My Rant on the Matrix Trilogy
(Everyone brace yourselves...)

How can a film trilogy that begins in such a revolutionary, mind-bending way end up in the deepest corners of cliche and recycled plot twists?

Let us first pay homage to the first of the Matrix films. Released in 1999, virtually as an unkown film project, it went on to be one of the year's top at the box office.
With a plot the perfect balance of tradition and revolution, the Matrix spawned a legion of imitators both in style and content; everyone trying to either pull off the science-fiction story elements (the decent Equilibrium) or it's revolutionary style of cinematography. (The "bullet-time" effect mimicked in countless movies not excluding Shrek.)
To me, this is the sign of a milestone in film history. It is seldom that a film comes along that spawns so many imitators.

So how do you top a film that has not only mind-bending special effects, but also mind-bending plot, twirling science, philosophy and emotion in a colorful whirl? A plot that engages not only the audience not only on a physical basis of emotion, but on a spiritual level as well.

The answer: You can't.

Other times have arisen when a filmmaker is in the position to make a sequel to a film, and it has the expectations and potential to be great, but the majority of the time, it fails miserably. Why? Honestly, I believe they try too hard.

After introducing a plot that consists of giant robots using humans for batteries, and feeding real-world images into our brains via a broad-band connection to our cranium, how much further can you explore this idea, when you've already introduced a hero with seemingly unlimited capabilities?

The Wachowski Brothers' script begins to fall apart on them during Reloaded when various characters visit the Oracle, and dialogue descends into confusing mumbo-jumbo that does not have a point or purpose, except to confuse the heck out of it's audience, hoping we won't notice. Perhaps, the Wachowskis thought that everyone was coming to the film just to see all of the cool fighting and special effects. Unfortunately for the Brothers, a good number of us came to see how the universe of the Matrix would unfold, and we were confused, and disappointed.

Alot of advantages can be held by the second chapter of a trilogy. It is the time when the plot and characters really become embroiled in their circumstances, and when our relationship with the characters deepens. Sadly, Reloaded ends up playing off as a carnival side-show, with all of it's greatest moments being about slam-whiz-bang action filmmaking, without any of the legitimate substance that the first film had.

But hey, it's all prelude to act three, right?

Revolutions begins with Neo trapped in a coma-type trance, forsaken in some subway terminal, (probably in Brooklyn) and trying to get his way back to the Matrix to help his friends. Agent Smith, the chief antagonist in the first Matrix film returns as a rogue computer program eating the Matrix from the inside. This leads to the ultimate show-down between Neo and Agent Smith. It is our Apocalpyse. With really cool clothes and kung fu.
So many things begin to go wrong with this film. It would appear that Andy and Larry Wachowski used up their creativity in creating the Matrix universe, and saved none to sustain us through the journey.

- Fight scenes begin to feel old and programmed, with all of the beautiful choreography and stunt work that we've come to expect, but it begins to feel expected and rehearsed.
- The musical score begins to play like the worst-of from an early ninties romance. The lush strings rise and fall from crescendo appropriately to the various dramatic throes. The menacing motifs poke through as evil lurks on screen. The original Matrix soundtrack was incredibly popular as a stand-alone product because of it's (again) original blend of orchestral scores and heavy metal thrashing. By the third film, we're all too accustomed to what we're going to be hearing.
- The cinematography, while familiar and comforting, is almost dictating. The Wachowskis were very vocal of their "comic" style of shooting, using the space on frame the same way a comic artist would in arranging their character elements. When we reach points in the story that are primarily dialogue-driven however, the directors seem to go on vacation, and leave the scenes to play out with a dull thud.
- And let us say nothing of the nauseating level of cliches that infects the final film. Every dramatic turn plays like a bad punchline, with the audience beating the movie to the point, and wishing for it to hurry along and catch up. Things seem to move in slow-motion, allowing us time to seep in the gravity of the great and wonderous circumstance in which the characters find themselves, (and in which we are supposed to be thoroughly absorbed) but it ends up making the viewer impatient and wondering if now's a good time to slip out to visit the bathroom.
(Will a hand always make the sound of popping knuckles when you ball up your fist? Apparently so...)
- Drawn out segments that border on deathly. The best example of this I can think of is the final battle in the last few minutes of Revolutions. Of course we are meant to be looking forward to this confrontation, but how many times can you make a blurry exchange of blows interesting? The Wachowskis try again and again, and each time getting a little more complex with the special effects, until finally they realized that simple might be more effective. Too little, too late. The death blow ends up as an anti-climax.

And what does our hero do after giving his life for all of the other subterranean dwellers? he's carried off on the tendrils of a machine looking rather similar to a certain crucified figure...that probably wasn't intentional though. Although the vocal Kyrie chant at that exact moment makes you wonder...

This could go on forever, but I think I'll end now while this thing seems to have a little cohesive structure. You get my point, I'm sure. A brilliant beginning stretched out into eight hours of a washed-out imitation. . .of itself.

That's gotta be a first.

T.