The Matrix Reloaded
Director: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Writer: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Sequel to: The Matrix
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Harry Lennix, Harold Perrineau, Jada Pinkett Smith, Gina Torres, Gloria Foster, Nathaniel Lees, Helmut Bakaitis, Lambert Wilson, Monica Bellucci, Randall Duk Kim, Steve Bastoni, Don Battee, Collin Chou, Essie Davis, Terrell Dixon, Nona Gaye, Roy Jones Jr., Shane C. Rodrigo, Cornel West, Leigh Whannell
Seen on: 1.11.2021

Plot:
Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) have joined and built up a strong resistance against the machines, both inside the Matrix and outside of it. When they learn about plans of a large-scale attack on Zion, the one human city left on earth, they only have a short time-frame to prevent it. Meanwhile, Neo is plagued by dreams of Trinity dying that feel an awful lot like visions. Seeking the Oracle (Gloria Foster) for help again, he learns of what is needed. But getting it isn’t easy, especially since Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) also picked up a few skills.

With the upcoming sequel to the original trilogy, I didn’t want to leave it at just watching the first film although I knew that the second film couldn’t keep up with the first. Unfortunately, even with some distance from the hype that the first film generated, The Matrix Reloaded is a disappointment.

The Matrix is, of course, a tough act to follow, and I will give the Wachowski sisters that they absolutely managed to find new angles to the world they built, to the abilities within the matrix and to the role of Zion. The film definitely doesn’t feel like “just a re-hash” of what The Matrix brought us before.

I particularly enjoyed the way the Matrix crosses over into the real world here (though I will admit that it only makes a limited amount of sense as it seems to posit that brains can run computer programs, and I seriously doubt that). And the Oracle is always delightful.

But the plot is all over the place, the long drawn-out car chase scene is super-boring (and not the only scene in the film where it loses its steam, looking at you, Zion rave and Neo & Trinity fucking forever) and The Architect (Helmut Bakaitis) feels a little ridiculous – especially because the film seems to go nowhere with him and the revelations he brings. Plus seeing the very Brown and Black population of Zion makes Neo’s white saviorness stand out even more.

And so Matrix Reloaded is a bit of a let-down after the awesomeness of the first film. It’s still rather watchable and could definitely be worse, but it should have been better for sure.

Summarizing: oh well.