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At the Movies
with Mark Moorehead

The Matrix Reloaded

General Audience: B

Rated R for sci-fi violence and sexuality. However, the violence is bloodless and the sex, by candlelight, is tasteful and brief. If you’ve not seen the original Matrix, I recommend you see it on DVD before you see Reloaded so you’ll understand the expression, “He is the one.”

Family Audience: B

Highly recommended, provided family members are 18 or older. Not recommended for children or those impressionable enough to think they can jump off buildings, like Neo and Trinity, and not get hurt.

Matrix Reloaded is Part II of the Matrix trilogy, brought to us by the collective genius of the Wachowski Brothers. Their genius was clearly evident, on multiple levels, in the original Matrix movie, which included a provocative narrative, revolutionary special effects, cryptic neo-Zen philosophy (no pun intended) and, stylistically, a new standard for cool.

Nevertheless, legions of fans, including myself, carry the burden of high expectations from that groundbreaking film, and those expectations vary depending upon one’s perception.

Fans with a preference for fight scenes and special effects over storyline will not be disappointed with Part II. There’s non-stop, adrenaline-pumping action and a highway- from-hell chase scene, filmed on a specially constructed interstate at a cost of millions, that will blow you away.

(The Wachowski brothers could have saved a lot of money shooting that car chase scene on the southbound 101 at rush hour on any weekday.)

However, sci-fi fans intrigued with the deeper philosophical messages of Matrix are likely to sense that the genius of the original has been dumbed downed a bit with a shift to more action and less dialogue.

As a consolation to folks weary of non-stop action, the fight sequences are superbly executed, and if you’re a believer in fate, pre-destination and deja vu, there’s a steady mantra of what will be were always meant to be with lines like, “I know because I must know.”  

For any who have not had the privilege of seeing the original Matrix, we need to bring you up to speed.

Matrix Reloaded takes place far in the distant future, in a world where machines have created a virtual reality, where humans are convinced they’re actually going through the motions of life. Actual reality is much different, however. Humans are merely capsules of battery fodder for an elaborate, eco-friendly energy grid.

Fortunately for the human race, a small group of rebels escaped the Matrix grid and created their own safe house, called Zion, beneath the surface of the earth.

Creators of the Matrix are determined to wipe out the rebel humans and wage continuous battle in an effort to defeat them. Morpheus, captain of a rebel ship (played by Laurence Fishburne), is convinced, based on his conversation with a soothsayer called The Oracle (Gloria Foster), that Neo Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is the savior of the human race.

Morpheus calls Neo “The One.” Neo, with the help of Trinity, his soul- and ship-mate (Carrie-Anne Moss), proves that he just might be The One, as he successfully defeats the Norton Anti-Virus-type agents sent by the Matrix computer to wipe out such non-conformist human types.

(Now if Neo could defeat spam, he really would be “The One.”)

Matrix Reloaded begins where Matrix ends, with the same actors reprising their roles and continuing the good fight against the evil architects of the computer generated pseudo world. 

This time Zion and the fate of the human race are at stake, and Neo plays a key role. However, there is another man key to Neo’s success and his name, not surprisingly, is Key Man.

Key Man has many keys that unlock many doors, and Neo must find him in order to gain access to the head geek. But it’s not that easy.

Watching the Key Man unlocking various doors to escape a multitude of Agent Smiths (Hugo Weaving) in a long hallway reminded me of the movie Monsters, Inc.

You never know where you’ll end up on the other side. And, new villains, in addition to the Smith clones, are introduced while chasing the Key Man, offering their own metaphysical opinions that will play a larger role in the final installment of the Matrix trilogy. 

At least we won’t have to wait a year. In November you’ll see how it all ends with Part III The Matrix Revolutions.

Until then, if someone asks you what you thought of the movie when you leave the theater, just tell them that you were supposed to be there to see it and you’ll see it again and again. That’s Zen and the art of movie-sequel mania.            

Pecan Grove Estates resident Mark Moorhead writes regularly for Wrangler News.

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