(Review originally written at 21 January 2005)
Bigger is not always better...and this movie is a perfect example for that. This sequel to "The Matrix" is bigger in many ways, bigger fights, heavier special effects and a notable larger budget. Does that mean it also is a better movie? No way!
Let me start of by saying that no matter what, "The Matrix Reloaded" still is an awesome and spectacular movie to watch and like all the three Matrix movies, I'm glad I've seen it in the cinema. The fights are incredible and truly spectacular to watch (although, a bit fake at times). The highway sequences is a really good chase scene, on par with the ones in "The French Connection", "Bullitt" and "Basic Instinct" (Yes, I really feel that the chase scene in "Basic Instinct" is a real classic).
Problem is that the Wachowski brothers tried to make this movie bigger than it was. They tried to bring a mythology kind of story into the Matrix trilogy, the result is a confusing and a not always understandable story, with lots of crazy talk that nobody seems to fully 100% understands. The first Matrix movie already wasn't exactly easy to follow at times but they have really gone to far this time with both this movie and the third one, "The Matrix Revolutions". I don't think anybody was waiting for a story like this, when people go and see a Matrix movie they go and see it because of the awesome and groundbreaking special effects and fights. At least I do...
The worst thing about "The Matrix Reloaded" are most certainly the Zion scene's. They are boring and seem to drag on for ever, with the absolute low point, the whole rave/orgy scene after Morpheus speech which he did half naked by the way, for no apparent reason.
Yes I really was disappointed by Morpheus appearance in this movie. In the first Matrix movie he was a Yoda kind of character, in the two sequels his character suddenly changed into a character that I just couldn't like as much as the Morpheus we got to know in "The Matrix".
A very laughable thing is the whole Neo and Trinity relationship. Man, they really have no chemistry together on the screen and the relationship is totally unbelievable.
The cast is joined by some good actors such as; Lambert Wilson, Monica Bellucci (all she does is showing her great body and looks but hey, I'm not complaining!) and Ian Bliss. There are some nice characters added such as the Merovingian and the cool twins but also some unnecessary characters that are given weak dialog and are played mostly by some horrible B-actors. Thank goodness Hugo Weaving is also still in this movie, he makes the movie really worth your time. Agent Smith still is a very cool character!
All in all, compared to "The Matrix" a disappointing sequel mostly because of the way too complicated story. Still I recommend this movie to everyone because of all the awesome fights, special effects and nice musical score by Don Davis, it all makes "The Matrix Reloaded" a spectacular movie to watch, although far from a science-fiction masterpiece such as the first Matrix movie.
8/10
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