Just Saw Matrix Reloaded
<div class="IPBDescription">SPOILERS INSIDE</div> Okay, just got back from seeing Matrix Reloaded (first public showing in North America!! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->). If I were asked to sum it up in one word, that word would be 'disappointing'.
My reasoning? The flow of the movie went as follows - plot, fight scene, filler, plot, fight scene, filler, etc. After a while, most people seemed to be bored with plot and filler while waiting for the next fight scene. If the entire movie were edited further so the length was 90 minutes, it could have been a great movie. This runs for about 2.5 hours, and <i>at least</i> an hour of this was pointless filler that had <i>nothing</i> to do with the story. Cut this, and it could have been more enjoyable.
On to the fight scenes - they were <i>too long</i>!!! I know what you're thinking - long fight scenes are great!! Unfortunately, not in this case. After the first five minutes of every fight, almost everyone was thinking "Okay, so Neo is kicking everyone's arse. Can we get back to the plot so we can get to a different fight scene??".
This doesn't apply to all the fight scenes, just most of them. I won't write any spoilers, but there's one with Morpheus which is <i>really</i> nice. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Actually, most of the fight scenes were really well done. The just dragged on <i>far</i> too long in almost every fight.
So there are some new characters. The councillor is a very well-developed character in this movie. Great acting, very convincing, good plot additions. However, the keymaker is, IMO, a useless character. He really wasn't developed well, had very little use, and never really contributed anything to the plot.
The soundtrack was okay. The fight scene music hit in some cases, missed on the rest.
The visuals were, as would be expected, amazing. Everything looks solid and believable, has great tone and design, and just fits into what viewers would expect in the Matrix universe. Character 'look' and costumes are excellent.
I usually rate a movie based on whether I'd buy the DVD when it comes out. In this case, it's not a buyer based on the movie itself. The only reason I'd feel obligated to buy this movie is because it's part of a trilogy.
This movie simply lacks the 'feel' that the first movie had. A friend of mine gave a good comparison - "Reloaded is to the Matrix what Episode 1&2 are to Star Wars".
My reasoning? The flow of the movie went as follows - plot, fight scene, filler, plot, fight scene, filler, etc. After a while, most people seemed to be bored with plot and filler while waiting for the next fight scene. If the entire movie were edited further so the length was 90 minutes, it could have been a great movie. This runs for about 2.5 hours, and <i>at least</i> an hour of this was pointless filler that had <i>nothing</i> to do with the story. Cut this, and it could have been more enjoyable.
On to the fight scenes - they were <i>too long</i>!!! I know what you're thinking - long fight scenes are great!! Unfortunately, not in this case. After the first five minutes of every fight, almost everyone was thinking "Okay, so Neo is kicking everyone's arse. Can we get back to the plot so we can get to a different fight scene??".
This doesn't apply to all the fight scenes, just most of them. I won't write any spoilers, but there's one with Morpheus which is <i>really</i> nice. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Actually, most of the fight scenes were really well done. The just dragged on <i>far</i> too long in almost every fight.
So there are some new characters. The councillor is a very well-developed character in this movie. Great acting, very convincing, good plot additions. However, the keymaker is, IMO, a useless character. He really wasn't developed well, had very little use, and never really contributed anything to the plot.
The soundtrack was okay. The fight scene music hit in some cases, missed on the rest.
The visuals were, as would be expected, amazing. Everything looks solid and believable, has great tone and design, and just fits into what viewers would expect in the Matrix universe. Character 'look' and costumes are excellent.
I usually rate a movie based on whether I'd buy the DVD when it comes out. In this case, it's not a buyer based on the movie itself. The only reason I'd feel obligated to buy this movie is because it's part of a trilogy.
This movie simply lacks the 'feel' that the first movie had. A friend of mine gave a good comparison - "Reloaded is to the Matrix what Episode 1&2 are to Star Wars".
Comments
Aside from the needless "Pie Scene" (With that lady eating the desert then getting very....excited) I thought it was excellent. Although I did feel some of the conversations were stretched too long (the original was quick and to the point) it explained alot.
I was expecting more though from when Neo entered the Matrix source. It was kinda like the Wizard of Oz, they pull back the curtain and the Architect is sitting there.
Anyhow, back to the point, the Agent Smith fight was some of the best CG I've seen. And the freeway chase was astounding. I mean, im still mesmerized by the Agent Smith fight, it was just....surreal...yet so very realistic.
[SPOILER]
What was awsome though, was when Neo rescued Morph and Key from the freeway. The WHOLE theater was like "OMG OMG OMG WOOOOOOT YAY YAY YAY" and clapping and cheering. Good movie moment.
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER]
The only odd thing, was when Neo killed the sentinels while outside of the Matrix. So, now he was...engineered? Or somehow has a biological connection with the Machines? What was up with that?
