The Matrix Sequels

[Cruithne]

Why Reloaded sucked:

- At the end of the first film there was a sense of "the sky's the limit" about what Neo could do within the Matrix. In the second film we got more Kung Fu. There's almost no end to the physics bending ideas they could've had fun with and it felt like they barely bothered to try.
- There was absolutely no dramatic tension in any of the fight scenes. Knowing there'd be a third film meant that Neo was going to be fine and frankly I'd stopped caring about any other character. To then have the fight scenes going on and on and on just made the film drag.

I liked the scene with the Architect though and there were a few neat ideas that they played around with. I just didn't care at any stage during the film.

I actually liked Revolutions for the most part. Partly, I think, because my expectations for it were lowered enough by Reloaded that I just took it at face value. The dancing/shagging bit was bloody awful though.

[Zantera]

I never really cared for the Architect-scene to be honest. While in many cases, they leave out too much of the plot to make something more mysterious (and it fails because of too many unanswered questions), in this case they went the other way and spoon-fed the audience with all the answers. It was like 5 minutes of just "this is how it works, this is why it happens.. yadayada" which IMO ruined it a bit. They could have given away some of the answers without making it a Q and A-scene.

[Ryzee]

The Matrix

The Matrix 2: The Search For More Money

The Matrix 3: Because Everything Has To Be A Trilogy

[KevShmev]

Like has been said, the fighting scenes get ridiculously over the top and really fake-looking in both sequels.  And the long, drawn-out fight between Zion and the machines in Revolutions is just awful.  But there are some really good scenes in both sequels, I think the Architect scene near the end of Reloaded is great, the Bane angle was definitely great, and I do like the way they ended Revolutions (even if the shot of the city with the sunlight looks as horrible fake as some of the fight scenes ).  It just pales in comparison to the original, which was most excellent (despite me normally not liking movies overly reliant on special effects).

[wasteland]

Like has been said, the fighting scenes get ridiculously over the top and really fake-looking in both sequels.  And the long, drawn-out fight between Zion and the machines in Revolutions is just awful.  But there are some really good scenes in both sequels, I think the Architect scene near the end of Reloaded is great, the Bane angle was definitely great, and I do like the way they ended Revolutions (even if the shot of the city with the sunlight looks as horrible fake as some of the fight scenes ).  It just pales in comparison to the original, which was most excellent (despite me normally not liking movies overly reliant on special effects).

I agree with you. When Revolutions came out I was 12 or 13, and needless to say, I found it awesome. Now I can't help to see it as a very blatant and unoriginal attempt to create a video game like movie. I still think Reloaded is a very good movie, though. I like the storyline and the introduction of all the new characters never bothered me. The Original Matrix is still one of the best moves of the past decade, and by a long shot the best of the three.

[Progmetty]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.
I like the Matrix sequels, I love the symbolism and imagery. I wrote my graduation paper in college about it entitled "Religion & The Matrix" which I got an A+ for even though I wrote it before Revolutions came out. I had guessed what would happen to Neo but couldn't guess what would happen to Smith, as of Reloaded I still wasn't sure whether he stood for Satan or the Anti-Christ, there were evidence pointing to both ideas, of course it's all open to personal interpretations.
I got the Ultimate Matrix colection DVD's when it came out but I really would like to get the BluRay's oneday.

[adameastment]

I don't hate the sequels, but they were never near to be on the same level as the original, which is why they were disappointments.

Reloaded - I think this is a pretty good movie. It has some bad things, lots of new characters is one example, but personally I didn't like it how Neo went from being good to immortal over a day. I get it that he's "the one" and he's supposed to be strong, but it was kinda lame when he fought off 2 or 3 agents with one arm and just standing still like a douchebag. I still think some effort should have been put into it, in order to defeat the agents.
I think the movie has a couple of iconic parts, the highway-scene is the big highlight of it, but the fighting scene at the park or what happens before the highway is pretty cool as well.

