Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #266905 in DVD
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, French

Amazon.com
Considering the lofty expectations that preceded it, The Matrix Reloaded triumphs where most sequels fail. It would be impossible to match the fresh audacity that made The Matrix a global phenomenon in 1999, but in continuing the exploits of rebellious Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) as they struggle to save the human sanctuary of Zion from invading machines, the codirecting Wachowski brothers have their priorities well in order. They offer the obligatory bigger and better highlights (including the impressive "Burly Brawl" and freeway chase sequences) while remaining focused on cleverly plotting the middle of a brain-teasing trilogy that ends with The Matrix Revolutions. The metaphysical underpinnings can be dismissed or scrutinized, and choosing the latter course (this is, after all, an epic about choice and free will) leads to astonishing repercussions that made Reloaded an explosive hit with critics and hardcore fans alike. As the centerpiece of a multimedia franchise, this dynamic sequel ends with a cliffhanger that virtually guarantees a mind-blowing conclusion. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker
Neo (Keanu Reeves), the One, fights a courtyard of replicant Agent Smiths (Hugo Weaving), who are all in black suits and ties, in what is perhaps the wittiest digital spectacle yet, and there's a bumper-cars-on-the-freeway episode that outdoes all such previous scenes. But most of this sequel, written and directed by the brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski, is heavy-spirited and pompous, even faintly embarrassing. At Zion, the city deep within the earth where the free humans live (all the others, trapped in the simulated reality of "the Matrix," are controlled by machines), a boring multiethnic saturnalia goes on forever. The scenes of lovemaking between Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are pure dreamy kitsch (you can take your twelve-year-old); the various leaders stand around in robes and make speeches at each other in the mock-medieval gibberish that seems to have taken over mass culture ever since J. R. R. Tolkien unleashed it on the world. The movie has the portentous hollowness of so much bad sci-fi, in which the world is always about to end, but nothing else much matters, or makes any sense. The original, with its touch of the uncanny, has a special appeal for techno-geek teen-agers and perhaps for certain intellectuals who feel trapped in a corporate-controlled culture that they are powerless to fight. Instead, they turn themselves into hip theoreticians of simulated reality, an idea no more interesting than the gaga psychedelic fantasies of the sixties era. It's an unpleasant irony that the artistic value of "The Matrix" has been crushed by exactly the franchise-making mentality that admirers of the original hate the most. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Only the third film can make it good
Warning - Spoilers ahead . . .

When I first saw the film, well, I didn't like it too much. It seemed to be over-packed with CGI Fight scenes and a storyline that didn't really mean anything. While Zion is under attack, Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus must find the keymaster to unlock the doors to the mainframe and end the war, thus freeing Zion.

This entire storyline, to me, seemed contrived, making the fight scenes seem meeningless, their overzealous and sometimes long running effects just becoming tiresome.

But, then I got it. Weeks after seeing it, it finally clicked.

They symbolism of these films is much deeper than the average action-movie viewer is usually given. Yes -- the entire "The One-Saves the world" storyline is meaningless, and that's the point. While paying too much attention to events within the computer-generated fantasy world of the Matrix, the real world, and Zion, fall into greater danger.

We are introduced to two 'french' characters, programs, which exist simply to experience life. While they are among the long list of villians in this piece, they are also the key to the story. They describe the situation in as much in the film, seeing our heroes as mere puppets in a meaningless plot, which, in fact, they are.

While are main characters are engaged in a meaningless task, struggling to achieve goal after goal in a virtual world, events of the real world are dire, and, just perhaps, if more attention were paid to the real-world events, perhaps the situation would not be so dire.

It is not until Neo discovers that his existance as 'the one' is simply another level of control set in place by the machines, that the entire struggle within the virtual world of the Matrix has no real meaning, only then does the truth come to light, just in time for this second chapter to come to a close.

Think about it, how many people do you know who obsess on politics, or sports, or their favorite television show, or even the Matrix itself? We engage in meaningless struggles to achieve goals that, in the end, really have no meaning but to feed our own ego.