BTW, I just watched the trailer that comes with Enter the Matrix, either Agent Smith is doing some serious virtual crack or he was replaced with the voice of Dr. Evil from Austin Powers! That laugh...LoL
[/SPOILER]
its SO hard to get a sequal to match up to the tastes of the viewers and keep them interested and surprise them with stunning effects like the first movie
there have been SO few succesful sequals...
star wars i must say.. did VERY well... (the old ones)
Though I knew Matrix 2 could never live up to its' hype.
<img src='http://www.pvponline.com/archive/2003/pvp20030514.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Yes, it did feel like the movie was more disconnected from the "core cast" or Neo/Trinity/Morpheous but, you have to realize, the Matrix is a universe. It has billions of people, Zion isnt just 1 person, neither is the Matrix. There are lots of people who play a role in the war, Neo might kick **** in the Matrix, but in Zion he is still human. The Wachowski's have always said that the 2nd and 3rd movie were meant to introduce Zion, its people, the war, and what the heck is going on with Neo now.
Don't forget, Neo isnt invincible, he can still bleed and die in the Matrix. Its just hes REALLY good at kung-fu <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Yes, it did feel like the movie was more disconnected from the "core cast" or Neo/Trinity/Morpheous but, you have to realize, the Matrix is a universe. It has billions of people, Zion isnt just 1 person, neither is the Matrix. There are lots of people who play a role in the war, Neo might kick **** in the Matrix, but in Zion he is still human. The Wachowski's have always said that the 2nd and 3rd movie were meant to introduce Zion, its people, the war, and what the heck is going on with Neo now.
Don't forget, Neo isnt invincible, he can still bleed and die in the Matrix. Its just hes REALLY good at kung-fu <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hehe, here I was about to post about how ignorant you all are, but then TenSix just have to come along with a brain in his head and a working one at that! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Just kidding, of course you're all entitled to your opinions, but ask yourself this...
Just how many times did you watch the first Matrix movie before you started to notice all its little nuances, cliche' references, and subtle foreshadowing that made the story seem so enticing and left us wanting more? Now, how many times have you watched The Matrix Reloaded?
Let me make a quick geuss based on how long its been out. Once, or maybe even twice if you had money and no other things that you had to attend to in life.
You "disappointed" folks sound alot like a good number of people I listened to after the first Mission: Impossible movie or *gasp* the first Matrix movie. Just watch it a couple times more till ya get all the subtle mastery that is the Wachoski Bros masterpiece of modern day fiction. The sheer scale seems to have blown your mind and you might need to absorb it over a greater length of time then some of us.
<!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Agent smith + Freeway scenes = too awesome
Matrix/Equilibrium/Matrix Reloaded, best 3 action sci fi movies ever <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Ah a fellow Mission: Impossible lover <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Possibly one of the most underrated movies of all time due to its complex story (I had to watch 5 times to figure out the story, 10 times before I got it all down).
Just watching it once, I realized that by the time Revolutions is out we may have actually figured out all the little details. I knew just from the 1st viewing there was more layers then I could see. That Agent Smith fight scene though, omg, when Neo throws all those Smiths into the air and the camera does a slow mo around it....nirvana. The theater was cheering.
The only things I really think was stupid: The rave/sex scene, and that scene with that lady eating the desert that was programmed to give her an orgasm (im not making this up, unfortunatly). The rave/sex scene went on for soooo long. And it didn't really fit at all. The desert scene was completly out of line, very embarassing, then they took it a step furthur and had that little "matrix code" thing (watch it, you will know what I mean). If they removed those 2 scenes from the movie, I could give it a 10/10. But they didnt fit the movie at all.
I wouldnt have minded the sex/rave scene so much if it didnt go on for so damn long. I mean, I know they are having sex, you know they are having sex, why must we be told that for like 2 minutes straight? LoL
It was a great movie though, the ending and plot wasnt anything like what I was expecting. Pacing could have been a bit smoother, but that dosent mean I won't be 1st in line for Revolutions <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Trust me everything in this movie had a point and if you payed close attention instead of mentally comparing fight scenes from part 2 to part 1 or waiting for neo to say woah again you would notice that.
I'm glad they took it a different way, why make part two if it's going to be exactly like part one.
Anyway you can't trust reviews on the Matrix because remember no one can tell you what the matrix is you have to see it for yourself.