Revolutions - Kinda dull. I like the darkness of the movie, but so many things could have been done better. For example, the big war at Zion. I didn't really feel for any of the characters there, except for maybe Morpheus, but a lot of the people in focus just didn't have something special IMO, so I didn't really care if they would die or live.
The last battle between Neo and Smith was disappointing as well. It's one of those situations where EPIC doesn't equal good, and it just felt so ridiculously over the top that it was hard to take seriously.
The fight between Neo and Smith in the subway in the original - THAT was a great fightscene. The showdown sure as hell wasn't.
I also didn't particularly like Neo going blind/cruising around in a spaceship for most of the movie.

Pretty much this, personally I'm a big fan of the entire series to be honest

[hefdaddy42]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.

Source?  I've never heard or read that.

[bosk1]

Whether it is true or not really doesn't have any impact on how much the sequels sucked.

[Sigz]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.

Source?  I've never heard or read that.

They talk about it in The Matrix Revisited.

[hefdaddy42]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.

Source?  I've never heard or read that.

They talk about it in The Matrix Revisited.

I think they're lying.

[theliloutkast]

In terms of the Trilogy, the first movie is like having insane foreplay, and the last two are like a half hearted handjob ending with you just taking care of it.

Seriously, the first sets up the Trilogy so perfectly, and then they just try way too hard for the second two. The first mistake they made was the casting of Neo, the second mistake was making a silly name like Neo, the third was making the storyline even more insane than the first, and the last mistake was overusing CGI.

The war between the humans and machines was a cool storyline, the idea of a glitch that makes a human insanely powerful, all of the setup is there. You've made the storyline pretty much set for epic, and then, they fumbled. Not just fumbled, they picked the ball up and ran it the wrong way. Then on top of that celebrated so long that they got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

In short, this is my opinion:

They set up the series so perfectly in the first movie that a four year old could have made better sequels. Then, they just pooched it.

[jammindude]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.

Source?  I've never heard or read that.

They talk about it in The Matrix Revisited.

I think they're lying.

Ya.  The story I heard was that they didn't even write the first one.  They blatantly stole it from another screen writer...who sued.   It was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

I think they can't write for crap, and that fact was exposed when they had to actually write their own sequel. 

[Jaq]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.

Source?  I've never heard or read that.

They talk about it in The Matrix Revisited.

I think they're lying.

Ya.  The story I heard was that they didn't even write the first one.  They blatantly stole it from another screen writer...who sued.   It was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

I think they can't write for crap, and that fact was exposed when they had to actually write their own sequel.

Are you talking about the woman who claimed to write a screenplay in 1983 that she said was ripped off by BOTH The Matrix and The Terminator? Not exactly sure I'd trust that one.

However, enough of Grant Morrison's comic The Invisibles was in The Matrix I always wondered why no one called them on that...

[Progmetty]

Anybody already mention that the three scripts for the movies were written before the first movie was filmed? Cause the usual anti-Matrix argument is that they came up with the sequels for money.

Source?  I've never heard or read that.

They talk about it in The Matrix Revisited.

I think they're lying.

Ya.  The story I heard was that they didn't even write the first one.  They blatantly stole it from another screen writer...who sued.   It was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

I think they can't write for crap, and that fact was exposed when they had to actually write their own sequel.

Are you talking about the woman who claimed to write a screenplay in 1983 that she said was ripped off by BOTH The Matrix and The Terminator? Not exactly sure I'd trust that one.

I think her script was called The Eye and it was proven a hoax.
1. The sequels were mentioned in The Matrix Revisited as Sigz said, which is basically a making of The Matrix; mostly with interviews filmed during the filming of the first movie.
2. In a making of Assassins (yes the Stallone movie ) which they also wrote, that interview was on mnet's movie magic when Assassins was still new and they mentioned their next project was a sci-fi trilogy. I think it wasn't there exact next project but it shows how far the intent was.
It doesn't change the fact that some people don't like the trilogy but I'm just saying that "they made the sequels to make money" is completely irrelevant to that IMO.

[BlackInk]

For me, one major thing that makes the first one so great is the "whoa" moments all the time when strange things happen for the first time and especially when the Matrix is first revealed.

For the sequels, they can't reveal the matrix again and had to come up with new things to handle with mystery. Personally I think they succeeded. Smith is cool, Smith in the real world is cool, the physical war against the machines is cool, Merovingian is pretty cool and Neo's abilities even outside the Matrix are cool. I understand the complaints about overly used CGI, but I don't see it as a problem. I think it's a great trilogy.

