An observation about "Matrix: Reloaded"

:rant:

That was the second one, right? The sequels suck so mightily that I can't tell them apart. They might actually be worse than the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Anyway, somewhere in the middle of Matrix2 is an excruciatingly overlong fight atop an 18-wheeler on the LA Freeway. It's between Morpheus and one of those ghost-guys, and it takes longer than continental drift. To call it boring is to make it seem exciting. The tedium of the scene is made worse by the fact that the setting is so obviously CGI that there's never any greater tension than you feel when you watch a stranger play a game in an arcade.

So I was watching 1903's The Great Train Robbery on TCM tonight, and I realized that the scene in which the robbers overtake the engine, kill one of the operators, and throw him off the train, is in fact far more effective than Matrix Part Deux, even without sound and in mostly sepia tones. Additionally, the thing was actually shot on a real train, so it's considerably more exciting.

Why did Matrix: The Sequel suck so bad? And why did a film made a century earlier get it right, while the W-Brothers got it so wrong?

:shrug:

The absolute WORST part of that film (and I had forgotten how bitter I was when we saw it at the theater) was the "ending" WHAT. THE. HELL!!!!

Reloaded and Revolution are a split film, and so that is part of the suckage explanation.

On a related note, I recently read that the movie of the final book in the Harry Potter series is going to be split into 2 movies as well. Good luck with that....

Beyond the long since cliche "what is reality" question explored quite interestingly in the first film.

And IMO the shallow attempt at spiritual depth contributes to the overall suckage. Ken Wilber and his whole Integral thing may be pleasing for those who find it pleasing, but for the rest of us it's kind of sappy.

Also, Matrix a Trois is only the second film in my history of film rentals that I actually returned without watching it through all the way. So bored was I that I yanked it from my DVD player and hurled the disc frisbee-style back to the store.

I've since had the misfortune of seeing it to the end.

:puke:

But it was so effing heavy handed! Did you get the burning bush talking to Moses vibe at the end of three?
I like subtle symbolism, not to be clobbered over the head with it!
Much like Lucas. I think they got cocky with the unexpected success of the first and did whatever the hell they wanted figuring they would have people hooked. In other words..the last two were self-indulgent shit.

with his legs together and his arms splayed wide... hmm... I wonder what THAT was s'posed to remind us of... :P

That being said, I'll still watch 'em from time to time, just for fun. :)

Splitting the last book in Harry Potter is a GOOD thing. The biggest problem with the movies have been leaving out certain key elements of the books. Seeing as there is SOOOOO much material in book 7 (the best book in the series) this is a GOOD thing to us Harry Potter Geeks!

What will suck will be that I'll have to pay $10 to essentially see half a movie-- ie I will leave the theater wanting to see the ending NOW. But I believe that they are going to be released within 6 months of each other, so that will help (as opposed to 2 years)

I should have known you'd be that kewl! That's my feeling too, that walking out at part one will be difficult. Kind of like the way I felt after finishing Book six!

all have kinda grown up on them. We read the first 3 or so aloud together as a family.

But does that part of the film take place on the LA Freeway? It's been a while since I saw it, and I can't remember.

and then after they tore it down, they donated all the materials to some charity that helps build houses or something like that.

Even if I hated the film, I love stories like that. Props to the W-Brothers for a fine deed!

and it was just a little comment buried in some of the 'making of' stuff... they didn't publicize it from what I saw, they weren't looking for gratitude. They just thought it was a good thing to do.

I am no dupe, I'll have you know.

A dope, perhaps. A dullard? Very likely?


But a dupe? I think not!

:P

;-)

I am entertaining myself with tautologies today... :D

:)

:hi:

So was the first, but that one had a shred of content by comparison... :D

would have been to explore the possibility that they are still inside a Matrix. That Zion and the Nebakanezer were just fictions created by the machines to keep the more restless minds occupied.

what with that "magic powers outside the Matrix" thing. That might have been interesting. Fortunately I've forgot most of the sequels.