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Jeff reviews:

The Matrix Reloaded

May 14, 2003
2003, 2 hrs 10 min., Rated R for sci-fi violence and some sexuality. Dir: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski. Cast: Keanu Reeves (Neo), Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus), Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity), Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith), Harold Perrineau (Link), Jada Pinkett Smith (Niobe), Gloria Foster (The Oracle), Monica Bellucci (Persephone), Collin Chou (Seraph), Randall Duk Kim (The Keymaker), Harry Lennix (Commander Lock), Neil and Adrian Rayment (The Twins), Lambert Wilson (Merovingian).

Time to climb back down the rabbit hole for the sequel to one of the coolest movies of my lifetime. When the Wachowski brothers gave us The Matrix a few years ago, I didn�t know what to expect, and was blown away by the effects and the story, as were apparently the millions of other folks.

As a result, the clamor for Matrix Reloaded and the trilogy finale, Matrix Revolutions (coming out in November) has been as extensive as only a handful of other movies in history, such as Gone With the Wind and Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace.

That�s it; that�s the list!

Okay, and Weekend at Bernie�s II.

This is one of those movies that you have to see in a packed theater with stoked moviegoers. It helped hype the first one to extraordinary levels and because of the first mind-blowing viewing I was wild about The Matrix, even after a second, more 'blah' examination.

I won't get into the plot because, well, because I'm not entirely sure of what all they were saying - I'm pretty sure it was in English - but it has something to do with 250,000 machine probes drilling through the planet to wipe out humanity's last city, Zion.

Turns out that being The One ain't all it's cracked up to be, as layer upon layer is revealed until your eyebrow is sufficiently furrowed. To get there, the characters talk - a lot.

Apparently all this is a choice that causes effects, once you get past the fact that everyone speaks in riddles.

Anyway, the people there aren't entirely worried, since they spend much of their time in this writhing, primal Zion Dance Party, soon to be a staple on MTV for sure. That was weird, but fine, at least better than the odd sexual references in the film. The movie seems to go out of its way to be dirty, from the Dance Party to the orgasmic cheesecake and the liberal use of G** D***.

I'm not sure if the Wachowski brothers actually patented any new technology in their filming of Reloaded, but as with any follow-up film the action is faster, more furious and on a much, much bigger scale. As Neo (Keanu "Whoa" Reeves) takes on about 100 Agent Smiths, halfway through my retinas detached - in a good way - and my brain and eyes seemed to be capturing different things. There's also a quite nifty car chase where Neo is nowhere to be found, giving the rest of the cast a chance to show their stuff.

Many of the throwaway supporting characters were offed in the original, so it's time to meet a new batch of folks sure to be killed as Neo and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) are left to repopulate the planet.

Most noticeable is Will Smith's squeeze, Jada Pinkett Smith, a ship captain and focus of a love triangle between Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Commander Lock (Harry Lennix). I hate love triangles, but not to worry in Reloaded since the lovey-dovey stuff is on the backburner. Why? Well, the frontburner is setting off the smoke alarm with all that pesky impending doom.

Smith, however, doesn't fill the eye candy role as well as Monica Belluci, the squeeze of a smarmy Frenchman (but I repeat myself) who kidnapped The Keymaker. Not sure where the Gatekeeper was, but I guess I rely too much that there is no Dana, only Zuul. Oops. Wrong parallel reality?

Initially, as photos began to surface last year on fanboy sites I was worried that the Milli Vanilli look-alike twins would be unsettling, but it turns out that they have the absolute coolest ghost-like effect during fight sequences. Mucho impressive.

The role of Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is altered a bit in Reloaded, but won't be explained until the finale, so for now he serves mainly as a punching bag for Neo. You know, assuming the punching bag fights back with greater numbers. The other Agents are formidable, of course, but utterly without personality. Dang this Compaq computer that doesn't give me sardonic quips or tease me about not having a date for the premier. Maybe if I had an Apple.

Speaking of computers, with all the programming language, this movie is a computer technician's wet dream. I can imagine them huddled in the back corner of the theater getting off together on their mainframes as the characters wax philosophical with jibberish about the analytical engines in charge of humanity.

In conclusion (stop clapping), while in the half-mile long line to get in Reloaded, free your mind, set it to Profound Thought Level Critical and realize the action is just an exclamation to all the talking.

Okay, so the action is very cool, you won't get bored and will use the part of the brain normally wasted on watching infomercials at 2 a.m.

In a simper explanation, let's just say that if you felt part of the original's hype, you'll enjoy the sequel as well. When the cliffhanger ends the picture, you'll look forward to more.

For a sneak peak, be sure to stick around after the credits for a mini-trailer of The Matrix Revolutions.

The verdict:

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