Matrix

The Matrix – A-

Before the “The Matrix” debuted in 1999, almost no one gave it a chance against the imminent release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. But, as Morpheus would say, “History, it would seem, is not without a certain sense of irony.” Almost ten years later, very few would claim that Menace was as good as the Matrix. Indeed, the release of The Matrix was viewed in many ways like the release of the original Star Wars, back in 1977. There was an overwhelming buzz around the special effects, action, and story which captured the imaginations – the zeitgeist – of the time. In short, what viewers got from The Matrix is exactly what they expected to get from The Phantom Menace. And like the original Star Wars, it was designed to be a standalone film, but would later spawn two sequels. Each film would feature its own “philosophy” and pseudo-religious contexts. But more than thirty years later, the original Star Wars is still held in very high regard. So how does The Matrix hold up, nearly ten years later? Is it still as thrilling, and deeply profound, as many thought it to be in 1999?

Nope.

The Matrix Reloaded – C+

“The Matrix Reloaded” suffers from way too many sophomoric mistakes. It is littered with the trappings of a sequel. Which means that even though it does “deepen” the overall story arc begun in The Matrix, the film itself ends up becoming a major disappointment. That doesn’t mean that film is without value. Certainly, The Matrix Reloaded is filled with passages which are ripe for discussion – and I remember having a great many conversations about the film, and the series, after its release. So to give credit where credit is due, I applaud this movie for being able to generate as much discussion as it has – discussion is always a good thing. But that is primarily where the value of the film ends. The problems include a severe letdown in acting, overblown special effects and action sequences and ridiculously contrived and ponderous dialogue scenes. The Matrix Reloaded is, in a word: pretentious.

The Matrix Revolutions – C-

If The Matrix Reloaded was “pretentious” then The Matrix Revolutions is “gratuitous.” The fact is, despite the attempt by the Wachowski brothers to create a big-budget film that deals with deep, profound philosophical and religious ideologies, the final product is a badly crafted, overblown, over produced film that is purely self-indulgent. The result is that whatever thoughts the film was meant to provoke become lost within its bad dialogue, contrived narrative, and vapid acting. It’s a shame because Revolutions has all the trappings that one would expect a trilogy finale to have: epic battles, personal duels, sacrifice, loss, a crisis of faith and on and on and on. They’re all fantastic ideas on paper. But the construction of Revolutions as a movie is critically flawed. And for a film that wants its audience to take it seriously, it desperately needed a much more sobering approach to its production.

The Animatrix – B-

The Animatrix is a series of nine short animated films designed to expand upon the world introduced in 1999’s The Matrix. Each short film is unique in both story and visual design. Some stories provide a narrative connection to Reloaded and Revolutions, while others provide thematic or historical connections to the films. On the whole, watching The Animatrix is a worthwhile experience for anyone who is interested in either the world of The Matrix, or animation in general.

The Animatrix – 01 – The Final Flight of the Osiris