The Matrix Reloaded (2003) & The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

(Image from Imp Awards)


(Image from Imp Awards)

The Matrix Reloaded (2003) & The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

This follows on directly from my 'Matrix' review, and I'm going to do both sequels in one go because there's so much that the two sequels have in common that set them apart from their classic progenitor. And much of that is decidedly not good.

The story in a nutshell - it's been several months since the defeat of Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), and Neo (Keanu Reeves) and the resistance have freed many minds. In retaliation, the machines are preparing for a full on assault on the underground city of the free humans, Zion. The head of Zion's armed forces, Commander Lock (Harry Lennix), believes in using military might to defend the city. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) however believes in the prophecy of 'The One' and seeks to invest resources in aiding Neo in his quest. He, Neo, Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and their new annoying crew mate Link (Harold 'WAAAAAAAALT' Perrineau) seek the help of the Oracle (Gloria Foster) to determine how to save Zion. This leads them on a quest to meet the enigmatic Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) and his stunning wife Persephone (Monica Belucci) and free the 'Keymaker' (Randall Duk Kim). Meanwhile Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is back, and he's more powerful than ever - he can seemingly replicate himself into anyone within the Matrix and can't be stopped by even the likes of Neo. All of that describes 'Reloaded'; the final film, 'Revolutions', takes place mostly outside of the Matrix and splits the story up between the defense of Zion and the journey of Neo and Trinity to the Machine City.

The one thing these films had going against them from the get go was the lack of the element of surprise; the original came out of nowhere. One could even argue that the lukewarm response they received was partially attributable to this fact. One would, I believe (by the way, this phrase - 'I believe' - is uttered a ridiculous number of times in 'Reloaded'. There's a lot of believing going on in Zion), be wrong. Time and distance have revealed these sequels to be, while not bad movies per se, certainly monumental failures with respect to the film they were following.

The first major stumbling block is the story, or rather the lack of it. It's slight and it flows with all the elegance of a video game, going from one action sequence to another, only broken up by cutscenes of exposition that give the protagonists instructions on how to get to the next action sequence. Speaking of exposition... Now, I'm not the type to complain about philosophical concepts like determinism and nihilism being explored in film, which is what these films - 'Reloaded' at any rate - do. But, while these discussions are certainly interesting as they are presented in the film, they are grafted onto proceedings so inelegantly that the end result is like major plastic surgery gone awry, with chunks of incongruous material all over the place. 'Revolutions' doesn't have this problem though - when it comes to the final film, it's one big extended climax that doesn't adequately address much of what came before. The storyline of these sequels isn't unsatisfying; it's just that when you're expecting a nice juicy steak and you end up with a Big Mac instead, you're bound to be disappointed (or not, if you're a McDonald's fetishist).

Then there's the characters - they just don't seem alive anymore. They're like avatars being guided by a plot that they themselves aren't all that interested in, spouting embarrassing and portentous dialogue as they go. What's worse is the relegation of the main characters as bland, cliched ones that we don't give a damn about take centre stage, a particularly noticeable problem during the big battle sequence in 'Revolutions'. The biggest character mess up on the part of the Wachowski's is Morpheus, who goes from being the series' Gandalf to the series'.... I dunno, I guess there's no equivalent to his vapid character in 'Reloaded' or his hollow husk of a man in 'Revolutions'.

Another big problem is the 'more is better' attitude embraced by the filmmakers. More action, more bullet time, more grandstanding, and all of it bigger than before. There's a point where it becomes too much, especially when you begin to feel that the films are trying way too hard and are seemingly aware of their own status as pop culture icons. The coolness is too forced. Where the original had cool moments that became iconic, these films seem to be going for iconic at every turn and failing more often than not. The action scenes are overlong, aren't engaging, and don't feel organic and integrated with the story. The fights lack any sense of danger as well, and often look more like dancing than life or death combat. And some of the effects work here is awful, with CGI characters sticking out like a sore thumb, particularly in the 'Burly Brawl' featuring Neo fighting a multitude of Agent Smiths. 'Reloaded' is the biggest offender with regard to most of these criticisms, with 'Revolutions' being marginally better, particularly when it comes to the effects - the final assault on Zion is dumb as hell (those mechs should have been swatted aside in minutes), but it sure looks spectacular! In terms of production values, everything certainly looks good if a little too green and a little too 'product placement' and 'designer'. One area where the film is as strong as what came before is its score, with Don Davis providing some very effective musical cues in both sequels.

