The Matrix Reloaded - no spoilers

[Dylan Couper]

I have been to the top of the mountain...
...and it was not all that it could have been.

In terms of action bang for the buck, it's in the same league as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the first Matrix... One of the only movies that's worth thirteen bux to see.

However, there are many pointless fight scenes that add nothing to the story and just drag on, slow points, supercheeze dialogue, and more pointless fights...

Despite that, if you like your s*%t blown up good, (and I do) then it delivers, but most of it feels like just more of the same, rather than groudbreaking.

BTW, I stayed until the end of the credits. I've NEVER seen credits roll that long. Ballpark, seven or eight minutes of credits...
I was staying so I could see the preview of The Matrix Revolutions. It looks like more of the same, but with more fighting in the real world.

[Dan Holly]

I'm not much of a big screen junkie (other than my big screen @ home) due to the over inflate price of tickets.......

But, I made a point a couple of days ago to reserve tickets for tonight's 9:20pm showing here in Anchorage.

[Nigel Moore]

The Matrix Reloaded has been sooooooo eagerly anticipated, for at least a year, that I would be surprised if it lived up to all expectations. I may well wait for it to come to DVD.

most of it feels like just more of the same, rather than groudbreaking

But the original was so groundbreaking that it's difficult to see how the sequel could do the same and still maintain continuity.

[Will Fastie]

I saw "Reloaded" today.

My local paper, the Baltimore Sun, had negative things to say about the movie because the reviewer felt the dialog was senseless. I can see what he meant.

However, the reviewer isn't a programmer. I am. In my context, the dialog made perfect sense and had perfect continuity with the original.

Also in a programmer's context, all the fights made perfect sense. What you have to remember is that all the fights take place inside the Matrix, in the virtual world. Programs are fighting; what we see is the visualization of that, which is people fighting. Again, this is the same from the first movie.

Finally, keep in mind that two Matrix sequels come out this year. "Reloaded" is merely part deux. Sometimes the middle film of three lacks something in order to make sure there's something left for the third.

I liked it.

[Dan Holly]

I thought it rocked, and reading the reviews before hand was a mistake IMO. People just need to get over all the hype IMO, and focus on the film for what it's worth.

After buying the tickets on Fandango 3 days in advance, standing in and ungodly line, checking out all the Neo wannaB's, and was even worth sitting next to the jerk off sitting beside me who got up for a bio break and knocked over my $3.50 soda.....

I'd see it again, and it will be in my DVD collection.

I'm still wondering how they shot the scene where Trinity was on the freeway going in the opposite direction?????? CG?????

[Dan Holly]

I was reading Entertainment weekly mag(#710, 5-16-03), and it had a really good story on this flick......

In the movie, the scene called the "burly brawl" too 2 years to render. Whoa!

The freeway scene took 12 weeks to shoot. It was on a freeway they built on a naval base in Alameda, CA. that was 1.5 miles long......complete with on and off ramps, exits, and overpasses. It had 220 General Motors donated cars for the shoot, and they wrecked 50% of them to boot. All for 14 min's of footage.

There were over 1000 effect shots (the 1st movie had 412).

[Dylan Couper]

The highway scene was... I don't know.... Epic?

[Joseph George]

Matrix 2 vs. X-Men 2

Audiences like X-men 2 better than Matrix2. Matrix 2 cost some 50 million more to make and promote. Xmen are this week #3, after Baby Day Care. Xmen 2 are projected at about 250 million total in the US. I liked both Matrix 1 and Xmen 2 better than Matrix 2. Except for cool special effects, the movie is weak.

[Keith Loh]

REBLOATED
Ponderous. Didn't achieve the right balance of exposition and giving the audience more ass kicking. Too much slow motion in the fighting scenes and so so humourless. The only scene that really matched the over-the-top style of the first was the very first scene with Trinity falling backwards from the building while an agent dives after her, both exchanging shots. Sure, the FX were great but I would have exchanged half of them for a compelling story. Not enough 'oh yeah!' moments.

[Keith Loh]

<<<-- Originally posted by Dylan Couper : The highway scene was... I don't know.... Epic? -->>>

I didn't mind the execution of the highway scene but it seemed .. you know .. pointless? If they were only trying to go somewhere. Instead, they were just trying to get away and seemingly going in two directions. Not really sure what that was trying to accomplish. I can't deny how grand the scale was but it seemed to take a long time getting nowhere. On the other hand, compare to the other great film car chases. The French Connection, for example. Surpassed by Matrix 2 in terms of sheer power. But the French Connection has a human element and anxiousness that Matrix 2 doesn't have.

Part of it I believe is because the audience knows that parts are CG and so there doesn't seem to be the 'oh wow how did they pull that off without getting people killed' feeling. It's hard to cheer the skill of a computer model in getting away with something. Many parts would have felt better if they were played at real speed rather than in slow motion. I feel good for the hundreds of CG artists (I used to do the same work) who get to see their models hurtling at slow motion. but it also serves to show the unreality of it. If nothing is real, what really is at stake? Perhaps that is the message of the Matrix.

[Joseph George]

Full of efffects for G audience in R-rated movie. Booooooooooooooooo! Boo Boo!

Hey Keith, Air China Pilot, I guess you nowadays get to the US on the Internet only. I heard they have you all locked up and are reloading you with SARS medicine.

[Keith Loh]

Nope. Not in China :)

[Dylan Couper]

Interesting comparison.
I agree that the best fight scene was Trinity's at the start of the movie.
Also, the best fight scene of X-Men2 was Nightcrawlers at the start of the movie.

I enjoyed Matrix 2 much more than X-Men 2.

[Nigel Moore]

Nope. Not in China :)

I thought that "Location: Vancouver, B.C." was a bit of a giveaway, but then I have no sense of humour.

[Rob Lohman]

I went in with a pretty open mind. I was not expecting it to top
the first one or give me the same ethereal feel (that will never
happen again with at least this type of movie). That being said
I really enjoyed the movie and had a real blast watching it. Yes
the effects were quite amazing. I even think the story was quite
good because it made me think about 3 key points that happened
(not everyone seemed to notice that something really fishy is
going on....). Also not to spoil it for anyone but I thought the
"speech" was overtop