There are several great scenes, and I more greatly enjoy a weird movie (to be fair, people complain the film's choices are odd, but few say it's outright worthless) with a sprinkling of perfect scenes than a "decent" movie that doesn't do anything wrong, but isn't special. I have way less positive feelings about Revolutions, which I think dragged this movie down with itself, reputationally. If Revolutions had been brilliant, the consensus would be that this movie was a classic. I would never argue with anyone who didn't like it that they were "wrong," but it's nice to see other people appreciating the film for its good qualities
My first time watching sequence was reloaded revolutions and then the matrix, so this movie is more closer to my childhood, and I absolutely adore the music and action on this movie, didn't care about the story back then, the action visuals and score was enough for me
I'm absolutely baffled how this channel does not have more subscribers, I've been watching for many years now and I must say these retrospectives are my favourite thing to watch.
He is such an undiscovered gem. The production, editing and his voice are awesome. I think the algorithm hates videos over 10 minutes. Or also viewers generally watch short video so that what get's recommended to them. You d be surprised a lot of people won't click on long videos.
Even though the dialogue is sometimes overwhelming with its pomposity, I really like Reloaded and the new characters, especially The Merovingian. I felt there was a story on it, a bit too pretentious, yes, but an interesting story with many moments and good visuals to remember. Revolutions on the other hand felt like two hours of gunfire with little story on it, and I really just remember the giant baby head full of spikes, the Power Loader copied from Aliens, and a sunset getting collored in the ending.
Yeah it’s almost irritating to me that I can’t ever just casually pop in reloaded without also watching revolutions bc of the cliffhanger and stuff. Revolutions isn’t the worst movie ever but nowhere near as good as reloaded
Yeah, if Revolutions was the best one or at least close to as good as the others, Reloaded would have been remembered more fondly. It's kind of a brilliant setup to a very lackluster finale.
The sequels took away the brutality of the fights from the 1st movie and turned them into comic book fights. Hated that but it does have one hell of an action set piece with the highway chase and the chateau fight
Agreed! The first movie sold it's concept as our world being a computer simulation because it was gritty like real world but with the mind bending elements. The sequels both feel like they're in a video game, even when they're outside of the matrix!
I think both Reloaded and Revolutions and the footage from the game could be re-cut into one really good, coherent 2:30 hour movie. The hardest part would be deciding which action scenes get cut out.
Probably should cut out some scenes but you definitely can shorten them. The fight with the smiths in the playground for example could be tighten up by 20 seconds. Adds a bit more pace, cuts out the repetition
At least half of Revolutions can get cut. I would go as far as only leaving the Zion battle, the rest gets scrapped, and come up with a different ending instead of dragonballz Smith fight
Some of the better action scenes of the 2000s, the highway chase is still one of the more memorable moments from any film of the last 25 years. It's kinda like the star wars prequels, rough dialog, about a half hour too long, but the action keeps me coming back for repeat viewings
Not only is the action on point but my goodness the soundtrack and selection of music they used for certain scenes has your heart pumping and hair standing. Burly brawl, chateau, Mona Lisa overdrive...I run hard to those tracks!. That’s just how good all of it is!
What made me interested in it is the way is explores themes like the difference between humanity and the machines, questions the original movie’s presentation of fate and free will, and how it leans heavily into the philosophical concepts. The dialogue is actually quite a bit better written than the SW prequels because the prequel dialogue is overly simplistic and has a tendency to make the subtleties of the movies way too obvious. Whereas, the Matrix dialogue merely presents the questions you should ask without answering them for you - they let Neo’s actions hint to the correct answer. Anyway I think the thing that’s actually timeless about the Matrix is it’s thematic exploration.
I enjoyed Reloaded a lot. The CGI during the Smith fight in the park didn't bother me. I just figured it's a computer program. 😉 Now regarding the Architect, I thought his speech was supposed to sound like a data dump. Is it just me?
Connery turned down both LOTR and The Matrix, because he didn't get the scripts. Imagine that alternate history, eh. "Youuu... shall not... pash!" "Hello Neo, I am the architect, I created the matricsh"
I love the sequels. I love the direction they went in. The formula to all of this is each film constantly interrogates the previous film in the franchise. The goal seems to be to change your perspective on the story, which is really refreshing. The sequels are by no means perfect as you pointed out. The pacing is blocky, the cinematography isn't great outside of action scenes (Bill Pope is still amazing though), but I appreciate that everyone involved tried something different. I don't begrudge anyone that doesn't like these movies though.
I bought Enter the Matrix on release for full price. I will never forget how the wheels on the cars were literally squares. Max Payne still holds up today and was released two years prior to EtM
You've become pretty incredible at cutting together the trailers. The way you cut the fight scenes it's so juicy you can't tell the actors aren't good fighters, unlike in actual matrix movies
Jet Li was supposed to do extensive mo-cap work for the CGI fight scenes on top of playing Seraph. He didn't sign the contract because the producers wanted to keep all the rights to the mo-cap data and could've used what he considered his intellectual property in future projects.
people compare Neo to superman and the writters faced the same problems that character has. They tryed to throw new obstacles at him ( upgraded Agents, hordes of Smiths and the power to absord Neo humself) but without thinking enough about it. the thing is we dont know how neo´s powers work, since the matrix has a soft magic system that is far from explained in detail.
The first movie ended with neo having the power of a god and going on to destroy the matrix by himself. This one, he was downgraded to someone with a little more strength and speed, nothing more
I always thought that when the humans got out of the Matrix, they were still in another level of it designed to control people who saw through the normal matrix. And that that was why Neo had powers outside of the matrix by the end.
