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The Matrix Reloaded (Widescreen Edition)

The Matrix Reloaded (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $19.96
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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Spectacularly average
Review: "The Matrix" (1999) delivered an engaging mix of Eastern religion, martial arts and digital cool, all wrapped in a story which was as well-written as it was well-told. "Reloaded" gives us more mysticism, though it's less interesting; more fights, though they're less convincing; and more digital trickery, but without a strong narrative to hang it off. The result is a film which feels like a two-hour philosophy lecture you occasionally spice up with a surreptitious burst on your Gameboy. The film's digitized set pieces - Neo's fight with a legion of Agents Smith, and the much-anticipated freeway sequence - are admittedly thrilling, but they try too hard. When will directors realize that the instant characters start looking like Nintendo sprites, the audience completely disengages? There's no spirit in this movie, no heart, and despite the alleged threat to a pretty invulnerable looking Zion, it doesn't feel like anything's really at stake. Neo's climactic meeting with The Architect should have been the film's most compelling moment. The chilling performance from Aussie uber-director Helmut Bakaitis means it almost is, but the dense dialogue and distracting TV screens ensure you'll probably miss the point - ergo, you'll need to see the film again, which guarantees the kind of repeat business on which boxoffice bonanzas are built. But this was never going to be anything but a billion-dollar hit, so I'm surprised the Wachowskis played it so safe. Why stake the film's appeal on some ultimately vacuous and surprisingly transparent digital imagery, when they had the chance to give a captive audience something audaciously original? It's not like they don't have the talent. I went home after seeing this and watched the first film again on DVD - it's so much better it hurts. The strength of the first film and the weakness of the second come down the same thing: the power of the premise. The idea of an illusionary universe and one man's messianic enlightenment is endlessly appealing (and as old as Hinduism). The philosophy of causation, on the other hand, is dense, complex and ultimately paradoxical - and for those reasons terminally boring. That doesn't mean it isn't worth exploring. It just means that the local Cineplex is probably not the best place to have the conversation.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing, better than the first
Review: I'm sorry if you are one of those sad people who claim that the movie's fights are too long or that there is too much romance involved. Neiter do I support opinions that state that the movies effects are all it has. (Although the effects are incredible!)
Matrix: Reloaded delivers an amazing experience for people like me (who love the Matrix), and hopefully to those not so fans of the original. The second movie of the trilogy gives more than twice as much story as the first one, answering up some of our questions and creating many more doubts. This leaves us in a great suspense towards the end; and, as I'm sure the directors intended, we walk out wishing it was november already to witness a dazzling conclusion to the best movie series to date.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: not disappointed
Review: I love the first matrix movie. And you know what i wasn't even disappointed to see the second one. The movie was beautifully made. They (the Wachowskis) did an amazing job on this movie. The movie had fighting scenes that wasn't boring. The old casts and the new ones worked so hard for the matrix reloaded and revolution. The Matrix is an interesting movie to see. So just go see it if you're a fan of the first one. And maybe if you haven't seen the first one and want to see this one because of the special effects, hey just go see it. I can't wait to see the Matrix Revolution. It's going to be great!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good, but not as good as the first one
Review: I'm a really huge fan of "The Matrix" and I was definitely looking forward to the second movie in the trilogy, but I think I was able to keep my expectations in check. Is it the most kick-yourself-in-the-[bottom] movie you've ever seen? Probably not. Was it a kick [bottom] movie? Yes, but not quite in the same way the first one did assuming you liked it.

"Matrix: Reloaded" drops a lot of the intellectual stuff that the first one had in it and exchanges it for a lot more action and special effects. The result is a real treat for the eyes and there's only a little stuff to bend your mind around. There's only one scene in the first half hour that I felt was out of place and that scene just seemed to go on way too long which made it worse.

About six months after the end of the first movie, the people of Zion, the city headquarters of the human rebellion, have been busy freeing a whole lot more people from the Matrix. The machines have found out where Zion is and they are tunnelling to it to destroy it once and for all. Neo, having found out that he is 'The One' in the first movie is still dealing with what it all means. People obviously consider him some form of saviour, but he doesn't quite feel like it. He's haunted by dreams and must find the oracle again to help him out. Meanwhile, the humans prepare to defend their home

There's a lot of action in this movie and the fight scenes are awesome. You do need to look past the computer graphics work in them some times. The visuals and fights bump my review up a half a point