A very profound statement to be made by an action film, that is, if the third and final installment draws this observation out.

As I see it, the value of this second episode is entirely dependent upon the content of the third chapter, but the potential is much greater than most people give it credit for.

Thank you for your time.

The Movie no One Understood
I've seen Matrix: Reloaded twice now and I'm convinced that a great many people simply didn't understand it. The first Matrix was great, but was understandably less intellectual than its sequel. I know that a lot of people have stated the reverse, but they have missed the point. The first Matrix gave us a premise that the second movie had to call into question. This is a sequel in a trilogy. The movie has to, by its nature as the second film, dash the answers presented in the first film and raise questions to be answered in the third. Matrix was self contained, allowing it to present all information and spell out the elementary philosophy in a manner that Reloaded cannot. Quite contrary to having less philosophical content than the first movie, the second begins asking questions of far more philosophical import.

That being said, I loved this movie. The freeway chase was the most exciting chase seen I've seen. The albino twins were great to watch and Zion was truly impressive. I was instantly won over by Morpheus' new operator: Link. He acts as a kind of fellow viewer, pulling for Neo and the others along with the audience.

Finally, the Neo flight scenes were visually stunning. No Superman movie will be able to compare with Neo's final flight in the movie.

My advice is, if you haven't seen the movie yet, to go and watch it with no preconceptions. Don't worry about the special effects being better than the first movie. Don't wait for the "meaning" of the film to be laid bare at the end. Just watch it and actually listen while it begins a tale that will end in Matrix: Revelations. If you do this, you will enjoy the movie immensely.

What were you expecting?
There's a slew of people out there that did not like this movie (I am not one of them, however) and I think I've discovered why: if you're looking for another movie just like the first Matrix, you're going to be disappointed. The Matrix was truly a mind-blowing movie in and of itself...the plotline, the effects, the fighting style. At the time, everything about it was different and completely unique. But you have to consider that that movie was the "introduction" to the world of the Matrix. That very small universe was bound to expand, and that is exectly what happens in Reloaded. Remember, it's not called "The Matrix Rehashed." Reloaded may suffer from a bit of a "middle child" syndrome, in that the concept is no longer new, but it provides no resolution at it's end either. We are introduced to so many new charaters and locales, which can be a little disconcerting at first. But let me break some of the more major points down here:

Zion: Why do people hate these scenes so much? No doubt many had already formed a picture in their mind of what the city would look like, and it probably just didn't fit in with their image. Ultimately, I think their visit to Zion was necessary though. You need to actually see the people that these characters are fighting to save. On the whole though? The Zion scenes take up so little time in the whole of the movie, who cares really?

The fight scenes: The Burly Brawl IS a bit over the top...but that's what it's supposed to be. Admittedly, I was ready for it to be over, but it was still a special effects feat. Everything else is very much in keeping with the first movie.

The car chase: Some people thought it dragged on...I thought it was mezmerizing. The effects were truly extraordinary and the concept of why the freeway is so dangerous to our heroes make it all that much more exciting. What's a true action movie without a big car chase? This one puts all others to shame.

The big "talk": Ah yes, Neo's infamous conversation with the architect of the Matrix. Is it dry? Like a desert. Is it completely confusing the first time through? Completely. Is the rhetoric a bit puffed-up and imposing? Definitely. Is it helpful to watch the DVD with the subtitles on? Absolutely. I've watched it multiple times and I still feel like I'm missing something. I guess you either get it or you don't.

You cannot take a movie like this too seriously. If you do, it suddenly becomes pretentious and annoying. But it IS just a movie, and should be taken as such. Sure, there's some potentially serious philosophical points, namely the power of choice and the power of love. And heck, that makes for some good conversation fodder. But lets get right down to it: this movie is pure eye candy, that happens to have a decent storyline and an attractive, talented cast to boot. As a side note, the second DVD has some worthy extras, especially the documentary about the making of the big car chase, and the MTV Movie Awards snippet is hysterical as well.

Bottom line: If you're looking for more of the first movie, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Viewing for pure entertaiment? Watch on!