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After such a strong first film , what went awry with the subsequence toThe Matrix ? release in 1999,The Matrixseized upon the ethnic zeitgeist of the new millennium to tell a story of digital world , existential uncertainty and bend over awkwardly in parliamentary law to quash getting fool . Directed by the Wachowskis and starring Keanu Reeves , Carrie - Anne Moss , Hugo Weavingand Laurence Fishburne , The Matrixredefined what action film could be in the New era , both in term of highly influential visuals ( " bullet time " ) , and as a story that married together theme of science , school of thought and technology in hail of bullets and cool costume .
AfterThe Matrixproved to be such a unanimous hit , it was no surprisal when two back - to - back sequels were announced in the class ofThe Matrix ReloadedandThe Matrix Revolutions , but while Neo and the mob keep their box agency pulling - world power , the widespread acclaim that set the first movie dodge its follow - ups . Critical opinion on theMatrixsequels has fluctuated over time and neither are altogether innocent of positives . Action sequences are consistently veneration - inspiring , Keanu Reeves ' Neobecomes more and more iconic with each installment and the thematic construct of the Matrix world continues to unlock fun link between the real and digital realms .
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Nevertheless , bothThe Matrix ReloadedandThe Matrix Revolutionsare widely considered substandard to the original and , if give the option , many would probably have preferred the 1999 elbow grease to remain standalone in hindsight . With film onThe Matrix 4now formally underway , fans will be hope the new film shun the lingering stench of the sometime sequel , but why , just , were the second and thirdMatrixmoviesso underwhelming ?
The Matrix Went Bigger, But Not Better
Any freehanded blockbuster continuation looks to expand on what come before , but turning everything up to 11 does n’t always lead in a better film , and so it proved withThe Matrix . For all its theoretic contemplation and intellectual skill fable , The Matrixoffered a very streamlined news report , following one adult male as he awakened to true reality and realized his part in the destiny of mankind . seemingly , 1999’sThe Matrixis Neo ’s personal account , but the sequels apace became as much about Zion and the world at big as they were aboutKeanu Reeves ' leather - clad champion . This stimulate theMatrixsequels ( andReloadedin particular ) to gain some narrative baggage . Where the first film zipped , the follow - ups dragged , where the story was once laser - focused , the subsequence felt disperse , and where Neo was in the beginning the centerpiece of the series , he later became a thespian in a far enceinte calamity .
As well as snatching away the thin plot that made the originalMatrix ’s red pill so much easier for audiences to swallow , the sequel also get lost down the enfranchisement ’s own rabbit hole . So many characters inThe Matrix ReloadedandThe Matrix Revolutionsexist only as plot devices , with threadbare motivation and personalities to call their own . There ’s an irony ( one that ’s fun to imagine was intentional ) in that many of these character are nameless programs create by the Matrix to serve a sole function , just as they answer a nameless affair to the Wachowskis ' hand . alas , the compare is all too pertinent - the Architect , the Oracle , the Keymaker and the Merovingianall human activity as deep entities define not by characterization , but by how far they advance the patch or how long they dish up as a MacGuffin , exposing the shallow story theMatrixsequels were telling .
Reloaded & Revolutions Should’ve Been One Film
Crafting a film franchise can be a tricky fauna in the sensory faculty that both the overarching seriesandeach single moving-picture show need to do work as cohesive level , and failing in one aspect or the other has been the downfall of many a movie sequel . In the case ofThe Matrix , bothReloadedandRevolutionscould’ve boiled down into one much strong film , alternatively of thinly spreading a limited dollop of write up over the twosome of two releases . The Matrix Reloadedin finical offer very piddling in terms of overall plot development , and the most vital voice could ’ve replaced the weak elements ofRevolutionsto craftsmanship one truly worthy sequel .
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Along the same lines , theMatrixsequels both were supplemented by wider medium , such astheAnimatrix , and while a lot of this material was peripheral to the independent account , some of it provide much - needed desktop that would ’ve vastly improved the flick sequels , had it been included . Essentially , theMatrix 2 & 3told the wrong story ; somewhere betweenReloaded / Revolutionsand the cartoons , comics and video game , a caliber 3 - part film series can probably be establish , but the sheer volume ofMatrixmedia that followed in the aftermath of the first motion-picture show was n’t justified by the amount of story there was to tell .
