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The Matrix Revolutions (Full Screen Edition)

The Matrix Revolutions (Full Screen Edition)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Super Cool Plus!
Review: The Wachowski brothers deliver a third straight knockout punch with this big-budget tech thriller. What can they possibly do to top this? A clue might be offered by Vernor Vinge, who invented the concept of cyberspace in his short story True Names. On the back cover of the new tech thriller NANO by John Robert Marlow, Vinge says: "Could make a spectacular movie. Wachowski brothers, watch out!" Rumor is they may do this book next...

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Absolutely dreadful
Review: It is hard to make a movie this bad. But The Wachowski Brothers have accomplished that feat with The Matrix Revolutions. This movie is jaw-droppingly, utterly awful! First off, there's a huge 30-minute battle sequence between the machines and Zion that gave me a migraine after watching it, we see Sentinels flying around and getting shot, humans getting torn up...what a loud, stinking mess. Then the thing about the Trainman, a conduit between two worlds that Neo travels to get to the French dude (Merovingian). There's this big sign called "Mobil Ave." Is this some kind of product placement for ExxonMobil? Speaking of product placements, there's one for Powerade (you can't miss it). But never mind about all that, the whole purpose of The Matrix Revolutions is for Neo to find peace, and he and Agent Smith duke it out in the Super Brawl, which lasts about, oh, 2 minutes. They bounce off each other, because Smith and Neo are equal and like charges repel and opposites attract. Smith defeats Neo, then says "Everything has a beginning has an end" and he loses. Oh, yeah, if you haven't figured out by now, Bane is Smith in diguise. End of story. What a dreadful movie. Don't waste your time watching it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Better than Reloaded...not as good as the first Matrix film
Review: With the first Matrix (meaning the actual film, not the perfect world :) ), I loved it immediately. It was, and still is IMHO, a perfect sci-fi film. It's one of the greatest ever.

With Reloaded, it took time for it to grow on me. I liked it, but didn't love it like the first one. The burly brawl, the highway chase scene, and overall story was cool, but there were just some things about it that weren't necessary.

With Revolutions, I liked it right away. Maybe it was because of all the cool war scenes and seeing the machine city. Maybe it was Deus Ex Machina. Maybe it was the super burly brawl between Smith and Neo. Maybe it was the fact that there wasn't a pointless and overly long sex/party scene in Zion this time. Or maybe it was all those reasons, but the point is that I liked this one right way, and better than Reloaded.

Revolutions does have its flaws. Everyone went in expected all of their questions to be answered, and what they got was "Hey, watch the Animatrix, play "Enter the Matrix" on your XBox or PS2, and browse the internet to find all the answers" instead. This movie hardly offered any explanations. Some were there, but they were very, very vague and easily overlooked. With any other questions, you have to do some research outside of watching the film. Most people don't want to do that. We don't want it all spelled out for us, but we want to be able to watch a film and understand what's going just by doing that. Anything like the Animatrix anime DVD or the Enter the Matrix video game should just be extra goodies, not required material.

But, the movie does make sense after doing some research on the net. I'm not going to go into why it does, but it pretty much works IMHO. (...)Check out this link to read something I read that helped out a lot: http://www.unicircuits.com/archives/2003_11.html

(...)The story is quite unique and interesting. It's action-packed. The war in Zion has just about all I wanted to see. The only thing that would've made it better would be if Neo and Trinity were fighting at Zion as well. We don't see them for about a half hour of the film, because they're off going to the machine city. It was cool and all, but I think they could've found a way to do both.

And what's wrong with the sunrise scene? It seems like a lot of people are complaining about that, but I really don't have a problem with the ending at all.

Anyway, good movie, good DVD.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Reacting To The Revolution
Review: I remember being very excited by the whole concept and execution of the first Matrix film in 1999. And the prospect of there being a trilogy's worth of story to tell just made my head spin with glee. I couldn't wait for the second and third films to come out...

After a 4 year wait, along comes Matrix Reloaded. What a muddled incoherent mess that turned out to be. Although, I was disappointed, I vowed to see it through to the end anyway, hoping the Wachowski Brothers (Larry and Andy, creators of the Matrix), would somehow redeem the story, saving the best for last. Rather than end with a bang the trilogy sort of just fizzles out with Revolutions.

Picking up where Reloaded left off--As the film opens, the machines are now 20 hours away from invading Zion, the last reffuge of mankind. Neo (Keanu Reeves) consults with the Oracle (Mary Alice) to determine what to do next and how to defeat a powerful Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). He decides that going to see the machines directly is the only way to stop the attack. Trinity (Carrie Anne Moss) goes with him. Meanwhile Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) and Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) lead the forces that are to protect and defend Zion.

As with the other films in the series there are some cool effects and fight sequences. But now the problem seems to be that the brothers Wachowski run out of gas. I complained that some of Reloaded's fight scenes went on a bit too long. Revolutions suffers from the exact opposite problem--They are woefully short this time out We even go for long periods of time where we don't even see Neo. The final confrontation between Smith and Neo, for example, may be cool to watch but in the end is a real letdown. There are no real twists in the plot either--nothing should surprise you here and that is a shame...

