The Matrix Reloaded

Every year there is one movie that gets so much freaking publicity, when it finally comes out it’s destined to disappoint. I didn’t think it could happen with The Matrix Reloaded. The original was one of the most original blockbuster to come along in a long time. Filled with mind-blowing effects, an intriguing albeit mysterious story and a cooler-than-James-Dean attitude, The Matrix had the signs of becoming this generation’s Star Wars. So in my mind, perhaps unfairly, anything less than Empire Strikes Back would be a letdown. Consider myself let down.

Despite what all the cover stories, tabloid show exclusives and other media hype might lead you to believe, Reloaded doesn’t provide the meaning of life or explain why the sky is blue. It doesn’t even divulge how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Although it looks good (an understatement if there ever was one), this much-hyped second installment in The Matrix trilogy is weighed down by far too much pontificating on the film’s mythology.

In a world dominated by machines, Zion remains as the world’s final settlement of humans. Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and their gaggle of rebels that fly a ship known as the Nebuchadnezzar head out to receive a message from the mysterious Oracle. Along the way there’s hordes of baddies to keep the action intense. Some of these villains are new, some are old and one, Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is cloned a hundred times over for the sole purpose of kicking Neo’s trench coat-covered behind.

Neo’s clash with Agent Smith is one of many visual highlights, none of which return to the stale rotating freeze frame effect that was introduced in the first film and driven into the ground by several imitators and unworthy spoofs. The 360-degree rotations are still here, but this time they’re done with fast cuts more than slow motion making for one big digital melee. A 17-minute freeway chase knocks The French Connection off the top of the heap for car chases.

Something that bothered me was the trivialization of Morpheus. Before he was someone you respected but would never mess with. He was Neo’s mentor, but now as Neo comes into his own Morpheus becomes a pawn in a love triangle subplot. His importance to Zion is still there but when he addresses a rapid crowd of his followers Morpheus sounds a lot like Sam the Eagle from The Muppet Show.

When I first saw The Matrix, it didn’t make a lot of sense to me but it didn’t matter. The Wachowski brothers touched on enough of the archetypes found in today’s religions and philosophies that everything seemed familiar but in under different terms. In its simplest form, Neo the chosen one, a savior for the world. As to what the Matrix was exactly, I didn’t know and, for the most part, the story intentionally kept it something of a mystery. This time around there’s a lot more explaining and it still isn’t clear. Many times it feels tedious. The action is so intense that I constantly wanted more rather than philosophical debates.

But then again, Reloaded and the upcoming Revolutions are one long story. Things might become clearer in the end. They could also fall into further convolutions. So in a sense, my over-riding disappointment of Reloaded will allow me to ignore the inevitable hype that will begin for the trilogy’s final chapter due in November.

Remember, disappointing and bad are two different beasts. Something that is disappointing simply doesn’t live up to expectations. As much as I try to head into a movie with expectations either way, it was impossible not to buy the excitement of Reloaded. As punishment, which seems to be the case more often than not with summer blockbusters, my lofty expectations were not realized. That said, Reloaded is far from bad. It’s not great either. The visuals alone make it worth seeing but most everything else falls way short of expectations.