Matrix: Loaded

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Persephone (Monica Bellucci) looks and acts an awful lot like she should be played by Sophie Marceau and you have to wonder why she isn’t. Oh well, Monica will do. Very sexy. Makes me remember the value of a good kiss.

Anyway, I said I’d do my thing on the Matrix Reloaded.

First I should say that I enjoyed the first one about as much as most people. Interesting, worthy of mention as a well-produced H-wood take on a very old philosophical idea: this is all a dream. But not a stormer. Surely Keanu at his finest, but what is that saying, really? “Marry me, Sarah!”

Nevertheless, the first installment while being a decent offering of summer movie fare didn’t really blow anyone out of the water, aside from the blinding effects.

What I find fascinating is all these people now saying that they thought the first one was better.

Whut?

I’m betting it’s the same people who hate the new Star Wars movies, and who reminisce about the old Bond movies. Back in the good ol’ days.

Christ, people. Relax & enjoy the flick.

The dialogue is struggling. The acting is… under rehearsed. The plot itself is pretty simplisitic. But for the love of GAWD, people, it’s a KEANU movie! No one’s hoping for an Oscar for best actor here.

The movie is absolutely SHRIEKING with style. Oh. My. Gawd. This flick is slick. Dayyyum. I must’ve nodded to myself in appreciation at least a dozen times. Well done, brothers Wachowski. This is more highly polished than Larry Fish’s head. Sorry, Laurence Fishburne (respect).

Yes, I’m ticked that anyone could be overly critical here. If you go expecting a sequel that takes the story to the next level then that’s what you’ve got here. If you go expecting award-winning performances and brilliant story-writing then you’re just naive. Go rent the first one again. I make the same comparison with Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels vs Snatch. Same, but WHOOSH. I was far from disappointed.

Somehow the Wachowski brothers managed to take all the key elements of the first one and amp them up suitably here AND expand on the story. Not easy to pack into two hours, you must admit. I’ll grant that the plot development is clumsy at a few points but you generally don’t have to try that hard with American audiences, and frequently if you make the effort you leave the majority of your audience behind. Entertain us, they cry. But don’t make us think. The Matrix story takes a pretty ethereal philosophical idea and neatly hangs a flashy high-tech video game on it. Nicely done, boys. Nicely done.

It’s sexy. Oh yes. People are talking about the love scene with Carrie and Keanu. HAWT. But I’m thinking the reason it’s so successful is the fact that their scene is interwoven with the cave rave going on at the same time. Slo-mo pans of gyrating, thrusting, sweaty tribal bodies jibes very nicely with the action in the bedroom. Primal. Hot. Another small victory for those of us that revel in the dance. Pity those that would rather pose. They just don’t know.

About half the movie is spent on fights or chases. Or fighting chases. I’m okay with this. Like I said, all the successful elements of the first installment have been amped up for the 2nd. With room for story. The fight to free the Key-Maker at the fortress dragged on a bit, but once we hit the road I was fine. Not sure why Neo had to fight that guy just to get to the Oracle, but whatever. Another good fight scene.

Yep. Damn good flick. Anyone who slams it, in my opinion, is missing the point. Fast-paced. Brilliant top-quality production (although I caught a lot of doubles for Mr Smith in That Big Fight Scene). A commitment to the established storyline with the promise of more to come. Sex. Explosions. Fights. Ripping soundtrack. Hot cell phones. Hot sunglasses. STUNNING FX! I got what I wanted. What did y’all want?

I have a pretty good idea how the trilogy will play out, and I know there will be yet more complaints if it goes that way. That makes me sad too, because there really is no way to keep everyone happy. Give them what they ask for and I promise you it’s not what they want. So be it. I had a good time. Your loss if you didn’t. Yes, I have problems with the movie, like what the hell is with that old guy? But I can accept all the short-comings because all that aside I was thoroughly entertained. Suspension of disbelief, gang. Makes movies a lot more fun. I give ‘er two enthusiastic thumbs up.