/Spoiler
Again the whole "sex scene" was that long because that was the driving force of the movie, and did you miss when Neo's love for trinity turned out to be the deciding factor in the survival of the human race. In case you missed it the Archatect was creating "ones" to figure out flaws in the Matrix and all 5 before Neo had done the exact same thing and chosen to rebuild Zion and start everything over, but Neo's anamoly was his love for Trinity and it was the one thing strong enough to break the cycle
/Spoiler
Just in case you didn't catch that <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
/Spoiler
And the desert scene was addressing the issue that humans at some point stop caring why they do things and just follow their emotions on a primal level. Remember the Oracle told Neo it isn't about what his choices were anymore, he already knew what he was going to do, it was about why he was going to do it that mattered.
PS: that cake scene got a lot of laughs in the theater I watched it in, get over your geeky inhibitions <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
@ All Reloaded-Haters: HERETICS!
I just got out of it less then an hour ago. That movie was soooooo good, not only because it had a plot, set up from Matrix, but because it managed to mold the story. Even now I wonder what the hell Colonel Sanders was doing in the Matrix.
The Rave/Orgy scene, I think, was to show the primal strength of mankind, when we can be so close to one another and still be strong. The Cake scene was a little...weird but it still showed that humans are still, by nature, INSTINCTUAL creatures. If something feels good we do it again.
[spoiler]
If you thought the Dojo scene in Matrix was cool...watch the Foyer scene...The Smith scene...The Freeway scene...The Agent intro scene. They all are so...cooooool.
[/spoiler]
Desert:
<img src='http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/desert.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Des<b>s</b>ert:
<img src='http://12.108.175.91/images/ebookweb/cake.one.candle.slice.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
So, did you <b>really</b> wear the costumes?
On a side note, that long car chase scene cost more too make then most entire film budgets.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Trust me everything in this movie had a point and if you payed close attention instead of mentally comparing fight scenes from part 2 to part 1 or waiting for neo to say woah again you would notice that.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Okay, so what's the point of Morpheus's five-minute very articulate and incredibly well enunciated rant to the crowd? It could have been a powerful and inspirational speech, but instead it dragged on and on and on and eventually lost the emotional grip it had right at the start. That speech absolutely reeked of "Okay Mr. Fishbourne, let's try one more take".
And what was the point of the keymaker except to give the machines a target and the 'heroes' a helpless victim to protect? Okay, so the keymaker can go anywhere in the Matrix through backdoors. It just seems more of a convenience factor for the storytellers than it is an actual plot addition.
How about those white ghost guys? They were really nothing more than an excuse for the Wachowski's to justify spending millions of dollars in the CG department. Sure, they looked amazing, but they never really served any purpose beyond that. I just hope they come back in the 3rd movie and actually have a <i>purpose</i> this time. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I'm glad they took it a different way, why make part two if it's going to be exactly like part one.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There's a very popular engineering adage that states "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
I wasn't expecting Reloaded to be "the same movie, just in a few different locations". All I expected out of this movie was a continuation of the story, which seems reasonable, and for it to be a strong lead-in to Revolutions. The story in Reloaded, as far as everyone I've talked to personally is concerned, was very "star wars episode 1 & 2".
In other words, it had a fantastic solid foundation to build upon, but just didn't make very good use of it. The only real part of the story that carried over is "the machines are trying to continue their control over humanity". While that is the base storyline for the trilogy, there were too many strong story threads established with the first movie that either barely got any mention or were discarded altogether in favor of CG and long fight scenes.
I still plan on seeing it at least once more. I have been known to completely change my opinion of a movie after seeing it for the second time, and would certainly admit it after my saying such strong negative opinions of the movie already. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Yes, we wore the costumes, as did about 1/3 of the people there. There were Trinity and Neo couples like myself and my GF (but their costumes weren't as high-quality as ours <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->), A few guys showed up as nameless extras in leather, 2 Morpheus look-alikes, and a few Agent look-alikes. It was fun to show up and see all the people who had the same enthusiasm for the movie as myself and my GF.
And yes, we got pictures of ourselves.
Edited for gramar
but oh well! i'm gonna see it anyway! i'll just have to be truely disgusted/turned on i guess.
The only things I really think was stupid: The rave/sex scene, and that scene with that lady eating the desert that was programmed to give her an orgasm (im not making this up, unfortunatly). The rave/sex scene went on for soooo long. And it didn't really fit at all. The desert scene was completly out of line, very embarassing, then they took it a step furthur and had that little "matrix code" thing (watch it, you will know what I mean). If they removed those 2 scenes from the movie, I could give it a 10/10. But they didnt fit the movie at all.
I wouldnt have minded the sex/rave scene so much if it didnt go on for so damn long. I mean, I know they are having sex, you know they are having sex, why must we be told that for like 2 minutes straight? LoL
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I agree, this was totally out of place. Don't forget the French guys' wife who wants a kiss from Neo. Totally stupid and out of place.
I guess even though Matrix is a revolutionary movie it still has to obey the stupid "no sex - no sell" hollywood rules