@@AliceBowie in the reloaded architect tell neo that they had destroyed zion 5 times to deal with the one nd keep control over humans they let some few people out of matrix to repopulate zion in other words no matter how perfect matrix is some people will never believe in it for them zion exist. Humanity basically had no chance against machines
The Matrix Reloaded is my favorite of the two sequels and the entire franchise. Has a lot of fun moments and the dialogue is still good despite some iffy dialogue there. I love the score, performances are great and my favorite action scene in the film is the Burly Brawl but I also love the freeway chase. Soundtrack is really great too and the after credits trailer for Revolutions was very surprising when I first watched it.
This is one of those movies that in hindsight was nowhere near as clean and well put together as the first. That said, when you watch it for the first time it's a great experience. I just had a massive grin plastered on my face while watching it because it was so over the top
I'll admit, I enjoyed it at the time. But I was young and didn't really spot flaws in movies. I don't think I've ever bothered again... So it can't be that great 😂
The freeway chase sequence is still one of the best car chases ever put to film in my opinion. The middle pile up where Johnson jumps on to the Oldsmobile, flipping it over and setting in motion the most balletic multi car crash is a true masterclass in stunt choreography.
The movie is a nice mix of "i'm going to dump so much exposition that you will have diabetes in the end of the day " to "Forget jumping the Shark, the Shark will jump on you"
The acting in the prequels was intentional. The dialogue was in inspired and trying to be Shakespeare. George wanted to go back to doing experimental films but not everyone likes those.
This one is my favorite of the Matrix sequels. The highway chase fight, the Ghost twins, and hallway sequence are awesome. I even got my theater movie poster signed by Hugo Weaving himself when I was a locations assistant on his film "The Key Man."
You made the retrospective on the first move a long time ago, but it feels like it was yesyerday! Can't wait for this one. I do not understand why people do not love sequels, they are great movies, and absolutely crucial in understanding the Matrix psylosophy and depth. Matrix trilogy is one of the smartest out there, but requires real in depth knowledge to understand it as a whole.
Personally I love Enter the Matrix, even more than Path of Neo which came later. The fighting and focus system is just so fun to play around with and you're very free to approach the game many different ways, and the difficulty is just where I like it. The controls are weird, but once you get used to them, you actually have a ton of fine control over your character at every second, and intelligent use of focus becomes essential later in the game dealing with large groups of enemies. But it's always fun to disarm guards and blow them away with their own guns and spin slowly through the air shooting multiple targets in one long twisting dive. I plan to get the PC version and play it again, I all but wore out my console copies.
It was an exciting time back in the early 2000s, all those trilogies... Reloaded has great action but my big issue is simply that the actors, except Smith, turned into robots.
Hard disagree. Not sure what everyone expected after the end of the first movie. He basically became a god. Who in their right mind thought he might die in the SEQUEL? I was a child, and even I understood that the reason he’s gonna be ok is cause he’s the protagonist. Y’all just wanted things that these movies never promised you. And imo, cinema paid the price for it. Now we have shit like RoP, Terminator: Genysis, Alien: Covenant, the Star Wars sequels, and so much more cinematic AIDS
I really disagree with Oliver's statement that the Wachoswkis didn't get how to entertain the audience. I never wanted the Matrix to become the new "feel good saga" [Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc] and I was (and still am) more fascinated with Reloaded and Revolutions than any of those films. I'm so glad that my children and grandchildren can appreciate legitimately original, challenging and thought provoking works that will stand the test of time as some of the greatest sequels ever made.
I was the same where I walked away from this in theaters disappointed. The game was also just kind of "meh", despite being extremely impressive upon release. Over time Reloaded would eventually grow on me along with Revolutions. As an adult I enjoy the philosophical aspects. When I watch them these days, I generally have to make it a multi-day thing and watch both Reloaded and Revolutions back to back. Each falls flat on its own, but together they make for an interesting story. I will say, one great thing that came of all this is the Animatrix. The way they flesh out the world there and the way they handle many of the stories in the dark manner they do is just excellent, and I still rock that soundtrack in my car to this day, haha.
This is a GREAT retro-review Oliver-WELL DONE.I remember watching Reloaded in the cinema when it came out.Didn't like it or Revolutions.The first Matrix is my favorite film from the trilogy-EASILY.I liked all the main characters and cared what happened to them,when they died or got killed in the film you could hear collective groans from the audience.
A lot of the characters can be a bit dull and the cinematography during dialog scenes very static like you said. But I do love the story they were telling and I don't think it gets lost in its own ideas. I like the non-traditional approach they took instead of the usual hero's journey. How even that was just another level of control and the prophesy being a lie. That is seriously cool. Took me years to understand it but its really interesting when you figure it out
The dialogue was what could be considered a purple prose, so wordy that it loses some of its impact. However, if you take the time to cut through the wordiness and kind of understand exactly what they were trying to do with it it's quite compelling and original.
I think what they did with the two movies were on point. Yes we couldn’t understand them that well during that time but we knew that they were part of a very large story. If I was a director with this idea, my focus wouldn’t be creating sequels with individual outcomes, but on expanding this complex story the best way I can, by dividing it into 3 parts, which is what they did. When I heard the architect, I found it difficult to comprehend what he was saying at the time, but in hindsight it makes sense, he is a source program, built from a multitude of complex numerical algorithms… it’s like a machine suddenly speaking to you in code. I applaud their effort and vision, and having the guts to trust the process.
