jason santa maria
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{   May 15, 2003   }
Reloaded
I took in a showing of the second Matrix film last night, The Matrix Reloaded. I must say, going into it, I wasn’t expecting too much outside of some fun fight scenes. In that sense, it delivered in spades. Some of the action sequences were astonishing (albeit very video game esque at times) and will surely set a new standard for future films. I still have chills from the freeway chase scene. Aside from that, as is the general rule of thumb with sequels, the plot was stretched thin. In fact, the plot really doesn’t get rolling until nearly half way through the film. First you must sit through the awkward Fruit of the Loom sponsored rave in Zion. But once it gets going, some interesting questions are answered, and some new intriguing ones are posed. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will just say this — the third film (which thankfully comes out later this year) has many loose ends to tie up and promises to be quite enthralling.

I can forgive the cheesy moments in this one (and they are found fairly frequently) because it was entertaining. No, it wasn’t as good as the first. You could probably figure that out without seeing it. When the first one came out, the special effects alone raised the bar higher. What’s more, it delivered some Orwellian styled sci-fi to the masses and they were hooked. The second installment picks up hot on the first’s heels, but really stays in the safety zone that was already established. The special effects were breathtaking. But I am used to them now. Stop the camera. Spin it around the action. Start the camera up again. Very cool. What else ya got? Much like the last Star Wars, I feel like this movie was an inconsequential chapter (though I feel bad comparing it to that trash). The plot was advanced a inch more. Basically a long (and pretty flashy) trailer for the third film. I can’t say much more. It’s all still sinking in. I will probably see it again soon. I got what I expected — a damn fine action flick. Entertaining through and through. Go see it already. Tell me what you think. Make sure you stay through the hour of credits, there is a preview of the third film.