I didn't enjoy the Matrix Reloaded as much as one or two others apparently did. But, like them, I was really captivated by the original Matrix. I own it on DVD, and have watched it at least 30 times. And each time I have watched it I have noticed things that make the story even more compelling.
The problem with the Matrix Reloaded is that it doesn't stand on its own as a movie. I'm not willing to forgive that flaw, and that's what separates me from the people who like it. The writer of the Salon article (subscription required for whole article) says, in essence, that he trusts the Wachowski brothers to answer all of the newly presented questions in the final movie that will come out in 6 months. I respectfully disagree.
I think it's impossible for the next movie to answer the questions that I have, but maybe I'm not the target audience for the Matrix trilogy. Movie trilogies in general are kind of weird and maybe that's the problem. Perhaps we are only now creating the story-telling conventions for these multi-release cinema epics (e.g. Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc) and so I guess I should be more open minded about things. But somehow, where the Matrix Reloaded is concerned, I can't.
When I saw the original Matrix I was captivated by the plot, the action, and the character development. As I understand the art of story telling, it mostly requires that the Hero have flaws and then be presented with challenges in order to overcome them. And the viewer has to be able to understand the Hero's challenges and how he surmounts them. This is what draws the viewers' interest.
In the first movie Neo was an "ordinary person who had to make tough choices." Would he quit his job and listen to some guy named Morpheus that he had heard about, but had never met? Would he take the deal that Agent Smith offered him to turn Morpheus in? When he finally did meet Morpheus, would he take the mystery pill that would allow him to find out about the Matrix? Would he choose to live and thereby make Morpheus die (the Oracle told him he'd face this choice)? And, lastly, would he turn out to be"The One"? The questions were presented in one movie, and resolved in one movie. We were not only told that Neo became The One, but we could also understand how he became The One.
In the latest movie we are given questions and no answers. And what's worse Neo has new powers that we apparently don't even need to understand. For example, we find out right away that Neo can fly. Gee, that's cool. But how did he learn to fly? It doesn't matter. Neo is "The One" and that's it. That's all you need to know for now.
He seems to have no problem beating the agents, even when they multiply in droves. He doesn't get captured, or come perilously close to death or face the threat of any other grave harm. Is he Christ? Apparently he is, and if you need to know more then you are a non-believer and you aren't welcome in the Church of the Matrix.
Article comments
1 - visualsimplicity
I would just like to point out to you that Neo flew at the end of the first Matrix, so he didn't just up and out of no where started flying in Matrix Reloaded. If you were to call out the flaw of his new found powers, the question should, thus, be poised right at the end of the first Matrix. Anyway, I believe it's naturally assumed that Neo can manipulate the Matrix anyway he wants, so thus, he can fly or stop bullets for that matter.
I do admit that it is strange to have a movie where the hero is automatically invincible at the get-go of the movie, but the suspense comes from the vulnerability of those around him. It's like Superman, invincible himself, but his feelings for those around him provides the dangerous aspect of the storyline.
Anyway, I do agree with you how this movie definitely isn't a stand alone movie. Within the first five minutes, the first thought that came to my head (other than that the scene of Trinity falling out of the the building being excessively long) was that, if I hadn't seen the first Matrix, I wouldn't know what the heck is going on.
2 - Michelle
The vampire expert raises her hand... Silver bullets have nothing to do with vampires. They're for werewolves. For christsake.
But of course you're right with all the Christian motives. I like long black coats, but when I saw this one in the trailers I was instantly reminded of a monk.
Anyway, Reloaded will only hit cinemas around here next week, so I'll have to wait a bit longer:(
3 - .
Monica Bellucci personally stated that her character, Persephone, and the Merovingian are like [emotional] vampires. There is definitely a connection between her and the movie in the background. The character she kills may or may not be a werewolf-type program, the actors certainly looked close enough to the classical werewolf-in-manform.
Re: Comment Number 1
No scene with Neo in it is really suspenseful. I thought they were all boring, actually. The Freeway scene was good precisely because Neo wasn't involved until the very end (and when you knew he was going to arrive, you knew it was going to be at the last second and nothing bad was going to happen). Neo is actually very disappointing because even though he can supposedly manipulate the Matrix in any way he wishes, he doesn't, for the most part. He can stop a thousand bullets flying at him, but when someone swings a sword at him, he can't stop that too? The fight scenes would be much more interesting (though, also, much shorter) if Neo would bend/break the rules of the Matrix to do more than just make himself really fast and strong. A disappointingly stupid and unimaginative god.