Good review. The real problem with the sequel is it wasn't needed. Too much information on the backstory essentially spoils the magic and wonder of the first. With that said, the highway sequence is kick-ass!
I really enjoyed Reloaded. Have to say I never thought they should have made any sequel at all to the matrix, but Reloaded is a ripper. Fun story, one of my friends took a girl out on a first date to go see Reloaded and she had not seen the first one.
Interesting fact: One of my teachers in middle school actually played one of the background red pills in the scene where Niobe informs all the crew members that the machines are digging. During the scene, I believe Morpheus said a line of dialogue that was supposed to get a big reaction out of the other crew members. However the extra's kept messing up over and over again (most likely due to them just being excited to be in a Matrix movie) and none could leave until the shoot was done. According to my teacher, Laurence Fishburne surprisingly kept his cool on set, and seamlessly slipped back in to character with each take.
Oh man i can feel Bill Pope's pain in the line "The Wachowski's had red that damn book about stanley kubrick where it said 'actors don't give a natural performance, until you wear them out'." How i wish Wachowski's had taken a note from Clint Eastwood or especially William Friedkin at the time, who rarely does more than one take of the scene, specifically to keep the performances natural and spontaneous. Perhaps they wanted unnatural performances instead? They certainly are all monotone and flat in the movie.
The script simply needed more work. It feels like they filmed a first draft -- great ideas, weak execution. With the original movie, the Wachowskis wrote over a dozen drafts. That's why everything feels so perfect. I still enjoy re-watching clips of Reloaded, but not the whole thing.
Watched this last night for the 1st time in a very long time. It is a solid 3 star sequel with some big time highs and some obvious lows. The middle section really grinds down to a halt with all the wordy exposition and very little action. The freeway chase and finale basically saves it from being a total disappointment.
I was wondering who was to blame for the idea that you had to play video games and watch media other than the movies themselves to get what was going on.
25:46 I forgot all about the "reveal" that this is the 6th time Neo reaches the Architect. Honestly, I never believed his BS, the Oracle even saying he (the Architect) can't see past any choice. You could remove that character entirely and it wouldn't make much of a difference.
Worked with someone who was on the Matrix VFX team. They were doing miracles back then, especially on the 1st part, where money was tight. Without Keanu's financial help, things might've not been finished. I don't know who got rich off part 2 and 3, but it was definitely not the VFX team. The best they got was a thing on their resume that could get them any other job. Back then people worked on movies, just to have an extra line on the resume.
Man I remember the night this opened. I had seen The Matrix in '99, first on my own, then with every friend group I could drag to a theater. Good goods, 1998 was a great year for movies and 1999 was EVEN BETTER! The line for Reloaded was over a quarter mile long ... for a *midnight* show. Aaaaaaand then we got to watch it. And wonder what the hell we were watching. It was the same as the shift from Star Wars to The Phantom Menace ... a shift from a personal scale, hero's call that's easy to identify with, to a large sprawling drama on a massive scale. There's just no "in" for the audience.
Very insightful. There's one filmaker choice that I do NOT understand: Neo's ability to use his abilities in the "real" world. It makes no sense. At all. I was utterly convinced after first watch that Revolutions would reveal that the real world was just the 2nd level of the Matrix, provided only to give the illusion of choice, thus fulfilling the Architect's formula. Nope. Turned out it was "just 'cuz". For having so many other great ideas and refusing to talk down to the audience, this was just insulting me as a viewer.
I thought the sequels were a bunch pretentious tripe. I remember reading a quote from someone who worked on the films that everyone on set was acting like they were making the most important movies ever. That definitely comes across in the finished product.
Saw these movies as a 13 year old on DVD and i understood the sequels. People at the time disliked them but I loved and appreciated the sequels. I wanted more spin offs
21:35 When Ollie says the songs that "didn't make the cut but were inspired by Reloaded" I don't know if this is true. I assume this means the artists were inspired by the film? The songs that didn't make the final film are by Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Team Sleep, Unloco. If all those tracks were inspired by the film, that's news to me! This would mean the bands recorded their songs with the film's soundtrack in mind.
I remember how hyped up I was for this movie as an 11 year old kid. I had that limited edition Powerade and was leaping and running down the sidewalk thinking I was in the Matrix, lol. And I had Enter the Matrix for Christmas that year. It (Reloaded) didn't live up to the first movie and neither did Revolutions but I'll take those both over Resurrections.
I recently considered that with all the ideas the Wachowski’s had for the sequels along with the subplots, new characters and a larger world to build than the first film… if the Matrix sequels where made again today they would undoubtedly be a tv series on stream like on HBO. With 10ish episode they really could have just taken their time to focus on not just the main cast and what they’re doing but also develop Zion for an episode or the other key characters in other episodes and have them all working on similar goals to free people from the matrix and find out more about the Mechines and their plans to invide Zion. Heck even have episodes that deal with a new philosophical idea because clearly the Wachowski’s didn’t want to settle on just one idea (like choice vs free will, control and destiny etc.) and make sure it connects to each character they may follow in each episode. Maybe if they continued with the idea as he describes in the video of Neo freeing people from the Matrix each new characters to be freed would have Neo deal with new philosophical idea or conundrum that is keeping the characters plugged in and not wanting to take the red pill. All continuing and sharing the same journey of self discovery like Neo did in the first film only to have the rugged pulled out from under to be reveal by the Architect this is what the mechines wanted for Neo. The Matrix sequels to me are the perfect example of filmmakers trying to bit off more than they can chew with ambitions that where not even enough to fit in 2 movies and would continue in video games and animated shorts that many average films goers wouldn’t experience anyways. I mean with a tv series they wouldn’t really have the money for the highway sequence but a better continuation would still be satifying.