[missedthepoint]

Been thinking about this since it came up in the Star Trek thread the other day.
At first my brain told me that I hated the sequels. Slowly I remembered that this wasn't quite right.
At the time I really enjoyed the second one (i get confused as to which is which, namewise) and spent many of the nights between seeing 2 and 3 speculating and theorising with friends about what was in store.
As is the case with large scale speculation, my expectations were not met by the third film.

So here's where I stand, Loved The Matrix, enjoyed the second one and was really disappointed with the 3rd one and that kind of marred the 2nd one for me(Lost finale anyone?). Not the first one though, i guess it's too self contained for that.
I've only seen the 2nd and 3rd ones once each iirc so I'm willing to review my opinion after another watch. Maybe in a few years time I'll get around to it. 

[Kotowboy]

Yet again i'm in the minority 

I think there's more substance in Revolutions than Reloaded.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't think there is much SUBSTANCE in any of them.  But the first one is a really good film, and the other two aren't.

[CrimsonSunrise]

I think the sequels kick ass.  The whole series kicks ass.  I don't over analyze like a lot of folks do, I ask myself if I was entertained and how much I was entertained.  For the Matrix Trilogy Those questions are answered with a resounding "Hell Yes!!! and "More than any other saga I've seen, with maybe the exception of the SW's saga"

[PetFish]

I think people are upset cuz they all thought that anything after the first one was going to be same-old-same-old and just be more of the same only bigger and better.  Even I was looking forward to more sweet Bullet Time action and crazy fights involving EVERYONE and not just Neo culminating in just a massively crazy fight inside The Matrix.

But the story went the opposite way and went completely against our expectations.  Sure, I was sad at first cuz we all like blowing shit up, but looking at the entire story I think it's really great.

The *only* thing I complain about is Neo having powers outside of The Matrix.  He's just human so I don't get how this is possible in The Real World.

Other than that, I applaud the Wachowski's for NOT succumbing to cinematic convention and trying to do something against the flow.  The Animatrix was great.  Enter the Matrix was awesome cuz it ran PARALLEL to Reloaded and wasn't just the same old boring "play through the movie" junk and gave us a LOT of new content that wasn't covered in the movie... plus Nyobi and Persephone make out.

[jammindude]

I think the sequels kick ass.  The whole series kicks ass.  I don't over analyze like a lot of folks do, I ask myself if I was entertained and how much I was entertained.  For the Matrix Trilogy Those questions are answered with a resounding "Hell Yes!!! and "More than any other saga I've seen, with maybe the exception of the SW's saga"

If we were talking about the Lethal Weapon series, this would be a completely valid argument.   But IMO, the very nature of the story of the Matrix *invites* dissection.   It begins as a very heady story.   By doing that, you are inviting a very analytic audience into this new world you've created.    It's not an impossible task...but it is challenging.  Which is why so many story writers attempt to take up the gauntlet.   But I believe the overwhelming majority agree that while the first film enticed us, the sequels seemed to be....well, lazy.     Philosophical masturbation.  Pseudo-philosophy that tries to put on airs of intelligence.   It throws up confusing language in an attempt to sound intelligent...while in the process they are actually saying *NOTHING AT ALL*.     It was a major disappointment.   

[jammindude]

While we're on the subject...  I *completely* agree with the reviews of Confused Matthew.

Here's a link to the ones for Reloaded, and an equally entertaining review for Revolutions can be found at the same site.

https://www.confusedmatthew.com/The-Matrix-Reloaded.php

[Kotowboy]

I agree that The Architect's speech was needlessly verbose and protracted.

He pretty much just said that Neo was the 7th version of the "one" program designed to deal with the 0.01% of people who didn't accept the Matrix as reality and he needed to repopulate Zion and re-enter his code back into the Matrix for the next "one".

Wasn't Seraph supposed to be an early version of The One who has hung around as a rebel program to protect the Oracle and other renegade programs ?

