| Directed by: | Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski |
| Written by: | Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski |
| Starring: | Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith |
| Released: | November 6, 2003 |
| Grade: | B |
Well. I didn’t understand the first film. I didn’t understand the second one either. And lo and behold, I didn’t understand this third and final instalment either. Maybe in fifty years time, I’ll look at these films again and realise there’s was a deep religious or philosophical subtext that I never grasped. I’ll appreciate the overwhelming talent of the Wachowski brothers and finally know they were well ahead of their time.
Then again, maybe I won’t. Maybe this is all just “smoke and mirrors”. All the complicated words and far-fetched theories mean nothing and merely conceal the fact there’s no plot or message to this story. The audience has been duped into paying three times the price to seeing a series of movies which have been marketed to perfection by Warner Brothers. They think that if you tell people what they like, some might believe. There is no “choice” so to speak.
I cannot deny that The Matrix: Revolutions is an extremely well made motion picture. The special effects are as good as ever and the direction is exceptional. It’s one thing to conceptualise this amazing world but it’s another to be able to bring it to life visually and the Wachowski brothers have not failed here. They begin with a bang and the several key action sequences (if not a little long) will keep you firmly entrenched in your seats with the eyes looking forward.
Neo (Reeves) will go in search of The Oracle (this time played by Mary Alice) to find information in his quest to save Zion and defeat Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). Some believe him and others do not. Regardless, the people of Zion will all have to defend their city against the advancing robots (known as sentinels). The odds are stacked firmly against them but the hope of a “miracle” will keep them fighting to the very end.
Whilst on the subject of the ending, let me express my personal sense of disappointment. After such a long wait, it wasn’t at all surprising or emotional. It’s flashy, but like much of what preceded it, you sense there isn’t a lot of substance.
The most definitive positive I can give the film is the incredible performance of Australian Hugo Weaving as Mr Smith. You will never see a better bad guy and gives a lively boost to every scene in which he appears. I haven’t heard much buzz but I’d love to see him honoured with some overdue nominations this coming Oscar season. I’d also like to pay homage to Keanu Reeves. Six years ago he was ridiculed for turning down the lead in Speed 2: Cruise Control. Now he gets the last laugh.
There’s basically nothing I can say to stop people from seeing this film but that isn’t my intention. When you’ve forked out the moolah to see the first four hours of the movie then it’s only fair that you go to see what happens in the last two. If there’s something I’ve missed, feel free to tell me.