The Matrix Sequels Suffered From The Midi-chlorian Effect
It ’s a unusual paradox of storytelling that the more orphic something is , the more an audience require to eff about it , but actually discovering more removes the very sense of mystery that first made that thing so popular in the first situation . Some have coined the idiomatic expression " the Midi - chlorian force " to describe this phenomenon after Liam Neeson sat everyone down inStar Wars : The Phantom Menaceand gave a skill lesson that laid bare the true nature of the Force . Everyone have intercourse the Force when it was just a weird unseeable Department of Energy that could push people over and clog pesky foot soldier , but having the whodunit of theStar Warsuniverse spell out out in biological terms shatter the mystique - and some of the sport .
The Matrixsequels descend into precisely the same cakehole . The original 1999 release allow plenty to the interview ’s vision , and although looker do memorize the nature and role of the Matrix , Neo take flight off with many mysteries still untold . As with the Force , the ambiguous nature ofthe Matrixis a primal part of its cinematic allure , but each unveil inReloadedandRevolutionschips away at the enigma , only to prove the velum itself was more appealing than what put down underneath .
In fairness , theMatrixsequels would ’ve been just as heavy criticized fornotexpanding on the fictional worldly concern ’s mythology , and that sweet midway ground is n’t easy to mint . One example of a trilogy that manages to revealjustenough , while still retaining an gloriole of the unknown is another Keanu Reeves dimension , John Wick . Although nowhere near as lofty in concept , John Wickhas a rich mythology with plenty of unobserved dark corners . The 2d and third moving-picture show in the series have n’t lifted the chapeau whole , but nor have they held back , instead adding layer of new information ( and new question ) with each installation . By contrast , theMatrixsequels bank on sporadic info - rubbish dump that fail to either ply classical response or maintain an illusion of mystery story .
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Neo Lost The Art Of Subtlety
Everyone has that friend who plump away travelling for a year and occur back " shed light on , " preach the fruit of their newfound knowledge to all who ’ll hear . Speaking to said friend is fun for a while , but the more they babble , the sooner everyone else realise " enlightened " is really just a byword for " pretentious . “TheMatrixsequelsare this friend .
In the first celluloid , The Matrixuses philosophical subtext to put up deeper levels of significance to its outward scientific discipline fiction themes . The red anovulatory drug / blue tablet dilemma , the spoonful , the question of whether or not Neo is The One - all deterrent example of conventional sci - fi image presented with a more ghostly , idea - provoking edge . Arguably , this is what first attract viewers toThe Matrix , with the initial liberation tender well - woven philosophical component that underpinned the fighting and intense action .
Arguably the most damning mistake of the sequels , this careful balance is lost fromThe Matrix Reloadedonwards , and instead of well - integrated spirituality , the Wachowskis start labor their point home with all the subtlety of a grenade launcher . The Jesus - similar qualities Neo assumes are nauseating , the once thought - evoke dialogue morphs into nonmeaningful , designedly obtuse guff , and the level relies on gauzy flare-up of expounding , rather than the more rude human race - construction seen in the first film . As discussed above , there ’s a fragile business between revealing too much and too little;theMatrixsequels attempt the former , but actually just muddy the piss , and by the prison term Neo finally meets with the Architect to discuss the dead on target nature of the Matrix , the impertinent philosophy of yore has been replaced by vague endeavor to fathom meaningful without actually providing any meaning .
The Rave Scene & Trinity’s Death
A single confutable scene is seldom enough to condemn an entire feature - length film , but when the moving picture itself is already on shaky earth , moment of ridiculousness sure are n’t helpful . The Zion rave scene inThe Matrix Reloadedis a prime example of this , break the main story for a gratis sequence where the occupants of the real earthly concern spend the night clubbing whileNeo and Trinityare off having sex . Distracting , unnecessary and jarring , the scene occupy viewing audience aside from the phantasy earth of theMatrixand in good order onto the dancefloor of their local disco , epitomizing the less focused approach of the continuation .
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In a similar vein , Trinity ’s demise inThe Matrix Revolutionswas another baffling head - in - hands moment . evidently sacrificed just so Neo can move onto the trilogy ’s finale alone , Trinity ’s demise is gratuitous , hokey and distressingly transparent , proving the lack of thought that went into the sequel compared 1999 ’s originalThe Matrix .
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