The Matrix Reloaded (**)
review by Jon Waterman

Normally this is where I recount the story line to a certain extent. I do this so you, the reader, can get a feel of what the movie is about and if it is the type of movie you might want to see. I’m not going to do that this time. For one, if you don’t know what the movie is, you obviously have done a wonderful job avoiding every single media outlet for the past few months. You should get out more. The other reason is…I don’t really know much about the story myself (even though I saw the movie), other than good versus evil in a super-fancy complex sci-fi parallel dimension thingy. The rest is just details.

This is where I announce to the world that I am no fan of “The Matrix.” Sure, I enjoy science fiction. I just didn’t really care that much about it. I appreciate what the first one did as far as movie making is concerned – that is until it was over-used and parodied to the point of groans and boredom. Groans and boredom explains my reaction to the first one. So, I expected nothing incredibly fantastic this time around. My expectations were lower than the basement. After seeing the film, I can say I’m back up to the lobby for the third.

What this second installment lacks in ground-breaking visual effects (although most of them are much cleaner and crisper than previously seen), it makes up for in decent story telling. The dialogue and such may not be exactly memorable, but the hardcore fans should be able to appreciate the advancement of the story and all the new introductions given and expansions made to the various aspects of the complex universe that the Wachowski brothers (writers/directors) have created. It did seem to me like they were trying a little bit too hard to be enigmatic and philosophical with us, when really the audience is right on top of things the whole time…or at least I was.

Here’s the thing, though. You have to have seen the first movie; otherwise you’d be totally lost. Films that assume you know everything about the first one never have won points with me before. I enjoy stand alones where seeing the previous parts enhance the viewing, but are not considered homework.

The story and script may be okay, but the Wachowski’s have some work to do with their directing skills. There are tons and tons of cuts during the action scenes, but when we come across two people talking to each other we are subjected to a template. Nearly every time someone is speaking, we see a tight close-up that cuts off the top of their head. This type of framing is usually reserved for television, because it makes the faces more life size when they appear on the screen. On this large size, not only did I get bored with such little shot variation that I might as well have tried to count the nose hairs I could easily see, but I wondered what the point of these looming towering faces was supposed to be. I was even more confused to see the trend continue on the long shots. We hardly ever see the top of a characters head in the whole film. Perhaps the concluding chapter will reveal some mysterious secret like they all wear dumb hats or something. Whatever the reasoning, it was awkward to watch and took me out of the film.

The acting is still piss poor. Led by Keanu Reeves as Ted “Theodore” Logan as Neo (an anagram for “one” – as in chosen one – clever, guys!), one should not expect top-notch quality. However, it wasn’t as bothersome this time around, because it was expected and thus seemed more deliberate. It was as if they were covering up their shoddy acting directing from the first film and saying, “Hey, yeah…we meant for them to pause after every word. See?” Have them talk faster and we could have left 15 minutes earlier.

Let the credits roll faster or make the font smaller and we could have left 15 minutes earlier after waiting around for the ho-hum trailer for the final film.

Cut out at least half the rave stuff and half of some of the action sequences and we could have left 15 minutes earlier, because really…we get the point. You have money. Fighting = cool. Next.

The film dragged. I don’t like the acting. I don’t remember the story, even though it may have been the best part. Yet I can still easily say that I had a good time. I was expecting pure drivel and I only received some drivel. I won’t be any more anxious to see how it ends, but I’ll make sure I go (if only to tell you not to).

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