If there's one guy in this cast who comes out on top, it's Hugo Weaving. The man's a champion, make no mistake. If there's one character who seems alive and spontaneous and makes proceedings engaging, it's Agent Smith, and I think Weaving is a big part of the reason the character works so well. Every moment he's on screen is pure fried gold. Also worth noting is Ian Bliss, who does a fantastic impression of Smith in 'Revolutions' when his character's body is taken over by him. Keanu is fine in a role that requires perfect stoicism and an aura of self assurance. There are also moments of doubt that crop up - every messiah has this problem - and Reeves is quite adept at handling those scenes as well. Laurence Fishburne, sadly, gets carried away with his regal shtick to such an extent that it gets annoying. There's no humanity in the performance, just a smug 'I'm Morpheus, bitch!' attitude that comes crashing to earth at a certain point and leaves him looking blank for much of 'Revolutions'. Carrie-Anne Moss is actually pretty great in both films and it's a shame she's given relatively little to do in them. Lambert Wilson and Monica Bellucci make memorable appearances in their minor supporting roles. Gloria Foster and Mary Alice are also quite good as the two incarnations of the Oracle, and Helmut Bakaitis is just plain groovy as the Architect / Colonel Sanders (it's a lame joke, but it's so true!). The rest of the cast range from mediocre to terrible, and aren't worth mentioning.

At the end of the day despite what appears to be a torrent of negativity in what I've written, I'd say that these films are decent, even good perhaps. They are, for the most part, well made and they are certainly far from vapid. They engage the old gray matter, no doubt. And they are often exciting, thrilling, and spectacular. But there are, as I've written, many things wrong with them. The best way I can describe these films is that they are like 'The Matrix', only bigger, bloated, less assured, and made with a touch of hubris and too many resources to play with. They want to tell a story but get too caught up in tangential ideas, being cool, and topping everything that has come before while paying tribute to it at the same time. They are an example of what can happen when talented people are given free reign and are riding a wave of good will and credibility - said people can get carried away. I enjoyed watching 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'The Matrix Revolutions' and would even recommend them to some degree, but I don't feel the need to revisit them. For me, the story of 'The Matrix' ends with Neo launching himself into the air at the end of the first film with a new perspective of the world, one where anything is possible. What happens next, well... that's left to the imagination.

The Matrix (1999)

(Image from Imp Awards)

The Matrix (1999)

'The Matrix' snuck up on me back in 1999 - as it surely snuck up on a lot of other people as well - when everyone was still anticipating the forthcoming disappointment that was 'The Phantom Menace'. Written and directed by the virtually unknown Wachowski Brothers and produced by action movie veteran Joel Silver, 'The Matrix' was a phenomenal surprise, a mishmash of genres rolled together in a brilliant package. Immediately after seeing it I wondered if Lucas's Star Wars prequel could possibly top it, and I wasn't at all surprised when it didn't. It had been several years since I had last visited 'The Matrix' (I hadn't watched it since seeing 'The Matrix Revolutions'), and while loading the DVD I wondered how the movie would hold up nearly a decade since its release and with the baggage of two inferior follow ups.

The film begins with a bang. A woman named Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) is chased by a group of business suit clad 'Agents', led by an Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), and a group of policemen. Trinity and the agents exhibit superhuman powers during the chase, which ends with her just barely making her escape. The Agents learn that she has been monitoring a man named Thomas 'Neo' Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a nondescript computer programmer who engages in illegal computer activities. Neo has been in search of the answer to a seemingly profound question that is haunting him - "what is the Matrix?" - and he believes that a man named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), a terrorist whom Trinity works with, may have the answer. Agent Smith gets to Neo first and tries to co-opt him into helping them catch Morpheus, but being somewhat rebellious by nature he refuses.

Spoilers follow! Neo eventually meets Morpheus, who lays on him a revelation - the world as they know it isn't real, but is in fact a computer simulation called the Matrix, and mankind is an oblivious slave race to machines. Neo is freed from the Matrix and discovers that the real world is a post apocalyptic wasteland. Morpheus is actually the captain of a rebel ship that forms part of the human resistance, people who have been disconnected from the Matrix and are fighting against the machines to free mankind. Neo learns that he may be 'the One', a man prophesied to help the resistance defeat the machines. Within the Matrix (which the freed humans can still enter using their 'pirate signal'), through willpower and a heightened awareness, it is possible for freed minds to bend the rules and exhibit superhuman powers; the 'One' is believed to be able to manipulate the Matrix itself. Neo's training for his role as 'the One' begins, and it involves learning a lot of martial arts and getting to grips with how the Matrix works. Meanwhile the tenacious Agent Smith, who is actually an AI computer programme in the Matrix, continues to try and ensnare Morpheus and destroy the rebel humans, and with the help of a traitor in Morpheus's crew sets major events in motion.

