Movie Review -- Matrix Reloaded

Well, I finally did it! I went out to see the Matrix Reloaded! I missed the movie when it arrived at the major movie houses in my area. Then it came to this little, old theatre where the ticket prices are $3.00.
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The short review:

I loved the movie! The action was great and, although the whole movie was practically a fight scene, the fighting was imaginative and even hysterically funny! If I could get some software to burn a DVD with my face over Neo's, I would do it just for the fun of watching me do all those very hot moves. The ending, however... sucked. WOW! After all this time, how could no one have told me that the ending was such a non-ending! Yeachhhh. I don't mind sequels as much as I complain about Termite-ater 13, or even Freddy giving Jason a call. (I think it is about time stars like Jason and Freddy started getting together anyway.) But making the whole ending "to be concluded" really leaves me cold.




The longer commentary:

Matrix was a far better movie than Matrix Reloaded, however, more of the significance of the movie started seeping in on Reloaded. There was an awful lot of tiny foreshadowing moments that were easy to miss. Did anyone catch that little moment where the young man who follows Neo around like a younger brother is bugging him? So Neo gets off the Nebuchadnezzar, and there is his little buddy waiting like a puppy. After the young man runs off, Trinity says, "You know what they say about saving someone's life..." Neo answers, "I did not save his life," and looks a tad irritated. Later on, in almost the next spot, this same young person runs up to Neo and hands him a spoon sent by one of the orphans. No one realizes it at the time, but that very moment possibly saved Neo's life. The other man coming out of the shadows was about to stab him in the back and for once, he did not seem to be aware of this possibility. There are also other life saving events that are foreshadowed in this comment.

There are a lot of spiritual and religious concepts in the movie. Perhaps it is just science fiction writing with some familiar terms thrown in for fun. There are several online threads that mention some of the possible correlation. I looked up Nebuchadnezzar, after someone mentioned how ironic that Neo's ship had this name. Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful leader and enslaved the Jews in history. Since everyone gone underground who is human is hiding in Zion, there seems to be some significance. If it is true we become what we most hate or fear? Agent Smith is now what I would term a virus. Ironic, since it seems he used to be in charge of getting these out of the system. What about the end where Neo passes through a door into a bright, white room with the Architect??? That is God, according to "us" since he would be the creator of the Matrix. And what does the architect offer? A choice. That is free will. Not that they were great choices... as always the choices are difficult ones.

I have had some deep discussions about the choice that Neo is offered. Is it a true choice, or was he manipulated to go a certain way. The whole theme of reloaded, to me, seems to be about manipulation of choices by those who have power. That seems to be a worthy meditation. If what the humans are fighting are machines, and the architect is what the humans see as God, the obvious question is, "Hey! Who created the architect???"




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***** To the movie house for having a Freddy meets Jason trailer before showing the movie and offering $3.00 tickets. Seeing the ending of the movie, this seems both hilariously appropriate and fair.

***** For the costuming. I love Neo's coat and he has a great tailor. Someone taught him about good shoes too. He reminds me of a powerful priest and I think it looks kewl in the fight scenes. Like the sword fighters with the huge pants, it may even disguise his leg movements somewhat for surprise attacks. I am sure many of you will tell me that Trinity looks goooooood too! As always, great sunglasses on much of the cast.

**** Great fighting ballet! I gave a four star rating instead of five just out of respect to peer pressure. Although I do not find myself under peer pressure often, I do sometimes enjoy participation in these archaic but still frequently used systems just for the practice.

**** The story line is great, although some of it seems quite subtle. I was interested all along, although I knew that some people claimed to catch up on some family business and called their Moms during the fights.

* That is for the non-ending. The directors and producers owe me at least the appearance that this was a movie in itself, and I do not have to see another section to be satisfied. Just keep making great movies and they (at least I) will come. I will just be on the $3 a ticket ride, that's all.