Also, if you see the movie, stay through the extremely long credits and you'll be rewarded with a preview of the third movie: "Matrix: Revolutions". It looks like they have even more special effects and action waiting for us.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Blah,Blah,Blah.....
Review: I saw RELOADED yesterday and i was very dissapointed. Lets get the obvious out of the way the action was great: Neo VS.Agent Smith was cool, as was Trinity motorcycle chase scene, but for example Neos fight almost felt like a parody of the original Matrix and the slow motion effects were overdone. I know the Wachowski brothers originated this style but its been copied so much its lost its specialness and they should have known that.As for the plotline it was a lot of mumbo jumbo i understood it but it was just DULL.Zion and the people in it look like rejects from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. If i see another SCI-FI movie with a scene of a council trying to come up with a decision about something im going to scream.On to the good stuff: Persephone is in only one scene but she proved to be a very dangerous and a very sexy woman.Monica Belluci did a great job i also liked her in MALENA, she is stunning.Evil Twins are always great.More Trinty, DONT give me more Morpheus, give me more TRINTY in action!!!! Carrie Ann Moss has come a long way since Models Inc. In conclusion too slow to start, to much mumbo jumbo about destiny and not enough Trinity. Go see X2 instead now that was FUN.Overall the movie was ok, i wouldn't recommend it.EP

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Still interested in seeing part 3...
Review: ...Well, I must admit, the movie really had, and held, my interest. But if you're one of those types that's not going to the movie for the sheer entertainment aspect. Than you may come back a little disappointed.

I loved the fast paced action scenes. I, too, thought that, while it was nice to finally see it, the Zion scenes length could have been reduced a smidge. But believe that in its present length, it may be important for the enire movie and not just the second appearance.

All in all, I thought that the visual effects were stunning. Some of the computer generated effects were obvious, and yet still pleasant to watch. And all in all, the movie didn't really tank!

My bottom line... good, if not great, entertainment. After all, just like "Tron", in the end (for the most part), that's all that it's really meant to be...right...

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Second verse, same as the first.
Review: Ho hum. I find it remarkable that a poorly-acted pseudo sci-fi flick like this can be said to raise any kind of bar for the genre. This mindless little film is more or less a series of kung-fu action sequences, all of which are wholly un-unique (the Wolverine/Deathstrike fight in X2 was much more brutal than anything here), wrapped around a story so rife with varying mythologies and banal ramblings that I nearly fell asleep. All this not to mention the three-minute rave scene used to frame one of the most unremarkable and passionless love scenes in the history of film. The fact that such impressive fights take place with no one actually being hurt doesn't help build empathy for these loathsome, boring characters. Where is the fun and excitement of the first Matrix? Original this is not. Philip K. Dick was writing stories like this back in the 1960's. The fact that so many college and high-school-aged dough-heads find this sort of thing daring and slick is because reading is now considered an inconvenience. If you want excitement, go see X2. Wait for video on The Matrix: Reloaded--and then use that free rental you've been saving.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Better Piece of Science Fiction than the first film.
Review: I read some of the bad reviews and I came to this conclusion: If you like good science fiction stories, great fight scenes, movies with character development and plots, then Matrix:Reloaded is for you. Watch "Bad Boys 2" if you want non-stop violence.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Matrix Reloaded
Review: I was very impressed with the second Matrix in a series of three. I felt that the main characters had more depth and were therefore more interesting. The chemistry between Neo and Trinity was hot! And I thought it was great that there was this heat without having the nudity. And needless to say the special effects were absolutely amazing. I was afraid that they might take away from the story and the characters but I felt that they enhanced it all. I was hoping for an ending of some sort, but wasn't too disappointed when it ended with "To Be Concluded". I am really looking forward to the final movie and am glad that I only have to wait until December for it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Destined to fail?
Review: Topping the first Matrix film was an extremely tall order. The element of surprise ("What is the Matrix?") is missing and the gee-whiz ante is now stratospheric. The Wachowski Brothers - Larry and Andy to those who've actually seen them - were perfectly aware of this when they set out to make a trilogy of the runaway 1999 cult hit.

So far, they aren't matching the original, much less surpassing it. Putting aside the aforementioned obstacles, 'Reloaded' fails to utilize the same eclectic metaphorical pallette of THE MATRIX. It doesn't even attempt it. Instead of allowing the audience to theorize, "That's an analogy to faith versus materialism" or "This reminds me of conversion," the script plainly spells out its message. Characters are constantly discussing predestination and free will. The film often comes to a halt to have someone make a speech about destiny versus choice. It may be a concession to the masses, but it's an affront to the fans.

The gee-whiz factor is high, maybe even higher, but sometimes wears out its welcome. Action set pieces and CGI opportunities are turned into 14-minute car chases and 8-minute fights.

Fusing both these failings is a celebration in Zion where thousands of sweaty, dirty people in muscle shirts and see-through tops engage in dirty dancing to the beat of euro-trance music. They are practically a neon sign that reads, "This scene illustrates the joy of living in the imperfect real world." This dancing is intercut with shots of Neo and Trinity in bed but lasts seemingly forever just in case you didn't get the point.

RELOADED is still better than most action and science fiction movies put out these days but that's a disappointment for a previously high-minded premise. Perhaps it's "destined" to follow this path, huh?


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