Many of the conceits in 'The Matrix' are not exactly original, but they are presented in such an engaging manner that they feel fresh. The sci-fi concept of an artificial world is both amazing and ludicrous, but the Wachowskis present it with such an assured hand and with such clarity that it's very easy to accept. The script is quite exemplary in how it lays the groundwork with tantalizing hints as to what is really going on by revealing it layer by layer while wrapping the mystery around the classic 'hero's journey' character arc that Neo follows. It's also notable for featuring some exceedingly quotable dialogue. It dabbles with weighty ideas relating to religion and messianic prophecy, fate vs free will, the perception of reality, liberty, and the nature of mankind. None of these elements come across as didactic though; they're interwoven into the story, and the film can be enjoyed purely as a sci-fi action thriller. The story is structured and paced incredibly well, with the mystery and buildup paying off fairly early and leading to some thrilling action sequences towards the climax. If there's a complaint to be made about the script, I'd say that there isn't much emotional depth in it and the characters are very archetypal, but to be honest that fits in perfectly with the tone and subject matter of the film, which is very cyberpunk in that it is dark and heavy on plot and technological milieu.

Keanu Reeves surprised a lot of people by being perfect in the role of Neo, but I think it was a spot on piece of casting more than anything else. He's not a bad actor but I think he has a limited range in which he can excel. As Neo, Reeves embodies the right mix of naiveté and curiosity; he begins as a blank slate but gains understanding and confidence as his journey progresses. Reeves also impresses with his physical performance, particularly in the martial arts sequences. Laurence Fishburne is also great as Morpheus, regal and sagely but also imposing and convincing as a badass warrior. He is saddled with a lot of exposition, and his dulcet voice is used to good effect to makes those scenes flow. Carrie-Anne Moss is as cool as Morpheus and possibly even more badass physically, full of graceful movement and iconic poses, but in addition to the action stuff she is also effective at being the most empathetic character in Morpheus's crew. Then there's Joe Pantaliano as Cypher, one of Morpheus's crew, a cynical and somewhat weaselly individual who is more pragmatic and skeptical, and is thus less awed by Neo and Morpheus than everyone else on board the ship. Last but by no means least is Hugo Weaving, who absolutely steals the show as the AI Agent Smith. Not only is he fantastic in the action scenes (economical and brutal with his movements), but his portrayal of Smith as a being who is at the end of his tether and absolutely pissed off with his situation is simply brilliant. His mannered line delivery, mechanical but full of menace, is iconic.

Then there's the film's visual style that is quite eclectic. It's part traditional epic sci-fi with computers, hover-ships, and a post apocalyptic wasteland; then there's the surreal imagery with squid like robots and fields of humans in pods; within the Matrix we get visual distortions and people flying around and the camera slipping into slow motion, the effect everyone now knows as 'bullet time'; and of course, a lot of the visuals are framed and play out like panels straight out of a comic book. Amazingly, all of these disparate elements gel together. The action set pieces are stunning, visually inventive, exciting, and yes, iconic. Who can forget the lobby shootout, the dojo sparring scene, the subway fight, and the spectacular helicopter rescue? The Wachowski's also handle the thriller / mystery aspects extremely well, drawing you in and keeping you in suspense. Despite the exposition heavy nature of some scenes, they make full use of the 'Matrix' conceit to show as well as tell. Nearly every scene in the film is superbly realized, and everything is in service of the story or the characters. Even the sparingly used humour works, as do the moments that are cool in a blatantly contrived way.

The design work on the film is fantastic, and despite the wide range of elements being incorporated there isn't a weak link in the bunch. Morpheus's ship, the wonderfully animated organic looking 'squiddies', the rectilinear and cold look within the Matrix and the more organic look outside of it, and the spot on classic (if perhaps impractical) costumes, all of it is stellar. I don't know if the 'bullet time' effect is all that original, but it is used with restraint and is incredibly effective in conveying the unreality of the Matrix and the hyper speed movements of the characters (which are, counter-intuitively shown in slow motion to allow us to follow the action). The rest of the effects are often forgotten, but there's a lot of other near seamless effects work in this film that is worthy of praise. The martial arts heavy fight scenes, performed mainly by the actual cast and not doubles, may not impress martial arts aficionados but there is a certain grandeur to them that makes them unforgettable. While much of it was broadly conceived by the Wachowskis, credit should go to choreographer Yuen Wo Ping for bringing them to life so memorably. And finally, there's the soundtrack - Don Davis' original score makes for a terrific accompaniment to the film, but the soundtrack also features some excellent and complementary musical selections.

'The Matrix' is a classic, there's no doubt about it. It made a massive impact on filmed entertainment and popular culture (for better or worse), and while the franchise as a whole may have squandered the goodwill generated by it thanks to the not so good sequels, the original film still stands alone as something special. I'm happy to say that this film is now well and truly secure in my list of favourite movies, and I don't see it ever being nudged out of it. Anyone who has had the stamina to read this far will realize that I've expended more words on this review than I usually do, because I guess I can't help but wax lyrical about this film.