The Matrix Resurrections did not receive "largely negative reviews". It sits at 63 % at Rotten Tomatoes, with a 6.2 avg rating. That's much higher than Revolutions.
You didn't mention that they added the confusing element of Neo being able to affect machines outside the Matrix, seemingly by magic or telepathy, and then doing that put in a coma. That was a stange addition that I don't think they satisfactorily explained. Neo's power in the Matrix made sense (and the pretentious Architect dialogue added a firmer understanding of how he gained his power over the Matrix), but it all suggested that outside the Matrix he was just another man...who could apparently use his psychic powers to short circuit machines from a distance? I am surprized to hear people now like the sequels. I don't know any of those people. I think I like more than most because I like various parts of the sequels, but taken all together I think they don't work. If the Matrix had never had sequels it would be legendary today and even more beloved than it already is...people would universarilly say what a shame it is that this perfect movie never had sequels, blissfully unaware of the dangers of getting what you wish for.
For me the first Matrix movie was lightning in a bottle. I will admit I was heavily hyped for Reloaded and absolutely loved it on first viewing in the cinema. It was when I rewatched it on dvd I found myself a tad bored and just wanted to get to the action scenes. The part with the architect though has always been pompous drivel for me, I will fast forward through that part everytime now. And Revolutions.. well ... probably one of the most disappointing films ever. I can honestly say the sequels are the reason I am in no rush to see the new Matrix film, think I'll just wait till its free on streaming that one lol
Matrix 4 was surprisingly okay. Like, I expected it to be absolute shit but it had a lot of good stuff going for it. It openly questions its own existence, I think that's a first
It’s funny, this is the only movie in this franchise that I actually saw in theaters. I was too young to see the first one on the big screen, and I had no real interest in going to a theater to watch Revolutions or Resurrections. 😅
I was sixteen when this came out and was so excited. It was truly a mixed response because I loved the action especially the freeway sequence (which still holds up!) but the exposition stuff really killed the momentum. However over time I have really come to appreciate those scenes a lot more and do kind of admire the wachowskis going a completely different direction. For better and worse, these movies are unlike most sequels and they stand out for it. Plenty of flaws but I do enjoy reloaded.
I remember in the cinema, when we got to the end, and saw Neo, then the cam goes to the guy Smith took over. People were asking (who's that). And I gotta admit I was not sure myself. A cliffhanger that people didn't get. The dialog throughout the movie was overly complicated. It felt like you had to watch it twice to understand the story. Especially when the action-scenes was SO amazing. The Highway chase is still one of my favorites to this day. But going from that into a dialog scene taking the same amount of time that the Wachowskis made so complicated ruined the movie for me. The whole Merovingian part was way too long. Him bragging about how great a program he was, the control he had etc. etc. And the architect conversation that nobody fully understood. Only that the machines had destroyed the city several times.
I love the fact that Sean Connery is turning down these big movies because they confuse him. The Matrix and Gandalf in LOTR. I just picture his face in the Jackie Chan confused meme as they pass him by and become cultural touchstones 😂
Another great retrospective. thank you Oliver. 1- the structure of the sequels makes them individualy weaker and less memorable. Reloaded ending on a clifhanger made me feel cheated instead of excited to see the next one. a sign that it wasnt a satisfying experience 2- they missused the tecnology in some moments. the fight against the endless Smith´s is perhaps the major culprit of this. 3- Hugo weaving is a great actor but the sequels miss the simplicity of having a clear antagonist. both the first and second movies are about making choices/believing and battles both interior and exterior.the original did it more elegantly. 4- mr. anderson´s story was much more interesting and engaging than neo´s in reloaded. i get that he isnt actualy special the way we though he was but it would have been nice to see some exploration of how his transformation changed and affected him. 5- the highway sequence is great. 6- the chateau fight scene looks great but at the end of the day is just eye candy and proves that Neo is immortal. 7- introduction of the new agents was amazing. a shame they werent better used. 8- Smith as a villain becomes very uninteresting and he shows up too soon. 9-Not a bad movie but not what most expected.
The main convention the Wachowskis flout is "show, don't tell". All they do is tell ... sometimes they illustrate while telling, but then fall back to telling. The first installment was less guilty because the scope was narrow, it introduced basic tenets, it called the hero forth. But as a whole, the trilogy-now a quadrilogy-is one of the largest, most bloated just-so stories ever distributed in movie form!
Even if this movie has a mixed reaction, I will always dig that freeway chase with that soundtrack.
Right?
There are several great scenes, and I more greatly enjoy a weird movie (to be fair, people complain the film's choices are odd, but few say it's outright worthless) with a sprinkling of perfect scenes than a "decent" movie that doesn't do anything wrong, but isn't special.
I have way less positive feelings about Revolutions, which I think dragged this movie down with itself, reputationally. If Revolutions had been brilliant, the consensus would be that this movie was a classic. I would never argue with anyone who didn't like it that they were "wrong," but it's nice to see other people appreciating the film for its good qualities
Literally the only memorable scene from part 2.