The extras on the 2 disc set for Revolutions are in the same vein as those that were part of the Reloaded release. Disc One features a series of trailers for various Matrix tie ins and promotions, as well as, a few weblinks. Disc Two has a number of documentaries including: REVOLUTIONS RECALIBRATED on The making of the movie,featuring script to screen information. The documentary CG REVOLUTION takes an in depth look at final chapter's special effects. My favorite featurette though is SUPER BURLY BRAWL. Going behind the scenes for the final Neo/Smith showdown. I may have had problems with the sequence in general, but, I gotta admit, it was still cool to see how it came to be. The BEFORE THE REVOLUTION: A 3-D Matrix timeline is also neat now that we find ourselves at the end of it all. For all those gamers out there, you get to see an introduction to the multi-player game. Rounding out the set is 3-D/multidementional stills gallery. I suspect a mega DVD release of the entire trilogy, down the road, complete with audio commentaries and a little hype-free analysis of the saga.

What started out as a strong trilogy with the first film, lost its way in part two, falls totally flat with the last installment. The extras provide for a mixed bag See it, to find out how it ends, or buy it to complete your collection, as I did--but don't expect much

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This rocks - what more could you want?
Review: The third instalment of the Wachowski brothers' cyberpunk trilogy pretty much delivers as much as fans of the series could expect from a final chapter. Picking up directly from the end of Matrix Reloaded, Revolutions wastes no time drawing you compellingly back into the dystopic netherworld of Neo, Morpheus, Trinity and the omnescient Agent Smith. Fans of the original who were turned off by the 2nd instalment may definitely find more to savor here - Revolutions shamelessly rips off enough popular sequences from the original Matrix to recover some ground amongst the action set left cold by the deliberate pacing and mythologising of pt 2. And - although the Wachowskis deserved greater recognition of their distinctly un-Hollywood attempt to do something different with their 2nd instalment - it has to be said the return to familiar action conventions is rather more satisfying. There's still enough mock-philosophical mumbo jumbo to keep the anorak set engaged - but Matrix Revolutions is more sure-footed than its immediate predecessor about what it fundamentally best is - a crowd-pleasing bubblegum action blockbuster. So put your brain on hold; suspend your disbelief and throw away any expectation of a logical conclusion. That done, strap yourself in and get ready for one hell of a ride!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Revolutions Reloaded
Review: This is a great movie. But, nevertheless compared to Reloaded, this movie is a little tame when it comes to the action sequences. But, then again, it's the continuing storyline that we're insterested in here. The Wachowski Brothers has done it again with their groundbreaking effect. And this time, they've up the ante with the Super Burly Brawl sequence, very impressive. Although the storyline is there, it wasn't arranged in order. In fact, it was thrown all over the movie in bits and pieces, left there for the poor audience to wreck his/her brains out. So is the plot. By all means, this movie is great when partnered and watched with the first two Matrix movies, but when taken apart, this movie doesn't look great as a standalone sci-fi action movie. That's where it falls short. Another part is when Neo decided, at the last minute, to sacrifice his life to Smith, for the sake of Zion, the grand finale seems to lack the "boom" effect. If you're a true Matrix fan, like me, you should put the flaws aside and you'll enjoy the ride. Also, on a lighter note, the two latter movies should've done better without the so-called "bedroom scenes" or the sexuality parts, which was really unnecessary. We know, Neo and Trinity are meant to be together, but they don't have to put it so "elaborately". There's where the movie becomes "diluted" to a certain point. If you ask me, I'd say that I still love the first movie, The Matrix, a no-nonsense sci-fi action movie and in my humble opinion, the first is always the best no matter which way you watch it. That's why I only gave 4 stars. But, on a whole, The Matrix Revolutions is somewhat a great movie. Just my two cents worth!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Victim of Hype
Review: The Matrix Revolutions, much like The Matrix Reloaded, is a victim of the hype machine that powered it. These sequels were built up until, coupled with the legacy of the original, there was no way these movies could meet everyone's expectations.

Despite what the naysayers will tell you, The Matrix Revolutions is an excellent movie; lightyears beyond most other films in its genre.

The plot is much more intelligent and interesting than your standard sci-fi / action flick. There are several layers to the conflict that the predecessors of this movie have built up. The action is first-rate; whether it is a gun-fight on a ceiling, a massive assault on an underground city, or the climactic battle between Smith and Neo in the rain, Revolutions attempts to one-up its sequels in any way possible.

Many complain that not enough was wrapped up or that not enough questions were answered. To quote the original Matrix, the answers are there, but the movie can only show you the door - you're the one that has to walk through it. The Matrix trilogy has never been about giving answers - it is about posing questions and making you answer them for yourself. You know, actually THINKING a little - a quality that is most unlike the vast majority of action movies. Obviously, not everyone will like this - some people want to sit back and zone out when watching a movie.

