The Matrix

[Chaerophon]

Edit:

Mikhail Pfeiffer (spelling?)

It's not him, and it is spelled wrong. Double "d'oh!"

Now back to the original post...

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Hmmmm,

Bad acting? Check.

Complete lack of subtlety? Check.

Bad special effects? Check.

Ridiculously cryptic plot, deliberately contrived to produce infinite such discussions? Double-check.

I've never been so disappointed in a movie in my life. I'm a joint philosophy / political science major. I love Nietzsche. I love riddles. I have found it entertaining to engage Hegel and Schopenhauer. Sometimes the round about way of uncovering the truths of a story can be the most entertaining and rewarding. However, I'm not particularly fond of blatantly deliberate crypticism on the poetic / artistic level of a grade 10 student. To gain any sort of concrete understanding of the events in this movie, all aspects of the plot have to be narratively described by a character therein. Blunt instruments abound. That's not art or even artful, as it seems that some people believe it to be; that's a bad imitation thereof.

Why did I have to sit through pointless dancing (cripes, looked like a bad beer commercial) and sexual intercourse, at least five make out scenes, Morpheus' endless schtick that started to really get on my nerves and the completely useless introduction of Mikhail Pfeiffer (spelling?) just so that I could hear some annoyingly delivered information from the oracle that left me laughing and a deposit of obtuse plot from the man in the white jacket, the "architect" who gave his spiel in a deliberate attempt to force the viewer to watch the movie again? Sure, what he had to say was interesting, the rest? Bleh. I thought that maybe the redundant fight scenes would save this movie, until they approached the fifteen minute mark and I started to drift off. Thank god for them, however, because without them, I surely would have drifted what with the completely static and narrative dialogue that was making me dosy/gag/red with embarassment. (Never mind the fact that the "Smith's" fight scene reminded me of a well-animated computer game and not a movie. A second or two of that aka LOTR is ok, five straight minutes is not) For the most part, 'Reloaded' reminded me of a BADLY performed King Lear that I saw earlier in the year, actors delivering lines and not much else.

I absolutely loved the first movie. Saw it at least five times. It was mysterious, dynamic and captured the imagination. I can't say the same for the sequel, and I won't be watching the conclusion. I just don't care. The story DID continue in a very interesting direction. The unfortunate part is that I had to sit through the endless bulls#it in order to get there and it wasn't and won't be worth it for me. It embarassed me to have to watch that (as it was chosen upon my insistence) with people whom I respect for their insight and intelligence (girlfriend, her brother and her father). All that I could think of was 15 year old poets trying to sound like Shakespeare, but being WOEFULLY unable to even approach his subtly brilliant approach. Two thumbs down.

Edit: Just can't say enough: bad and blatant philosophical dialogue through and through - I get it, you want us to contemplate choice, existence, the nature of reality blah blah blah. Demonstrate your point in the movie - SUBTLY; don't dictate circular ideological debate to us through the mouth of a woman feeding crows. I hate crows and I hate being hit with big, blunt, stupid hammers again and again! ARGHHH!!!