Neuromancer (1984) by William Gibson

Neuromancer (1984) by William Gibson

'Neuromancer' is to the genre of cyberpunk what 'The Lord of the Rings' is to fantasy. It is widely regarded as the seminal cyberpunk novel, the originator of ideas that have influenced myriad films, books and video games since its publication; it's also the popularizer of the word cyberspace (a word Gibson coined in an earlier work). Reading it in the year 2007, it's easy to fail to appreciate how original and inventive the book would have been back in 1984. With that era in mind, you can't help but be impressed by Gibson's vision. With those ideas now being ubiquitous, however, does the book hold up on its literary merits alone?

The protagonist of the tale is a young man named Case, who was a computer hacker (a 'cowboy') by profession until he betrayed his employer and was punished; his nervous system was damaged in a manner that prevented him from interfacing with the 'matrix' (or cyberspace), a neural graphical representation of the world's computer networks. Case attempts to find a fix for his problem in Japan, but fails to do so and winds up becoming a junkie and a criminal heading down a path of self destruction. He's saved by a mysterious man named Armitage, who has some connection to a military operation that went awry years ago. Armitage makes a deal with Case; he fixes Case's nervous system in exchange for his services in carrying out a mysterious 'job' that involves hacking a highly secure computer system. Armitage has in his employ a woman named Molly, a 'street samurai' who is part bodyguard and part one (wo)man army; she has enhanced physical strength, retractable claws in her arms, and enhanced vision. As Armitage embarks on his mission, dragging them to several places around the world and and into space colonies in Earth orbit, Case and Molly develop a relationship and work together to try and figure out who Armitage is and what their ultimate mission will be.

That just about covers the first 10% of the story. It's a dense narrative that is complex and far from predictable; it's a mystery (who's running the show and what do they really want?) that is revealed piece by piece and builds up to a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. The book is also teeming with ideas. Apart from global computer networks, hacking, and cybernetics, the story touches upon space travel and habitation, artificial intelligence, virtual reality (à la 'The Matrix'), technology dominated society, and corporate omnipotence. Given that these elements aren't particularly novel anymore, the impact of the book from a contemporary point of view lies solely in the quality of the story, the characters, and the storytelling. They are, I think, strong enough to make this a fine novel and not just a cornucopia of concepts. Gibson creates a compelling future world, a neon lit dystopia full of violence, crime, addiction, and seedy characters; it's dark and cynical sci-fi noir. The book hits the ground running, explaining the technologies tangentially as events progress; these explanations are sometimes frustratingly sketchy or incidental, but never to an extent that makes things incomprehensible. All of the technologies and futuristic elements are believably integrated into the story.

The book is broken up into several distinct segments, and it never really slows down for very long. Having said that, it's a book that requires quite a bit more concentration than the average page turner, given the density of ideas and incident; this makes it slow going at times. Also, I found that Gibson's descriptions of events weren't always clear. There is also a lack of suspense in the story, with events taking place with almost a sense of inevitability.

The characters, as is the nature of noir style stories, aren't exactly the most lovable or sympathetic but they are well sketched out with enough backstory and personality for them to feel like people who might inhabit this messed up world. The story is told entirely from the point of view of Case, who is a man in over his head, spending much of his time being dragged around from one situation to the next and only rarely able to assert himself. Case is more at home hooked into the Matrix and he eschews the flesh like some kind of Cyber junkie; when he's hooked in he's among the best 'cowboys' in the business. He's also accompanied for much of his time in the Matrix by a wise-cracking AI reconstruction of his former mentor who assists him with the mission. Interestingly, Case also gets to experience some of the real world action via a 'simstim' system that relays all of Molly's sensory input to him, essentially allowing him to experience everything she does (including the pain). This allows the story to incorporate quite a bit of physical action and excitement as well, in addition to the virtual adventures of Case. The character of Molly - who appears in several of Gibson's books - is enigmatic; she's cool and professional, but some insight is given into what makes her tick. Of the remaining characters only Armitage is significant, and his story is also one aspect of the mystery that case and Molly attempt to solve. There are also a large number or varied and interesting peripheral characters that have a significant impact on the story.

Ultimately, I wasn't blown away by 'Neuromancer', but I found it to be a very good book and an important one in the history of sci-fi and cyberpunk in particular. I have to confess that I wasn't in the best frame of mind for reading and didn't have much time to read the book in long stretches, which detracted from my enjoyment of it and may have coloured my perception somewhat. The story and the subject matter resonate, and I look forward to reading it again, preferably in a few long sittings instead of over the course of several weeks (which is not ideal for any kind of book to be honest, but particularly not for one like this). It's worth reading on its own merits, and definitely worth reading as a landmark novel.