The Matrix movies have received far more flak than they deserve; ripping on the sequels has become, for many, a 'cool' thing to do. I would contend that, when given a chance with an open mind, these movies stand as one of the best trilogies of all time along with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Revolutionary Light
Review: The story of the Matrix trilogy is a wondrous one; in fact the most wondrous of all stories as it is the story of human enlightenment. It is the mythic story of the traditions - east and west. It's a map of a territory, the ultimate territory, the territory of Self. The Matrix trilogy, like all myths, is a story that carries its message wrapped in a metaphor. And like all mythic metaphors, the Matrix trilogy can be unpackaged at many levels, with the deeper levels re-presenting the same message with progressive sophistication and meaning. As with all art, that sophistication and meaning can only be appreciated and interpreted in the light of the context (cognitive, emotional, and spiritual) that the viewer brings to the viewing. One aspect of all great mythic traditions is that while the story remains a constant, the context of the one who hears the story is always growing, and consequently the meaning of the message expands with each telling of the tale. One definitely needs to see the Matrix movies many times to truly tune into what is being communicated. In any event, it seems clear that just about everybody brought sufficient contextual awareness to their viewing of the first Matrix to appreciate the story at multiple levels. Beyond the intensity of the sci-fi surface story, everybody, looking from the perspective of virtually any of the spiritual or philosophical traditions, resonated with the story line ideas suggesting that the world as we commonly perceive it, is - in certain important ways - an illusion; therefore - wake up!
Unfortunately, Reloaded and Revolutions have not (thus far) faired as well; but this is only because much of the general public (and almost all of the professional reviewers) didn't look deep enough into the rabbit hole. The fact that the surface sci-fi story in Reloaded/Revolutions seems burdened for some viewers must be considered a failing of sorts for these movies because the very best mythic stories work for everyone, at least on the surface, even on the first pass. Clearly, Reloaded / Revolutions has not worked for everyone, at least not on the surface, and not on the first pass. But these movies do work, and work marvelously if we make the effort and take the time to look below the surface, and keep looking until we see some reflection of what it is that the Wachowski brothers are intending to convey. But they won't tell us - not outright, and for a very good reason. To truly get the Matrix message, you have to see it for yourself. Remember, the Brothers made Bound to prove they could make a movie, and then made the Matrix to gain the leverage to tell the rest of their tale in Reloaded / Revolutions. Does anyone really think that the minds that produced the Matrix could scheme and create for three years and come up with a meaningless message in their sequel? To find the treasure buried in these movies, we need to keep looking. But I have come to the conclusion that the secret of the treasure is hidden in plain view. For those who bring a sufficiently rich awareness of one or more of the religious or philosophical traditions to their viewing, or for those who are willing to just think very deeply about the metaphor as it is presented, Reloaded/ Revolutions will, I can assure you, reveal itself as a satisfying and enlightening conclusion to the spiritual adventure that captured our imagination in the original Matrix.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: This Trilogy Started Great But Ended On A Whimper
Review: Dont get me wrong I loved the Matrix. It was a revolutionary film with revolutionary special effects that defined the whole sci-fi/fantasy genre of the era. Now it seems that after the original Matrix blockbuster the whole project has lost its meaning. It got worse with the Matrix reloaded(A film I didnt even bother to review because I was so dissapointed)and concluded on a whimper with Revolutions. I saw all the films as soon as they came out and even though I came out of the theater on a rush after the original Matrix in 1999, these last two parts of the Trilogy made me wonder how they could've messed up something that coulda been so much better. I just wish that the studios nowadays would focus on producing movies that are quality as opposed to just cranking out films with name recoqnition just to make a few bucks. If you loved the original Matrix then Matrix Revolutions may slightly dissapoint you.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Fun but Still Missing Something
Review: There are absolutely awesome scenes in Revolutions, and I caught myself with my mouth wide open at the scope of some of the battles. The problem is that I felt both during and after than there should be so much more. Here we are in the final and the characters that we have become familiar with (Neo, Trinity, Morpheus) are giving secondary roles. Morpheus for his part plays little more than Chewbacca to Jada Smith's Han Solo. Neo is gone for a large section of the movie and Trinity as a character hasn't developed in the past two movies.

In the beginning of the movie, when things should become clearer, the movie introduces new concepts (the Train station scene) and when we meet the Frenchman again (after a long, and rather pointless battle), his character feels as if it has little purpose in this movie except to pout.

Its unfortunate that the people who will get the most from this movie are the same people who also saw the Animatrix (where the Matrix mythology is better explained). Basically, if you rely on the movies alone, Revolutions is shallow. It only makes sense in my opinion if you see Animatrix first.

The main problem I have is that Reloaded and Revolutions seem like a step back from the concepts of the first Matrix. In the Matrix, the battle scenes were spectacular but they had a purpose: they explained how Neo was gaining in power. In Reloaded and especially in Revolutions, I got the sense that the Brothers added action for the sake of pace. Some of the battles could have been substantially cut down or removed entirely, leaving more to elaborate on issues.

I enjoy watching movies that challenge me. On the other hand, Reloaded and Revolutions became purposely and sloppily obtuse movies. Judged on their own merits, the Matrix sequels fail. They are shallow in places when there should be more exposition (i.e. the vampires in Reloaded, Agent Smith and his increase in power) and overkill when less would be so much more (the nightclub scene in Revolutions, the rave in Reloaded, and sentinal battle).


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