My first time watching sequence was reloaded revolutions and then the matrix, so this movie is more closer to my childhood, and I absolutely adore the music and action on this movie, didn't care about the story back then, the action visuals and score was enough for me
@@Rschr101 clearly the only one you saw if you think that nonsense lol
I'm absolutely baffled how this channel does not have more subscribers, I've been watching for many years now and I must say these retrospectives are my favourite thing to watch.
Yeah, this mf deserves 100x the views
He is such an undiscovered gem. The production, editing and his voice are awesome. I think the algorithm hates videos over 10 minutes. Or also viewers generally watch short video so that what get's recommended to them. You d be surprised a lot of people won't click on long videos.
I just subscribed. Thanks for the reminder.🙂
Even though the dialogue is sometimes overwhelming with its pomposity, I really like Reloaded and the new characters, especially The Merovingian. I felt there was a story on it, a bit too pretentious, yes, but an interesting story with many moments and good visuals to remember. Revolutions on the other hand felt like two hours of gunfire with little story on it, and I really just remember the giant baby head full of spikes, the Power Loader copied from Aliens, and a sunset getting collored in the ending.
Yeah it’s almost irritating to me that I can’t ever just casually pop in reloaded without also watching revolutions bc of the cliffhanger and stuff. Revolutions isn’t the worst movie ever but nowhere near as good as reloaded
Yeah, if Revolutions was the best one or at least close to as good as the others, Reloaded would have been remembered more fondly. It's kind of a brilliant setup to a very lackluster finale.
What Waichowski did to Merovingian in the new movie was a massacre.
@@minespatch what he did to Neo and Trinity was just as bizarre
Its like reading same topic in a philosophy but written by different people.
I can't believe this movie is nearly 20 years old, I remember the hype of this film as a kid.
I can remember that Powerade movie tie in. I loved my green powerade
@@VenusHeadTrap2 I remember the commercial in the Reloaded dvd. Always made me laugh.
Reloaded had some amazing action and the score and Hugo Weaving he steals the show everytime he appears
Yes, he plays favorite character in the whole series.
The sequels took away the brutality of the fights from the 1st movie and turned them into comic book fights. Hated that but it does have one hell of an action set piece with the highway chase and the chateau fight
Agreed! The first movie sold it's concept as our world being a computer simulation because it was gritty like real world but with the mind bending elements. The sequels both feel like they're in a video game, even when they're outside of the matrix!
Reloaded was the best cinema experience I've seen as a kid.
I know right!!! 😉👍🏼
@@leonardoyramm1856 Bro 🍿
Agreed, the build up to the film and the line the morning it came out was amazing. The only other time I got that feeling be was Avengers Endgame.
@@Pewpewpew182 I'd also say for the first avengers as well
I think both Reloaded and Revolutions and the footage from the game could be re-cut into one really good, coherent 2:30 hour movie. The hardest part would be deciding which action scenes get cut out.
Probably should cut out some scenes but you definitely can shorten them. The fight with the smiths in the playground for example could be tighten up by 20 seconds. Adds a bit more pace, cuts out the repetition
That dumb shootout in revolutions can go. They tried to outdo the lobby scene from the first film and it just failed.
At least half of Revolutions can get cut. I would go as far as only leaving the Zion battle, the rest gets scrapped, and come up with a different ending instead of dragonballz Smith fight
Thats the good thing a out Revolutions, you only need the Neo vs Super Smith fight, just deleted the rest, lol.
None
When I first saw that they height of Zion's social interaction was cavorting at a rave inside a cave I was so underwhelmed.
Embarrassing scene. Helped ruin the film for me.
Some of the better action scenes of the 2000s, the highway chase is still one of the more memorable moments from any film of the last 25 years. It's kinda like the star wars prequels, rough dialog, about a half hour too long, but the action keeps me coming back for repeat viewings
Not only is the action on point but my goodness the soundtrack and selection of music they used for certain scenes has your heart pumping and hair standing. Burly brawl, chateau, Mona Lisa overdrive...I run hard to those tracks!. That’s just how good all of it is!
@@emmanuelgeorge5413 agreed, I still listen to the soundtrack while working out, you nailed it!
What made me interested in it is the way is explores themes like the difference between humanity and the machines, questions the original movie’s presentation of fate and free will, and how it leans heavily into the philosophical concepts. The dialogue is actually quite a bit better written than the SW prequels because the prequel dialogue is overly simplistic and has a tendency to make the subtleties of the movies way too obvious. Whereas, the Matrix dialogue merely presents the questions you should ask without answering them for you - they let Neo’s actions hint to the correct answer.
Anyway I think the thing that’s actually timeless about the Matrix is it’s thematic exploration.
I enjoyed Reloaded a lot. The CGI during the Smith fight in the park didn't bother me. I just figured it's a computer program. 😉 Now regarding the Architect, I thought his speech was supposed to sound like a data dump. Is it just me?
Connery turned down both LOTR and The Matrix, because he didn't get the scripts. Imagine that alternate history, eh.
"Youuu... shall not... pash!"
"Hello Neo, I am the architect, I created the matricsh"
I love the sequels. I love the direction they went in. The formula to all of this is each film constantly interrogates the previous film in the franchise. The goal seems to be to change your perspective on the story, which is really refreshing. The sequels are by no means perfect as you pointed out. The pacing is blocky, the cinematography isn't great outside of action scenes (Bill Pope is still amazing though), but I appreciate that everyone involved tried something different. I don't begrudge anyone that doesn't like these movies though.
