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Dan Owen reviews
- Cert:
- Running time: 138 minutes
- Year: 2003
- Released: 21st May 2003
- Widescreen Ratio: 2.35:1
Director:
- Larry Wachowski & Andy Wachowski
(Bound, Matrix 1-3)
Producers:
- Bruce Berman, Grant Hill, Andrew Mason, Vicki Popplewell, SteveRichards, Joel Silver, Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski
Screenplay:
- Larry Wachowski & Andy Wackowski
Director Of Photography:
- Bill Pope
Music Score:
- Don Davis & Ben Watkins
Cast:
- Neo: Keanu Reeves
Morpheus: Laurence Fishburne
Trinity: Carrie-Anne Moss
Agent Smith: Hugo Weaving
Niobe: Jada Pinkett Smith
Persephone: Monica Bellucci
The Keymaker: Randall Duk Kim
Merovingian: Lambert Wilson
Link: Harold Perrineau
The Oracle: Gloria Foster
Twin 1: Adrien Rayment
Twin 2: Neil Rayment
Commander Lock: Harry Lennix
Zee: Nona Gaye
The wait is finally over.The Matrixset the movie world ablaze back in1999, stealingThe Phantom Menace‘sthunder in the process, to become the discerning movie buff’sscience-fiction-action film of choice. Now, in 2003, the sequels arrive -first Matrix Reloaded (May), then Matrix Revolutions (November).
So, does the film live up to the huge expectation people have? Atentative yes is the answer, but only because Reloaded is a movie thatwill split audiences more than the original. Not because Reloaded is abad movie, but because the writer-director Wachowski brothers have avision that may not be to all tastes. But, I absolutely loved it!
Reloaded picks up The Matrix story six months later, with humans stillfighting a war against machines who have plugged an unaware human raceinto a virtual-reality world known as The Matrix, in order to keep thempacified while they feed off their bio-electricity.
After the events of the first film, ex-computer hacker Thomas Anderson(Keanu Reeves) is now Neo (a.k.a, “The One”); a man able to connect to TheMatrix and have superhuman control over his abilities therein. But howcan his powers save the human resistance’s city of Zion in the realworld from an invasion by 250,000 Sentinel machines…?
The plot of Reloaded sounds deceptively simple at first, but fears thestoryline couldn’t be maintained for a trilogy have proved unfounded.Matrix Reloaded packs more plot and twists into its duration than itspredecessor. This does mean Reloaded is more bloated and less concise,but it’s also more satisfying if you’re willing to think. Want to seehow far the rabbit hole goes? The last twenty minutes should blow yourmind…
The cast all slip back into their roles with ease, although most sufferfrom underwritten parts. Carrie-Anne Moss still ensures Trinity is aneffective leather-clad heroine, and has some nice tender moments withKeanu Reeves.
Reeves remains effortlessly cool in designer shades, but thanks to hischaracter’s Zen-like calm he’s a less involving presence than hisawestruck hacker was in the original. Seeing a computer hacker’s gradualascension to God-like eminence was far more enjoyable than seeing himfret over his destiny. But, c’est la vie.
Laurence Fishburne remains good value as Morpheus, although his mentorfigure has altered to that of a War General. Interestingly, the filmshows some new facets to the character, particularly his ranking amongstthe people of Zion, some of whom don’t share his pseudo-religiousbeliefs that their salvation depends on prophecy…
Hugo Weaving makes a welcome return as the arrogant Agent Smith, aprogram now “unplugged” from The Matrix – meaning he’s literally a “freeagent” with a score to settle with Neo…
Weaving’s vocal intonations are again a highlight, although his presencestill seems quite forced and, particularly to begin with, a littledisconcerting for some reason. But it’s soon obvious that his characteris merely being primed for a far more intriguing role in Revolutions…
The supporting cast are dependable, but aren’t given enough time to beanything more memorable. Jada Pinkett-Smith looks fantastic as Niobe,Morpheus’ ex-lover, and some of her scenes hint at a great untappedcharacter, but she’s pushed into the background. Nona Gaye‘s Zee (a rolesinger Aaliyah was cast in before her death) is another wastedopportunity, unable to breathe life into her short scenes.
Only a few of the supporting cast manage to make lasting impressions -Italian starlet Monica Bellucci‘s Persephone is a delicious creationgiven short shrift, the late Gloria Foster‘s return as The Oracle lendsthe film some much-needed gravitas, Lambert Wilson, playing a snobbyprogram known as the Merovingian, is a quite unexpected treat, RandallDuk Kim‘s Keymaker is quietly effective, as are Adrian and Neil Raymentas the dreadlocked “Twins” – despite being introduced and disposed offfar too quickly.
Quite predictably, the special-effects will undoubtedly astonish mostpeople. The Matrix’s celebrated “bullet time” effect (wherebypeople/objects are slowed down while the camera travels around them atnormal speed) returns in a whole new dimension: “virtual cinematography”.
With virtual cinematography, entire fight sequences are rendered in thecomputer – meaning the unrestricted “camera” can move around the actionto its heart’s content. This does mean some sequences seem a bitconvoluted and, dare I say it, slightly over-stylized, but for the mostpart virtual cinematography pushes the boundaries of film effects andwill take some beating. A standout sequence where Neo fights 100 copiesof Agent Smith is a real eye-opener, despite occasionally “fake”moments.
Thanks to the massive budget there are more action sequences in Reloadedthan in The Matrix, making its predecessor seem quite anorexic incomparison. In particular, the freeway chase scene is a spectacularhigh-octane delight, boosted by the thumping soundtrack of Don Davis -who mixes techno beats with traditional orchestral fare.
For some, the effects will be the primary reason for seeing Reloaded,and the constant stream of “wow” shots will stick in the memory fordays, but is that all the film has to offer? No. Not if you’re willingto understand the complexities of the Matrix universe, anyway.
The second half of Reloaded finds its footing after the somewhat shakyfirst half set in the real world of Zion. It’s here that the WachowskiBrothers begin to deliver on the hope that The Matrix Reloaded won’tjust be an effects-fuelled excuse to cash-in on the original.
For the unprepared, the intellectual depths the movie dives into may beconfusing (and even frustrating) but for anyone with a love ofscience-fiction and cyberpunk themes, the Wachowski Brothers manage totap into some fertile ground that should get its target audiencejoyously beaming with delight.
Against expectation, The Matrix Reloaded manages to have you leaving theauditorium with questions and theories pulsing through your mind, andnot just admissions that the visual-effects were well executed.
I’m aware that the initial buzz from America was mixed with Reloaded,perhaps because expectations were just too high for some people. Theoriginal movie remains the superior work, but Reloaded does what mostpeople hoped for – delivers jaw-dropping visuals and develops theoverall premise to the nth degree.
There are problems that should never have been made: the tiresome earlyscenes in Zion (particularly a silly dance sequence), some useless newcharacters (the unnecessary “Kid” who hero worships Neo), some overlypreachy dialogue, and the fact the movie could have done with an overalltrim in the cutting room.
But, even with these criticisms, I personally found myself enthused andenthralled throughout, and eagerly await the pay-off with Revolutions inNovember. The middle-act of a trilogy is always problematic, butReloaded is a thought-provoking continuation of the original’s themes,and a great transitional appetizer for what will hopefully be a stunningfinal chapter.
Roll on Revolutions!
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Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.