Matrix Reloaded. Has Anybody seen it?

none | 5/16/03 | none

[The South Texan]

Just curious if anybody has seen this flick yet? The first one was great, but I have been disapointed with squels before.

[brownie]

I did not see the trailer at the end (wish I had known about it), but my guess is that it is going to turn out that the Zion world is a second matrix for those that won't submit to the first matrix. Am I in the ball park?

[Sentis]

Neo was able to attack the sentinels because he realized that Zion was another matrix and he was able to affect them because they are nothing more than programs and not robots.

[Sentis]

If you read all the posts on this topic we discuss our theories about zion and the matrix.

[brownie]

Smith is a program, who probably does not know about the 6 (7)previous Matrixes anymore than Neo.

[Bogey78O]

Yes, I got that when I saw the movie. I was just looking for confirmation.

[=Intervention=]

Well, Reloaded continues the Marxism-as-truth bit that the original stated, although without the geek appeal of the first. As such, it comes across a bit flat and uninteresting. Uninteresting? How can you say that? If it was just the spreading of lies :) that was a problem, you could take me to task for it -- but that's not the only thing. The fight scenes are long. Way too long. The philosophy scenes are also too long, and the movie consists of simply alternating these discrete scenes like a bad music video. The characters are still cardboard cut-outs, and the promise of love that the first alluded to is now revealed to be nothing more than base sexual copulation, and even that is boring -- a 10 minute scene of orgiastic dancing and nude sex not only makes the point but drives it so far into your skull you'll feel like you've been stabbed with an icepick.

The matrix is still a stand-in for "the world as we know it" with only the elite (Marxists) woken up by being unhooked as if from an IV. (Remember -- religion is the opiate of the masses, and on a deeper level, reality is the opiate of the masses. Only those who have undergone a political transformation can see the truth.) Reloaded makes this point crystal-clear when the characters re-enter the matrix, the first things they see are pictures of Bhudda and Jesus. The characters still curse up a storm, with enough GD's to offend any theists in the crowd. (The irony of swearing by something you don't believe in seems to escape the film's creators). Rage Against the Machine, a notorious left-wing rapcore band, ends this movie as the first.

If you're looking for action, this movie has it. If you're looking for deep thought, or a polished story, this ain't it. It's rated "R" for the language, violence and the sex / dancing scene. My .02? Wait 'til it hits the dollar theatre.

[Dominic Harr]

Am I in the ball park?

The trailer didn't address that, but it would make a *great* plot twist. I kinda hope that is how it goes. Altho it's also possible that the "connection" between Smith and Neo allows Neo to control the machines in the real world, using some sort of link thru Smith to the OS running the Sentinals.

The trailer was just about Agent Smith wanting to take over the Matirx, and the Oracle saying something like she/they needed Neo to stop Smith.

I'm reading a lot of opinions on this movie, and one thing seems to stand out -- the talk between the Architect and Neo, at the end, was unintelligable to many many people who are not familiar with programming-speak. The architect spoke in "tech-ese" most of the time -- '"The One" is an anomoly in the system', and that kind of stuff. Many, many, many people who saw it have absolutely no idea what an "anomoly in a system" would be, or what that means. They don't know why that would make a system unstable, etc.

Many people didn't like it because they said it had no plot, and that there was too much "psychobabble". I believe it's because of that scene. It went over many people's heads.

I didn't think much about it at first, as it all made perfect sense to me (I am a systems architect). But the more I read other's opinions, the more I'm becoming convinced that is the case.

[Bogey78O]

Yea, if I have to read another person ask "Why can't the agents or the programs just kill him..." I'm gonna scream.

[=Intervention=]

You know, that is a good point. There are some odd Christian overtones in the movie (the One and the Trinity copulating can be taken spiritually, for the Bible uses the word "to know" as a sexual statement to relate the depths to which God knows us and we must know Him). The disunion between Zion, the Holy city and Zion, the city in the matrix are startling and perhaps intentional. Perhaps Zion is really a symbol of humanity in its fallen state? That is why everything is ugly and the only commonality seems to be sex. Though if Morpheus were truly a prophet, why was he not incensed at the orgy scene which followed? Points to ponder...

[Dominic Harr]

There are two things that just make me shake my head:

• People saying, "there was no plot" (broadcasting how it went right over their heads).

• People saying, "the Matrix stands for X and I'm against X, so I hated it".

But then again, that's what I love about great Sci Fi. Some people "get" it, some just can't.

[Porterville]

He's trapped between the matrix world and the "real-world" (zion world)...she said something about Niobi following her heart and freeing him...I have to look for the text..maybe it's on google.

[xm177e2]

This one won't disappoint. The only bad thing is that you will be left waiting for the 3rd one.

[Bogey78O]

Ah so you think he'll be able to enter the matrix without plugging in?

[frosty snowman]

It is entertaining, but IMO we need to wait til the third movie to see if the Matrix pans out as a really good sci-fci series. The cave dance party and the Neo-Trinty love scene didn't bother me that much, but a lot of other scenes are overly long and drawn out. I would prefer the fight scenes without the blaring soundtrack playing. Like the first movie, Neo's dialogue is short and choppy. Fishburne, the much better actor of the two, gets to do the explanatory dialogue again. The plot is complicated and there are a lot of new characters to keep track of. I don't know what character was played by Cornel West because I don't know what he looks like (and don't care). I guess the Bush subliminal thing was so subliminal I didn't even catch it. All I could make out in that scene was a picture of Hitler shown for a split second.

