Matrix Revolutions opinions - Spoiler Free!

[Caustic Saint]

Just got home from seeing it. Don't worry, no spoilers here, just a few opinions without giving anything away.

1. Liked it better than Reloaded, but not the original.
2. They tied minor plot points into the non-movie media. There are events and characters referred to that don't make a lot of sense if you haven't see The Animatrix or played Enter the Matrix. The Animatrix tie-ins I can accept, but the game ones I can't. Not everybody plays games and putting plot points (however minor) for the movies in the games is pretty weak.
3. Oh, so this is why the budget was so high.
4. Better exposition than in Reloaded.
5. If you watched the trailer released online at the end of September, they gave away too much (but not all of the) cool stuff again. Idiots. (I didn't watch the trailer until after I'd seen the movie, fearing - correctly it now seems - that they'd repeat the mistakes they made with the Reloaded trailers.)

It's well worth the money to see in the theater once, and then a bootleg DVD or internet download to go in and pick out little details - or nitpick if that's more your speed.

[Ptyx]

I just got out of the theatre and i'm almost as much tired that i was after watching reloaded. And as always with the matrix movies i can't remember a single detail. Too much noise, too much moves for nothing, too much bad dialogues, bad acting, pointless story line...
I'm just glad it's over.

[GrimJim]

I thought it was pretty good. Better than reloaded, but nothing beats the first Matrix.

[Caustic Saint]

I thought it was pretty good. Better than reloaded, but nothing beats the first Matrix.

Exactly, which leads me to believe Joel Silver and everybody else pretty much lied in all the bonus material they've released. Ever since they released The Matrix Revisited two years ago, all we've heard has been, "the second script was better than the first. And the third script is better than then second." What utter crap.

I think it was Harry Knowles (http://www.aintitcool.com/)who said that Reloaded should've been edited down to 20 minutes and tacked onto the front of Revolutions. I'll agree with that - to a point. Reloaded had some good moments - if only we hadn't seen them all in the trailers. These movies had so much hype, so many expectations built up in fans' minds for them, that the trailer could've been nothing more than the "Matrix text cascade" and a release date. And the box office results would've been the same.

In the first movie the effects were integral to the story. Bullet-time had a reason for being in the movie - and it was one of the coolest bits of eye candy anybody's ever come up with. Then they W. Bros. got ticked off that everybody was using their trick and making it just another cheesy gimmick. So they went into the sequels with the attitude of, "we're going to do something nobody will ever be able to copy. It'll only be in our movie and it'll be ours forever." That's nice and all, but does what you're doing even belong in your movie? Does it fit the context of the scene it's in? Does it move the story along? In more than a few cases, the answer is clearly, "no."

And in case this all sounds like endless bitching there are a few things I really dug about the sequels.

1. The "agent jump" during the freeway sequence in Reloaded. Oh, if only this hadn't been in the trailer. Great bit of film, and it could've been a defining "no way!" moment in the movie if it hadn't been given away.

2. The Reloaded score. Great, great pieces of music, and I'm glad they put the score on a second disc in the soundtrack. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" is a fantastic tune, but not one that should be running through your head while driving - especially if you're on a motorcycle. The Revolutions soundtrack doesn't include the score, and I can see why. It's okay, but nothing exceptional.

3. "Callbacks" to the first movie. This happens a lot more in Rev that Reloaded. Nice references (some subtle, some not) to key scenes, moments, lines that help you remember what made the first movie so good. Maybe they're hoping you'll associate those memories with the sequels, but all it did was show me how the first movie was so much better.

I'll go looking for a bootleg of it this weekend. There's a lot of stuff coming at you in this one, and more than one viewing is probably required to catch every little bit. I'd see it again in the theater, but they'd probably get mad since I'd be asking them to pause it and back up in a few spots.

[Watcher]

[Video-Link Japan]

Just got home from seeing it. Don't worry, no spoilers here, just a few opinions without giving anything away.
.......
It's well worth the money to see in the theater once, and then a bootleg DVD or internet download to go in and pick out little details - or nitpick if that's more your speed.

Just wonder if anyone else heard about the mob scene at Shinjuku station last nite around 11pm..?!? Apparently Keannu Reeves was in town for the premiere, interesting point in that the show opened on the same day in 40 some countries and he chose to be in Tokyo..!!

Or maybe it's just a rumor.. ???

[Taro Toporific]

[kenchan]

hey, I work for Monolith, but am not a part of the Matrix Online team. I've seen some of the actual game, and it looks like the world is huge. I won't say whether its awesome or not, I guess you'll have to come up with your own conclusions. Apparantly the W bros are wanting to tell their story thru the game now, but I guess everybody already knows that.