I bought Enter the Matrix on release for full price. I will never forget how the wheels on the cars were literally squares. Max Payne still holds up today and was released two years prior to EtM
Yeah Max Payne is still awesome to this day. If you want to play a good Matrix game Path of Neo is much better.
You've become pretty incredible at cutting together the trailers. The way you cut the fight scenes it's so juicy you can't tell the actors aren't good fighters, unlike in actual matrix movies
Jet Li was supposed to do extensive mo-cap work for the CGI fight scenes on top of playing Seraph. He didn't sign the contract because the producers wanted to keep all the rights to the mo-cap data and could've used what he considered his intellectual property in future projects.
We saw what happened with Luke Skywalker in Book of Boba Fett. It's so soulless.
My main issue with it was that Neo is so powerful there is 0 tension. The main reason the highway fight is so good is because Neo isn’t there.
Agreed.
people compare Neo to superman and the writters faced the same problems that character has. They tryed to throw new obstacles at him ( upgraded Agents, hordes of Smiths and the power to absord Neo humself) but without thinking enough about it. the thing is we dont know how neo´s powers work, since the matrix has a soft magic system that is far from explained in detail.
The first movie ended with neo having the power of a god and going on to destroy the matrix by himself.
This one, he was downgraded to someone with a little more strength and speed, nothing more
I always thought that when the humans got out of the Matrix, they were still in another level of it designed to control people who saw through the normal matrix. And that that was why Neo had powers outside of the matrix by the end.
@@AliceBowie in the reloaded architect tell neo that they had destroyed zion 5 times to deal with the one nd keep control over humans they let some few people out of matrix to repopulate zion in other words no matter how perfect matrix is some people will never believe in it for them zion exist. Humanity basically had no chance against machines
2003? Man, I can't believe it's been that long. So not ready for my Reloaded to be 20 years old!
The path of neo is the matrix game you want. It's amazing and really needs a re-release
But the final..with the wachowskis explaining why they made it...
The Matrix Reloaded is my favorite of the two sequels and the entire franchise. Has a lot of fun moments and the dialogue is still good despite some iffy dialogue there. I love the score, performances are great and my favorite action scene in the film is the Burly Brawl but I also love the freeway chase. Soundtrack is really great too and the after credits trailer for Revolutions was very surprising when I first watched it.
after all this years,i feel this movie works perfect, and is miles ahead from the poor 2021 matrix
Crazy that Enter the Matrix are from the same developers who made Earthworm Jim and Wild 9.
This is one of those movies that in hindsight was nowhere near as clean and well put together as the first. That said, when you watch it for the first time it's a great experience.
I just had a massive grin plastered on my face while watching it because it was so over the top
I'll admit, I enjoyed it at the time. But I was young and didn't really spot flaws in movies. I don't think I've ever bothered again... So it can't be that great 😂
It's one of those movies I loved while watching it, but already started making fun of on the way out of the theater.
Carrie-Anne Moss somehow aged faster than her costars between the first film and the sequels, like Margot Kidder between Superman I & II.
Because Fishburne already looked old for his age in the 1st and Keanu doesn't age hardly at all.
@@AbstractEntityJ, both cases involved weight loss.
Still can't get over the awesomeness of that whole chase sequence. One of the greatest...of all time.
The freeway chase sequence is still one of the best car chases ever put to film in my opinion. The middle pile up where Johnson jumps on to the Oldsmobile, flipping it over and setting in motion the most balletic multi car crash is a true masterclass in stunt choreography.
The movie is a nice mix of "i'm going to dump so much exposition that you will have diabetes in the end of the day " to "Forget jumping the Shark, the Shark will jump on you"
“What are you trying to tell me? That I can jump sharks?”
“No, Neo. I’m trying to tell you that when you’re ready, you won’t have to.”
The acting in the prequels was intentional. The dialogue was in inspired and trying to be Shakespeare. George wanted to go back to doing experimental films but not everyone likes those.
This one is my favorite of the Matrix sequels. The highway chase fight, the Ghost twins, and hallway sequence are awesome. I even got my theater movie poster signed by Hugo Weaving himself when I was a locations assistant on his film "The Key Man."
I personally love it as it shows Neo sort of evolved into a “final form” where he’s super powerful
One of my favourite Matrix sequels?
There are three to choose from and this is one of your favourites... crazy.
i totally LOVE your stuff oliver, keep it going brother!
You made the retrospective on the first move a long time ago, but it feels like it was yesyerday! Can't wait for this one.
I do not understand why people do not love sequels, they are great movies, and absolutely crucial in understanding the Matrix psylosophy and depth. Matrix trilogy is one of the smartest out there, but requires real in depth knowledge to understand it as a whole.
Personally I love Enter the Matrix, even more than Path of Neo which came later. The fighting and focus system is just so fun to play around with and you're very free to approach the game many different ways, and the difficulty is just where I like it. The controls are weird, but once you get used to them, you actually have a ton of fine control over your character at every second, and intelligent use of focus becomes essential later in the game dealing with large groups of enemies. But it's always fun to disarm guards and blow them away with their own guns and spin slowly through the air shooting multiple targets in one long twisting dive. I plan to get the PC version and play it again, I all but wore out my console copies.
It was an exciting time back in the early 2000s, all those trilogies... Reloaded has great action but my big issue is simply that the actors, except Smith, turned into robots.
Making Neo into superman sucked out all the tension. Hard to relate to a character who can fly. Made the fights boring.
Hard disagree.
