity to explore while serving as the black leather-clad eye candy (the early 2000s were weird...), Laurence Fishburne's Morpheus deepened as the keen believer, and Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith a reckless robotic force to combat.
To sum it up, The Matrix Reloaded is a serviceable popcorn action flick with enough iconic moments to keep action junkies entertained but fails in almost every regard to live up to its predecessor. It probably sounds like I'm being overly critical of the Wachowskis but it's merely because all the pieces are there, they simply aren't laid out correctly or to their greatest potential.
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