Macrolog
Matrix Schmatrix
I’m probably the last weblog writer on earth to see The Matrix Reloaded. I was in fact much later getting around to seeing the original because, to be honest, I just wasn’t that pushed about it. (I didn’t bother until its final week of theatrical release — and I was working at the cinema at the time!) But it was quite entertaining, the special effects were, of course, astounding, and the story wasn’t too bad either.
In contrast, The Matrix Reloaded is a waste of space. Sure, you can play the old ‘middle of a trilogy’ card all you want, but that still won’t excuse the fact that it’s a very boring and monotonous piece of work.
Here’s why:
- The fight scenes — particularly that too-obviously-computer-generated scrap between Neo and the army of Smiths — are far too long, useless padding for a story that isn’t big enough for fill two hours. Great for computer artists and programmers to wank over, maybe, but not for me.
- The pseudo-mystical overtones are so overcooked, it plays at times like a parody of the original. This is probably just an attempt to add more depth and colour to the cult of The Matrix, but the ambiguity was partly responsible for its allure in the first place.
- The twins were completely squandered. I’m sure that most people had been expecting them to play a bigger part in proceedings, but altogether they must have only had ten minutes of screen time, tops. That’s just not on.
- The cod-philosophical verbal diarrhoea from the mouth of the ‘architect’ near the end of the movie would have been funny if it weren’t actually supposed to be all serious and revelatory and whatnot. It could have all been said in one simple sentence: free will is an illusion because all of our choices are determined by both outside forces and our previous decisions. There, that wasn’t that hard, was it? But they had to go and complicate things, to make the idea appear much more profound than it really is. It’s all bullshit, really. And I should know; I’ve got a degree in philosophy.
- And by the way, the ‘architect’ is NOT GOD! OKAY?! Enough with the Judeo-Christian symbolism: The Matrix saga from the beginning has been much more about humanism. Anything that might point to a religious reference has just been lifted to create an independent mythology, something for the human characters in the film to grasp onto in order to comprehend their situation. That’s what I think, anyway. It would be such a cop-out if it turned out otherwise.
Trim the fat, can the bullshit, and you’ll have yourself a movie that might be worth shelling out the readies for. As it is, well, let’s say I’m not exactly holding my breath for Revolutions. But that’s just my opinion - what do you think?
Sun 01 Jun 2003 at 15:05 ·
Comments (5 responses)
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Posted by e
Sun 01 Jun 2003
at 22:21
let’s face it, the first one wasn’t even that good either, unless adolescent comic-book addict wet-dreams are your thing
Posted by David
Mon 02 Jun 2003
at 12:38
‘What do you think?’ you ask. But the real question is, are you asking it? And if answered, will that lead not to another question, a question with no real answer - but that being the answer you where of course always looking for: understanding! You just understand before you ask, and when you ask, then you will be understood, and only when you are understood will your answer turn into a question, and your question turn into an answer, an answer nobody can fucking understand.
Posted by Grover
Thu 05 Jun 2003
at 13:48
It has to be said that the film did have many, many flaws, but overall was entertatining enough. Even if it wasn’t that great a movie, we are still talking about it..and that’s alot more than can be said for other classics such as Breakdance 2: Electric Boogaloo! But seriously, any film that warrants some kind of discussion, has made some sort of impact, no??
Posted by Griet
Mon 09 Jun 2003
at 19:38
I’m with David. And Grover. Heehee. I didn’t cut through the architect’s banter. But then I’m not a philosopher. Damn, you make me feel stupid babe!
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This is the personal website of MacDara Conroy, a twenty-something journalist, editor and all-round creative type living in Dublin, Ireland.
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You are reading Matrix Schmatrix, a Macrolog entry by MacDara Conroy. It is filed under Film & Television, and was published in June 2003.
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