The Task: Watch and write about every movie on my shelf, in order (Blu-rays are sorted after DVDs), by June 10, 2015. Remaining movies: 33 Days to go: 24
Movie #407: The Matrix Reloaded
Oh holy hell.
My husband’s favorite movie is The Matrix, which I can totally understand. It’s fantastic. But his undying love for the first one makes him more than a little forgiving of the two sequels. His official opinion is that they are not as bad as everyone says. I, however, think they’re exactly as insufferable as I remember.
One thing The Matrix Reloaded does really, really well, though, is diversity. People of color are everywhere, in every level of society. There are captains and commanders and warriors of every race. There are leaders of both sexes. Everywhere you look — in Zion and within the Matrix — there are a wide array of people represented. This is a great step forward from the status quo, and I wish more movies would emulate this tactic. Its importance can not be understated. Unfortunately, basically every other aspect of the movie is preposterous and tiresome.
First of all, the religious undertones have become glaring, as Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) pontificates on the importance of faith and how his beliefs are not contingent on anyone else following him but how they will prove to be the salvation of humanity regardless. Meanwhile, other captains of Zion (Zionists — haha), are skeptical of the prophecy, of Morpheus’s beliefs, and of the status of Neo (Keanu Reeves) as The One. This would all be fine, really, if it weren’t so heavy-handed. A lot of films have religious undertones and a lot of stories are allegorical interpretations of savior myths. But there’s a point in any work of fiction when the overt attempts to be symbolic become forced and clunky. The story ceases to be cleverly structured and instead feels like a shoe that doesn’t quite fit but which you’re painfully wedging your foot into anyway.
Another way The Matrix Reloaded fails to meet expectations set by its predecessor are in the visual effects. The Matrix was groundbreaking, and while the sequel was never going to be able to surpass that high of a bar, the least they could do was match it. In some ways, they come close. The car chase sequence is superb and the ghost-like transformation of the twins (Adrian and Neil Rayment) is fantastic, even if the logic behind them is unclear. But the scene where Neo and Smith (Hugo Weaving) fight on the rooftop goes from being fairly innovative to outright cartoonish. The CGI is obvious and disorienting and it completely takes me out of the film. Not to mention that fight sequence, as with all the others in the film (and there are SO MANY), is never-ending. They go on forever and ever, the same exact moves over and over again, ad nauseam. It’s so utterly tedious I can barely keep my eyes from rolling out of my head. It would be different if these nonstop fights had some sort of purpose or agency or stakes, but they don’t. Not one.
And, of course, the romance is still preposterous. I mean, there’s the super gross sex scene, which isn’t gross because it shows anything really, it’s just really gross juxtaposed with this orgiastic celebration scene in Zion, overlaid with porn music. It’s not sexy at all — even Neo’s orgasm face is entirely lacking in expression — and there still isn’t really anything to convince me of a tight emotional bond between him and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). If I’m supposed to be moved by him reaching into her chest code and removing a bullet code, then massaging her heart code back to life, I’m sorry, but that’s not happening. It’s absurd.
Speaking of which, the extended computer language metaphors are even worse and more boring than the Christian allegory. And do not even get me started on the godawful code orgasm we get to witness from the center of a woman’s code vagina. NO NO NO NO NO.
I have one more movie to tackle in this mess, but that one is going to have to wait until morning. I need a break. The Matrix Reloaded gave me a throbbing headache.
Viable Option 