Not sure what everyone expected after the end of the first movie. He basically became a god. Who in their right mind thought he might die in the SEQUEL? I was a child, and even I understood that the reason he’s gonna be ok is cause he’s the protagonist.
Y’all just wanted things that these movies never promised you. And imo, cinema paid the price for it. Now we have shit like RoP, Terminator: Genysis, Alien: Covenant, the Star Wars sequels, and so much more cinematic AIDS
I love your retrospectives. I'm a total film geek myself and a huge 80s fan. It's the level of detail you have that i like.
I really disagree with Oliver's statement that the Wachoswkis didn't get how to entertain the audience. I never wanted the Matrix to become the new "feel good saga" [Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc] and I was (and still am) more fascinated with Reloaded and Revolutions than any of those films. I'm so glad that my children and grandchildren can appreciate legitimately original, challenging and thought provoking works that will stand the test of time as some of the greatest sequels ever made.
Its awful
Agreed. Matrix reloaded is awesome
I was the same where I walked away from this in theaters disappointed. The game was also just kind of "meh", despite being extremely impressive upon release. Over time Reloaded would eventually grow on me along with Revolutions. As an adult I enjoy the philosophical aspects. When I watch them these days, I generally have to make it a multi-day thing and watch both Reloaded and Revolutions back to back. Each falls flat on its own, but together they make for an interesting story. I will say, one great thing that came of all this is the Animatrix. The way they flesh out the world there and the way they handle many of the stories in the dark manner they do is just excellent, and I still rock that soundtrack in my car to this day, haha.
YES! We love you Oliver! Youre the best!
This is a GREAT retro-review Oliver-WELL DONE.I remember watching Reloaded in the cinema when it came out.Didn't like it or Revolutions.The first Matrix is my favorite film from the trilogy-EASILY.I liked all the main characters and cared what happened to them,when they died or got killed in the film you could hear collective groans from the audience.
A lot of the characters can be a bit dull and the cinematography during dialog scenes very static like you said. But I do love the story they were telling and I don't think it gets lost in its own ideas. I like the non-traditional approach they took instead of the usual hero's journey. How even that was just another level of control and the prophesy being a lie. That is seriously cool. Took me years to understand it but its really interesting when you figure it out
The dialogue was what could be considered a purple prose, so wordy that it loses some of its impact. However, if you take the time to cut through the wordiness and kind of understand exactly what they were trying to do with it it's quite compelling and original.
I think what they did with the two movies were on point. Yes we couldn’t understand them that well during that time but we knew that they were part of a very large story. If I was a director with this idea, my focus wouldn’t be creating sequels with individual outcomes, but on expanding this complex story the best way I can, by dividing it into 3 parts, which is what they did. When I heard the architect, I found it difficult to comprehend what he was saying at the time, but in hindsight it makes sense, he is a source program, built from a multitude of complex numerical algorithms… it’s like a machine suddenly speaking to you in code. I applaud their effort and vision, and having the guts to trust the process.
I was so bored I fell asleep soon after the highway sequence. Thats when I knew I was done with this franchise.
Good review. The real problem with the sequel is it wasn't needed. Too much information on the backstory essentially spoils the magic and wonder of the first.
With that said, the highway sequence is kick-ass!
This was uploaded the day I turned 21. Thanks for the birthday present Oliver
The editing on your super cut was badass.
I really enjoyed Reloaded. Have to say I never thought they should have made any sequel at all to the matrix, but Reloaded is a ripper. Fun story, one of my friends took a girl out on a first date to go see Reloaded and she had not seen the first one.
Interesting fact: One of my teachers in middle school actually played one of the background red pills in the scene where Niobe informs all the crew members that the machines are digging. During the scene, I believe Morpheus said a line of dialogue that was supposed to get a big reaction out of the other crew members. However the extra's kept messing up over and over again (most likely due to them just being excited to be in a Matrix movie) and none could leave until the shoot was done. According to my teacher, Laurence Fishburne surprisingly kept his cool on set, and seamlessly slipped back in to character with each take.
Oh man i can feel Bill Pope's pain in the line "The Wachowski's had red that damn book about stanley kubrick where it said 'actors don't give a natural performance, until you wear them out'." How i wish Wachowski's had taken a note from Clint Eastwood or especially William Friedkin at the time, who rarely does more than one take of the scene, specifically to keep the performances natural and spontaneous. Perhaps they wanted unnatural performances instead? They certainly are all monotone and flat in the movie.
I immediately question people's competency when they look up to Kubrick
Matrix Reloaded was my fav film of 2003, then BINGO, it was released on disk and was literally in my DVD player for months, I watched it every night x
The script simply needed more work. It feels like they filmed a first draft -- great ideas, weak execution. With the original movie, the Wachowskis wrote over a dozen drafts. That's why everything feels so perfect. I still enjoy re-watching clips of Reloaded, but not the whole thing.
The original film was ripped off from another writer. The sequels were not. The discrepancy is obvious
Watched this last night for the 1st time in a very long time. It is a solid 3 star sequel with some big time highs and some obvious lows. The middle section really grinds down to a halt with all the wordy exposition and very little action. The freeway chase and finale basically saves it from being a total disappointment.
I loved seeing this movie with my dad and brother ! It was this one, Hulk and Lotr 2 towers
I saw this film in theatres back in 2003. It was a good sequel and I enjoyed it. I eventually got it on DVD for Christmas 2003.
I was wondering who was to blame for the idea that you had to play video games and watch media other than the movies themselves to get what was going on.
