Review: The Matrix Revolutions (** 1/2)

THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2003 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2


THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, the final chapter of the MATRIX trilogy, is actually
at its best when it's the most pretentious. ("Only the human mind could
invent something as insipid as love." and "Every program that is created has
a purpose; otherwise, it is deleted.")



Its loud and repetitive action sequences are impressive enough, but we've
seen them all before, and they never seem to end or to make much sense.
"Baffling" is the best word to describe most of the fighting.



When we last left Neo's comatose body, he was trapped between the real world
and the machine world. Of course, Neo will come back to life in order to
battle Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), whom the Oracle (Mary Alice) explains is
his opposite. We learn more about the dichotomy between the Oracle and the
Architect (Helmut Bakaitis). It seems that his role in the great scheme of
things is to balance "the equation," whereas hers is unbalance it.



THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS is, as you'd expect, full of the series' signature
stylish flourishes, heavy on the slow-mo and the ballet-like movements.
After the obligatory and almost endless battle of mankind against the
machines, the movie ends in a HIGH NOON sequence, as Neo and Agent Smith go
mano a mano in a struggle to the death. I'm not telling who survives, but
the bad news is that the Wachowski brothers appear unwilling to let their
series die a natural death. The movie ends in a way that shows that they'd
like to be another George Lucas, who has trouble letting go of a financially
successful franchise even if its creative juices show signs of souring.



THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS runs a long 2:09. The film is rated R for "sci-fi
violence and brief sexual content" and would be acceptable for teenagers.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Wednesday, November 5,
2003. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC and the Century
theaters.



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