[Super Dude]

I think the sequels kick ass.  The whole series kicks ass.  I don't over analyze like a lot of folks do, I ask myself if I was entertained and how much I was entertained.  For the Matrix Trilogy Those questions are answered with a resounding "Hell Yes!!! and "More than any other saga I've seen, with maybe the exception of the SW's saga"

If we were talking about the Lethal Weapon series, this would be a completely valid argument.   But IMO, the very nature of the story of the Matrix *invites* dissection.   It begins as a very heady story.   By doing that, you are inviting a very analytic audience into this new world you've created.    It's not an impossible task...but it is challenging.  Which is why so many story writers attempt to take up the gauntlet.   But I believe the overwhelming majority agree that while the first film enticed us, the sequels seemed to be....well, lazy.     Philosophical masturbation.  Pseudo-philosophy that tries to put on airs of intelligence.   It throws up confusing language in an attempt to sound intelligent...while in the process they are actually saying *NOTHING AT ALL*.     It was a major disappointment.   

I never used to think this was the problem, but it's beginning to overshadow the other issue I had with the sequels, which was that the original was all about how the Matrix was not real and how we're fighting to destroy it. Then the sequels come along and the Matrix basically just becomes an alternate world in which the war takes place, but basically another world in its own right. It seemed to clash with the vibes we were getting from the first movie.

[BlackInk]

Wasn't Seraph supposed to be an early version of The One who has hung around as a rebel program to protect the Oracle and other renegade programs ?

That would be a cool explenation. It would also give some more meaning to when Smith said "I remember chasing you was like chasing a ghost."

[Kotowboy]

Seeing as a Seraph is like the highest ranking of the Angels.

[Phoenix87x]

https://variety.com/2019/film/news/matrix-4-keanu-reeves-carrie-anne-moss-lana-wachowski-1203307955/

[gmillerdrake]

The first MATRIX was a game changer IMO. Sure, modern tech was being applied to other movies at the time but the Matrix did it in a very unique way. It was a cool story....awesome action....the 'vibe' and feel of the movie was just intense.

The sequels felt very rushed to where it's really no secret they were just trying to cash in. While I didn't 'hate' them....they were entertaining....they fell short of the bar that the first movie set. They vibe and feel were different....they just felt like a downgrade to me rather than building on the original and adding to it. i think had they spent more time on them and not rushed them out to appease the fans it'd have served them better.


As far as this new venture....i've always thought the story left to tell was about the first man that figured it all out and began to 'free' everyone from the Matrix. The guy Morpheus talks to Neo about. I think that'd be a cool story to dive into.

[bosk1]

As of right now, I have zero interest.  That could change, of course.  But now?  Meh.

[MinistroRaven]

I love the Trilogy, one more than the other.
That said, I don't understand how they are bringing Trinity back as she was killed last time, and Neo already saved her once, saving her once again would be, umm, stupid. I'll see it regardless.

[gmillerdrake]

That said, I don't understand how they are bringing Trinity back as she was killed last time

I doubt that the 'Trinity' and Neo we see in this will be the Trinity and Neo from the Trilogies. Meaning, it'll be earlier 'versions' of them or something along those lines. Who knows.

Or, Maybe it'll be a romantic comedy based around Neo and Trinity going on a Honeymoon in the Matrix and they have to survive a week in Hawaii running from agents who were on vacation as well?

[MirrorMask]

I remember seeing the sequels back in the day and thought they sucked major donkey balls.

Maybe I should watch them again after so many years for pure entertainment value, maybe it will turn out a Load / Reload scenario when things aren't as bad as they seemed.

[Lonk]

That said, I don't understand how they are bringing Trinity back as she was killed last time

I doubt that the 'Trinity' and Neo we see in this will be the Trinity and Neo from the Trilogies. Meaning, it'll be earlier 'versions' of them or something along those lines. Who knows.

Or, Maybe it'll be a romantic comedy based around Neo and Trinity going on a Honeymoon in the Matrix and they have to survive a week in Hawaii running from agents who were on vacation as well?

Now that's a movie I would watch.

In all seriousness I don't know why they are making another Matrix. I liked the trilogy, this feels like a cry for money. They better have some ridiculous effects in this movie.

[Phoenix87x]

Loved the first one

Liked parts of the 2nd one

Quickly forgot about the 3rd one

If part 4 comes out and is awesome, then cool. If it sucks, its no sweat off my back.