Warner Bros. Pictures
The first movie in
the Matrix trilogy derived in part
from Emerson’s “noble doubt” of the existence of nature itself — the ancient
intuition that the universe consists merely of our own perceptions; a private
dream, rather than an external reality. In the sequel, The Matrix: Reloaded, that doubt persists, combined with frequent,
cryptic discussions of questions concerning choice, chance, and fate — free
will versus what Huck Finn calls “preforeordestination.” In this case, the
philosophical speculation has resulted not in some further exploration of the
metaphysical potential of science fiction film, but in an expensive blockbuster
that resembles too many others of its kind. Reloaded
a long, violent movie, crammed full of the latest in stunt work and special
effects. It embodies just the sort of thing that too many filmmakers and
filmgoers mistake for cinema.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย In Reloaded, most of the characters return and most of the conflicts
continue. This means that Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne),
and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) fight the forces of the Matrix — chiefly, the
bland, self-duplicating Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). They also defend the
underground city of Zion against a horde of mechanical octopuses called the
Machine Army. A great many additional characters show up, sporting the same
confused historical-Greco-Biblical nomenclature that underlines the
semi-literate pretentiousness of the script. They include Niobe (Jada Pinkett
Smith), Persephone (Monica Bellucci), the Oracle (Gloria Foster), and even a
guy called The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson), suggesting that the
writing-directing Wachowski brothers have been leafing, rather too quickly,
through a stack of Classics Comics.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The essentially simple plot pitting
the humans against the machines — mostly in the form of Neo and his friends
battling Agent Smith — repeats itself over and over, and is interrupted by
all sorts of subplots and talky digressions. The subplots include a laboriously
conscious, mythic descent into the underworld (the Matrix); a political
disagreement in the council of Zion; a curious sexual episode involving The
Merovingian, his wife Persephone, and another woman; and a rhythmic series of
dialogues in which some Wise Old Man (or Woman) instructs Neo in the purported
differences between choice and destiny. Those discussions reach no discernible
conclusion. However, they do hint at the Deep Thoughts the writer-directors
cannot incorporate organically into the characters and action of the picture.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Aside from its connections to its
predecessor, Reloaded differs very
little from any of the various blockbusters that reverberate in the multiplexes
every summer. It displays the usual, dazzling, state-of-the-art special
effects, further refined from the first film. This means that Reeves floats
through the air in six or seven different martial arts ballets, bullets spiral
in slow motion from the barrels of automatic weapons, and characters suffer
innumerable fatal blows and shots that never leave so much as a bruise. When
the filmmakers run out of ideas — original and otherwise — they resort to
that standard maneuver, the car chase down a crowded highway, using sedans,
motorcycles, and a trailer truck (all of which, of course, collide, overturn,
explode, and burn, in the great tradition of the scene).
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Perhaps in keeping with its attempt
to explore some pseudo-religious concepts, Reloaded now and then looks like a replay of the battles of the Reformation and the
Counter Reformation. The endlessly replicated Agent Smith dresses in a black
suit, white shirt, and black tie, looking very like a seminarian. Neo wears a
black cassock (black, by the way, from shoes to sunglasses, pretty much
provides the color scheme) and resembles nothing so much as an unfrocked
priest. Even the frequent discussions of fate and free will sound like some of
the theological arguments that continue to fracture Christianity.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The internal logic of Reloaded deteriorates as the
philosophical basis for action that distinguished the first movie also breaks
down. By insisting so strongly on the insubstantiality of its people and
objects, the script nullifies the meaning of its endless fights and shootouts:
If the vehicles, guns, bullets, and people don’t really exist, it’s difficult
to accept the notion that they present any danger. When Agent Smith, in one of
his avatars, Swiss-cheeses a Cadillac with an automatic weapon, for example, he
behaves like any bad guy in an Arnold Schwarzenegger flick, rather than a
constantly transmogrifying figure allegedly packed with profound meaning.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Perhaps the most puzzling object in
the whole movie is the city of Zion, the last refuge of humanity. It looks like
a huge, rusty, clanking piece of Victorian machinery, where the people crowd
together in dark, dank, iron cells and the whole place functions on chain
drives and steam power. It hardly seems worth defending against the wiggly
mechanisms that bore through the planet bent on destroying the Biblical city.
The script never really bothers to explain the motivation of the Machine Army
and the entities behind it, aside from reiterating the vague, humanistic
pieties of the original film.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Since the script demands an odd
constellation of elements — intellectual pretentiousness of a high order, a
certain emotional frigidity, and absolute impassivity from the characters —
the general silliness of the dialogue and the inadequacy of the actors hardly
constitute a problem. His smooth, pale countenance, weak voice, and limited
range make Reeves a perfect Neo. Fishburne, a good actor, is reduced to merely
frowning and uttering plangent declarations of his belief in the destiny of
Zion and other such nonsense.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Aside from the enormous expense, the
spectacular stunts, and the amazing effects, The Matrix: Reloaded amounts to a major disappointment, especially
after the excellence of its predecessor. Perhaps the third film of the trilogy,
which is already in the can, will redeem the whole work. One can only have
faith in the Oracle.
The Matrix: Reloaded, starring Keanu
Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith,
Gloria Foster, Harry Lennix, Harold Perrineau, Anthony Zerbe, Helmut Bakaitis,
Lambert Wilson; written and directed by the Wachowski brothers. Cinemark
Tinseltown; Hoyts Greece Ridge; Loews Webster; Pittsford Plaza Cinema; Regal
Culver Ridge; Regal Eastview; Regal Henrietta.
You can hear George and his movie reviews on WXXI-FM 91.5
Fridays at 7:15 a.m., rerun on Saturdays at 11:15 a.m.
This article appears in May 21-27, 2003.
