I'm going to take a step away from the deep, philosophical me that I've become in recent years--the me who is unable to enjoy things because they are too shallow or they are not intellectually stimulating enough--and say that The Matrix Reloaded was awesome. And maybe I'm being superficial about it, maybe I shouldn't have been so easily won by the amazing special effects, the choreography of the fight scenes, and that one really cool car chase--but I really don't care. Late last night I set out to see a stunning technological revolution in filmmaking, and little more. I got there and found actual substance to the movie as well. I was a happy camper.

The score was very Star Wars-esque at times, which, if you are one to pay attention to such things in a movie, is probably not a bad thing. But it wasn't just the score--the whole thing with the city of Zion had the same effect on me, with the weird architecture and the Council and the overdone CGI scenery. The whole thing makes the society outside of the Matrix seem like a cult (or, more so than the original), complete with some weird motivational church celebration and a rave scene to a techno beat.

The special effects, needless to say, were amazing. Every couple of years or so, a movie desperately wants to revolutionize special effects, making them real on a new level while maintaining the science fiction/fantasy feeling. Star Wars did this, Jurassic Park did this, Independence Day did this--and, in my opinion, both Matrices (if you will) did this. Already, every third movie uses techniques found in the first in the series--and, strangely enough, The Matrix Reloaded doesn't rely nearly as heavily on these effects as one might expect (though fans of the original will not be disappointed by any means), throwing a whole slew of new eye candy to audiences. The whole Distorting-the-Matrix-and-Flying thing didn't excite me too much, but it was still cool to watch. My personal favorite scene in the movie involves Neo [Keanu Reeves] going ALL-OUT on several hundred Agent Smiths [some guy who's not really that important].

As far as plot goes, it was all right, I thought, but nothing to write home to Ma about. While the "what is the Matrix?" confusion and mystery is gone from this installment, the movie is not lacking in plot twists. Is Neo really "The One?" Whose side is The Oracle on, anyway? And what of the Prophecy? Pair a bunch of things like this up with a fairly crappy end scene (my other big complaint with the movie) that, regardless, leaves viewers wanting more, with questions unanswered, and you've got quite the opening weekend for The Matrix Revolution this November.



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