[kamome]

OK, I saw it over the weekend. To tell you the truth, I can't even remember what Reloaded was about anymore, nor what significance it has with respect to Revolutions. The Architect scene at the end of Rel only related to two tangential scenese in Rev. Also disappointing was less hand-to-hand combat in Rev (except for that one long scene). Anyone sense an homage to Dragonball Z in that last fight sequence?

[Andocrates]

Because I was a matrix fan (the original) I just had to see the other 2 movies.

It's like this passage I remember from a book in collage days (the invisible man maybe?) about a black man in the 40's forced to box (fight). Between rounds naked white women walked around with the score cards but the Negro boxers were not allowed to look at the white women. The guy in the book says "I had no choice but to look, if I was struck blind on the spot I still would have looked."

The second one was inexplicably bad - how could anyone make a movie that stupid? The third one was better, but, like eating soba, I had forgotten I went to a movie an hour later.

Really a big disappointment, those Brothers suck, when it came down to it they are no better then the average brain dead Hollywood movie director.

[GomiGirl]

I saw it yesterday - albeit from the front row so I have a very sore neck.

I was pleasantly surprised.. I deliberately watched none of the trailers or read any articles. I thought the conclusions were fitting, but obviously leaving room for more in the series. I guess as consumers we have come to expect this sort of gratuitious commercialism.

I thought it was good and would be happy to see it again from a few seats further back next time. Actually I wouldn't mind a marathon of all three in a row from a comfy chair, fresh popcorn and toilet breaks between movies.

[groovewonder]

I had a prime seat in the theater! I went at 4:10pm when the rest of the Japanese populace was still working so the WHOLE theater was empty, pretty much!

I loved the original Matrix, dug Animatrix, shrugged off Reloaded, and really liked Revolutions. I thought the ending was great, though it was nothing that I had expected. After the first Matrix, I think I gave those guys too much credit and I kept thinking up all kinds of complex possibilities for how the movie was going to end, but the conclusion was far, far simpler than anything I'd imagined.

Reloaded was pretty much useless, I thought, though it did have a point. Just a boring middle movie I guess. It had to be there. The drilling bit had to last the entire movie or there wouldn't have been enough suspense. The highway scene was cool, the dance scene was complete garbage (as was the club scene in the new one). In revolutions, the train station was a drag and a waste of time, but the ending was badass. Great digital work there, I though.

I'd watch revolutions again. In fact, I'm glad I own the series. It's cool to piss and moan about cool movies a few years later. But the original matrix no doubt had a big effect on the future of film-making, and the world would be lacking without it.

But yeah, all that slow-motion bullshiyat got way played out after the original. It was ignorable in the second flick, but then they carried it into the third one and I wanted to puke.

Just glad it's all done and I can go back to living life not having to think about the Matrix anymore. The next LOTR is what I'm looking forward to. Kill Bill... *shrug* I guess I'll go watch it, but I'm not expecting a lot from it.

[kamome]

Anyway, I guess they've left things open so they can milk this cash cow as long as possible and make Larry Wachowski's wife a little richer.

On a final note, despite recent reports that Larry Wachowski's marriage may have cratered due to his purported fondness for cross-dressing and S&M play, Bloom's filings do not mention such hijinks.

[Caustic Saint]

Lackluster box office & online piracy may mean more Neo for Christmas

Early January was mentioned but if the box office continues to drop at its current pace, Matrix Revolutions could hit DVD before Christmas.

Adding insult to injury, a possibility was mentioned to one video dealer that the studio may try putting together a 3-movie boxed set for Christmas if Revolutions is released in time to show up in your holiday stocking. "Warners is afraid that Revolutions won't sell very well because of the word of mouth on the movie. The only way to make the money on sell-through is to package it with the other two."

That'd have to be the fastest theater-to-DVD ever. 6-7 weeks is not a good sign, especially for such a big (well, hyped) release. They'd damned well better not make it only available in a boxed set though.

People who own the first two (as well as The Matrix Revisited, The Animatrix - and maybe even the Enter the Matrix game) will buy it regardless, just to have the whole set. A boxed set had better not include anything more (but probably will). I've already got all the media (CD & DVD), except for the original Matrix score CD, and damned if I'm buying it all over again. My only suggestion for a boxed set would be to have room in the box for the game. It'd be a nice touch to have everything together in one box. I don't expect to see it, but it'd be a pleasant surprise.

[American Oyaji]

I rented the reloaded DVD and I was VERY dissappointed. It had very little in behind the scenes stuff.

[japslapper]

[kamome]

Holy sheeeeit, Dark City! Nice obscure reference. That movie wasn't too bad, if I remember correctly....?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

[Caustic Saint]

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

When tron was in the cinema even it was a flop. It is probably the biggest flop of that era, thats it only credit to is current fame.