The Terminator may prove to be a better sci-fi trilogy. T3 is coming out soon. The original Terminator was a great movie, and T2 was quite entertaining. Arnold is more convincing as a cold and calculating character determined to carry out his mission. Keanu comes across as a rather dumb and reluctant hero type. That worked in Matrix I, given the plot, but starts to wear thin in the sequel.

[Merdoug]

Eye candy and that's it. Humanity is reduced to a bunch of animals dancing like apes and participating in a huge sex orgy. Typical hollywood leftist psyco-babble crap.

[Porterville]

Here is the text from the Oracle portion of the video game:
Again these are real movie clips inside the game. It is the part after Neo stops the squids. I typed the best I could the text from the section, more or less it is exact, the important parts are exact.

After blowing up power plant mission NIOBI: I Can’t believe it S: It didn’t

NIOBI: What do you mean

S: I mean it didn’t work. It was suppose to happen but it didn’t happen, somethings gone wrong.

ON ANOTHER SHIP WITH THE OLD WHITE CAPTAIN:

COMMUNICATION DUDE: We figure it was an EMP

CAPTAIN: What was that

COMMUNICATION DUDE: Sir we just lost contact with the Icarus , and the Nobalese, and the Caducious

CAPTAIN: How is that possible??

CAPTAIN: God dammit how did this happen

Skips to seen were Banes crew is all dead and he is slipping out of his crews ship

S:We lost contact with Morpheus or Neo

NIOBI: Well then who’s that??

S: I don’t

NIOBI: Well ansewer it

S: Operator

SERAPH: Is this the Logos??

S: Maybe

NIOBI: (takes the phone) This is captain Naobi of the Logos, ; who is this??

SERAPH: My name is SERAPH I bring word from the Oracle. You must come at once.

Niobi plugs in and goes to the teahouse where:

SERAPH: Thank you for coming the Oracle is waiting for you, I can take you to her. but first I must apologize.

NIOBI: For what???

SERAPH: For this>>>

You fight until Seraph says:

SERAPH: Good, again I must apologize, but these are difficult times and it falls upon me to measure your heart and resolve; good, come.

They exit the teahouse to the apartment of the Oracle…(it looks like the same one Neo went to in the 2nd movie)

Seraph’s Teahouse

ORACLE: Niobi

NIOBI: Do I know you??

ORACLE: You know me though you may not recognize me

NIOBI: Are you telling me that you are the Oracle??

ORACLE: I know this won’t be easy for any of you change never is, I wish the face you remember is the face I was still wearing but that face is gone

NIOBI: If you are the Oracle tell me if I will believe if you are.

ORACLE: You don’t right now but you will

NIOBI: Are you going to tell me something that will make me believe you

ORACLE: Come on Niobi you know I can’t do that.

NIOBI: Why not????

ORACLE: Because I can’t make you do anything

NIOBI: At least you sound the same

NIOBI: Can I ask what happened?

ORACLE: The Merrigovian warned me if I made a certain choice it would cost me

ORACLE: He is a man of other things, he is a man of his word

NIOBI: What was the choice

ORACLE: The same one you will have make, the choice to help Neo or not.

NIOBI: Then he is alive??

ORACLE: Yes, he touched the source and separated his mind from his body now he lays trapped in a place somewhere between your world and ours.

NIOBI: Can we free him?

ORACLE: Trinity can but she will have to fight her way through hell to do it.

NIOBI: Can I help?

ORACLE: You can find the courage to help

ORACLE: That’s why I called I can not tell you what is going to happen all I can do is hope that if given the chance that you will have the courage

NIOBI: You once told me you knew everything you needed to

ORACLE: I do, I can see everything on a path to the end

NIOBI: I do not understand

ORACLE: Even I can’t see beyond the end

ORACLE: I mean we, you have a role to play as do I

NIOBI: The end, are you trying to tell me that the end of the world is coming

ORACLE: Yes if we cannot save it will end

NIOBI: You mean Neo

ORACLE: many make the path of the one

ORACLE: I have a role to play as does everyone else

SERAPH: It is time

ORACLE: You must go now

NIOBI: Wait I need more information, how will I know what to do???

ORACLE: There is an old Chinese proverb I always liked: The heart never speaks but you must listen to it to know. You’ll listen to it Niobi, you always do

SERAPH: I wish you luck and courage

NIOBI: Thanks, Same to you.

She exits into the backdoor program where Agent Smith is waiting.

AGENT SMITH: Not who I was hoping for. Perhaps you can help me find him.

NIOBI: You are an agent??

AGENT SMITH: Oh no, no, Not anymore.

NIOBI: Than what are you??

AGENT SMITH: Me, I suppose you can say, I am the Alpha to your Omega, I am the beginning to your end.

[Sentis]

Well as the video game was relaeased witht he movie and was created to give hints about the movies themselves this changes some of my opinions on what was happening in the movie.

[MarkL]

but if you're a Matrix fan, you'll probably get more out of it.

Well, I'm a Ducati fan, and I really got a lot out of it! Most amazing motorcycle sequences I've ever seen. BTW, they don't really have trucks that haul motorcycles like that... If they did, I'd be hijacking trucks for a living!

Mark

[scott7278]

I thought the same thing -- the orgy/love scene and the chocolate cake scene were totally unnecessary. I almost got up and left for a few minutes because it was so disgusting. I was wondering what the purpose was, other than "shock value."

The language was also coarser and more repetitious than the first. Definitely not for kids.

[Michael2001]

Very interesting. Probably took you a long time to type, but thanks for doing it.