I dont care about the 5 or 6 geeks that watched in the cineam. I wasnt even born lol. The first film i ever remember is the return of the hulk / or that BMX film. Cant remember the name of that film but the prize in my local cinema was a BMX. whodathunkit.

Now trying to make a phonic representation of the sound of the speeders out of tron just using the alphabet.

dila dila dila dila dila dila dila neen dila dila dila dila dila pohk, shit i just hit the wall.

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

From http://www.kuro5hin.org

Dear disappointed Matrix fans, for your benefit and edification, I have prepared a list of things that will not happen as a direct result of the movie failing to live up to your exacting standards:




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


hyperinflation
stockmarket crash
crop failure
civil unrest
worldwide influenza epidemic
volcanic eruptions
rains of blood
yawning chasms opening in the ground from which spew forth the gathered armies of Hell while the four horsemen of the Apocalypse bestride the ashen sky raining destruction on the nations of the Earth below
I hope this helps you keep things in perspective.

[Caustic Saint]

I dont care about the 5 or 6 geeks that watched in the cineam. I wasnt even born lol.

STFU, you unborn know-nothing! Any kid who had the vaguest interest in games was into that movie. It was arcade culture on the big screen.

TESTIFY!!

On the other hand, The Last Starfighter was/is and always will be crap.

Along with Cloak and Dagger and The Wizard.

By the way, Tron cost $17million to make and grossed $33million. Certianly not a smash, but hardly a flop.

[groovewonder]

Wow! This brings back memories......... Anyone know where I can download centipede?

[groovewonder]

Nevermind. The top link in yahoo search for the game was useful...

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?CentipedeGame

[GargoyleTS]

There's that Corporate-Coalition BULLSHIT again! How in the hell does a movie that set a record for 5-days world-wide release tickets sales even begin to equal "sales are down, sell it quick"??? Just cause the numbers weren't what they expected?? More FUD from the people who brought you The Hulk 2003 and other crappy movies! Heck, the Matrix Regurgitated grossed more than Bored of the Rings-The Foo Towers did, and they are "Worried that the time to make money from the franchise may be running out". Yeah, BTW Warner, I still have that bridge deed in San Fransisco if your interested.

As far as the movie went, my dream was better. Me and a friend (they never have faces in my dreams, but that's probly cause I don't choose "best" friends) are running along the highway being chased by 2 black hookers and I am calling for the Enterprise to beam us up...that's when I woke up cause it was just too weird to sleep through...unlike this movie. Effects, up to par. Action, not enough. Made sense, not really. And if one of those Wachowski's ever tries to touch my "source" i'll cut his frigging hands off!

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Code: Select all

On the other hand, The Last Starfighter was/is and always will be crap.

Ultra we are now sworn enemies "the last starfighter" was one of my favourite movies of all time along with "flight of the navigator' and 'Daryl'

Notice I was the first person to make the link between tron and the matrix. (Secretly I loved Tron) another comparison between Tron and the matrix is that they were extremely high budget and focused to heavily on special fx.

[GomiGirl]

One of GomiGirl's kept men

I have just noticed your signature!!!

[Caustic Saint]

For an extra dip into the minds of the Brothers W, check out their script for "Carnivore," an as-yet unproduced movie. At one point, George Romero was slated to direct it, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside. Some good scenes, sequences and scene changes. It's a simple enough story, but the pacing seems decent enough. The bugdet would be quite low, so I'm not sure why it hasn't been made yet. (Could be because the story alludes to a few things and doesn't resolve them - but I digress.)

(ultraEDIT: link deleted)

[GargoyleTS]

GG: Glad you like it!

Off-topic (only slighlty IMO) did anyone here catch a trailer for AVP? Yeah, that's right! Aliens Versus Predator! Finally offered to us long-suffering (and yes, Predator 2 WAS too long) fans of the franchises! For those who only seeing will make of them believers, I offer you:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avp/large.html

http://www.avp-movie.com/

Official links to the goods!

[Caustic Saint]

Off-topic (only slighlty IMO) did anyone here catch a trailer for AVP? Yeah, that's right! Aliens Versus Predator! Finally offered to us long-suffering (and yes, Predator 2 WAS too long) fans of the franchises! For those who only seeing will make of them believers, I offer you:

I've watched the teaser and the behind the scenes footage. I'll reserve final judgement until I see it, but it doesn't look promising at this stage. It's taking a lot of liberties with both franchiese - especially with Alien.

I'm more interested in Scott's new cut of Alien. And why Weaver's not on any of the commentaries in the Quadrilogy boxed set, new version or old.