25:46 I forgot all about the "reveal" that this is the 6th time Neo reaches the Architect. Honestly, I never believed his BS, the Oracle even saying he (the Architect) can't see past any choice.
You could remove that character entirely and it wouldn't make much of a difference.
Worked with someone who was on the Matrix VFX team. They were doing miracles back then, especially on the 1st part, where money was tight. Without Keanu's financial help, things might've not been finished. I don't know who got rich off part 2 and 3, but it was definitely not the VFX team. The best they got was a thing on their resume that could get them any other job. Back then people worked on movies, just to have an extra line on the resume.
The intro and outro trailers were top notch. Well done, Harper
Man I remember the night this opened. I had seen The Matrix in '99, first on my own, then with every friend group I could drag to a theater. Good goods, 1998 was a great year for movies and 1999 was EVEN BETTER! The line for Reloaded was over a quarter mile long ... for a *midnight* show. Aaaaaaand then we got to watch it. And wonder what the hell we were watching.
It was the same as the shift from Star Wars to The Phantom Menace ... a shift from a personal scale, hero's call that's easy to identify with, to a large sprawling drama on a massive scale. There's just no "in" for the audience.
Very insightful. There's one filmaker choice that I do NOT understand: Neo's ability to use his abilities in the "real" world. It makes no sense. At all. I was utterly convinced after first watch that Revolutions would reveal that the real world was just the 2nd level of the Matrix, provided only to give the illusion of choice, thus fulfilling the Architect's formula. Nope. Turned out it was "just 'cuz". For having so many other great ideas and refusing to talk down to the audience, this was just insulting me as a viewer.
Makes plenty sense, he's connected to the mainframe after meeting with the architect
I thought the sequels were a bunch pretentious tripe. I remember reading a quote from someone who worked on the films that everyone on set was acting like they were making the most important movies ever. That definitely comes across in the finished product.
This will do nicely over this spot of cardio. No doubt this will be a damn fine video! 🍿
Fantastic video Oliver - really enjoyed
Always love your retrospective series, greetings from Indonesia!
So Thorough, another Masterpiece
Revolutions please!!
Great post as per.
In a mad mad world! Your a breath of fresh air!
Keep up the good work!
I generally agree. I remember leaving the theater for the first movie pumped and excited. I left the theater for the sequel a bit underwhelmed.
Hugo Weaving was fantastic at Agent Smith.
Saw these movies as a 13 year old on DVD and i understood the sequels. People at the time disliked them but I loved and appreciated the sequels. I wanted more spin offs
21:35 When Ollie says the songs that "didn't make the cut but were inspired by Reloaded" I don't know if this is true. I assume this means the artists were inspired by the film? The songs that didn't make the final film are by Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Team Sleep, Unloco. If all those tracks were inspired by the film, that's news to me! This would mean the bands recorded their songs with the film's soundtrack in mind.
Well done Oliver. A triumph as always. 👍
Good job oliver
I remember how hyped up I was for this movie as an 11 year old kid. I had that limited edition Powerade and was leaping and running down the sidewalk thinking I was in the Matrix, lol. And I had Enter the Matrix for Christmas that year. It (Reloaded) didn't live up to the first movie and neither did Revolutions but I'll take those both over Resurrections.
This is the best movie ever! I love it! 👍
I recently considered that with all the ideas the Wachowski’s had for the sequels along with the subplots, new characters and a larger world to build than the first film… if the Matrix sequels where made again today they would undoubtedly be a tv series on stream like on HBO.
With 10ish episode they really could have just taken their time to focus on not just the main cast and what they’re doing but also develop Zion for an episode or the other key characters in other episodes and have them all working on similar goals to free people from the matrix and find out more about the Mechines and their plans to invide Zion. Heck even have episodes that deal with a new philosophical idea because clearly the Wachowski’s didn’t want to settle on just one idea (like choice vs free will, control and destiny etc.) and make sure it connects to each character they may follow in each episode. Maybe if they continued with the idea as he describes in the video of Neo freeing people from the Matrix each new characters to be freed would have Neo deal with new philosophical idea or conundrum that is keeping the characters plugged in and not wanting to take the red pill. All continuing and sharing the same journey of self discovery like Neo did in the first film only to have the rugged pulled out from under to be reveal by the Architect this is what the mechines wanted for Neo.
The Matrix sequels to me are the perfect example of filmmakers trying to bit off more than they can chew with ambitions that where not even enough to fit in 2 movies and would continue in video games and animated shorts that many average films goers wouldn’t experience anyways.
I mean with a tv series they wouldn’t really have the money for the highway sequence but a better continuation would still be satifying.
No, it would be homos vs evil heteros
The Matrix Resurrections did not receive "largely negative reviews". It sits at 63 % at Rotten Tomatoes, with a 6.2 avg rating. That's much higher than Revolutions.
Critics have lower standards now than they had back then.
63% is a D. Being considered better than Revolutions is an extremely low bar.
Great review bruh 😎👍
I thought Connery was offered the part of Morpheus first time round.
He was.
You didn't mention that they added the confusing element of Neo being able to affect machines outside the Matrix, seemingly by magic or telepathy, and then doing that put in a coma. That was a stange addition that I don't think they satisfactorily explained. Neo's power in the Matrix made sense (and the pretentious Architect dialogue added a firmer understanding of how he gained his power over the Matrix), but it all suggested that outside the Matrix he was just another man...who could apparently use his psychic powers to short circuit machines from a distance?
I am surprized to hear people now like the sequels. I don't know any of those people. I think I like more than most because I like various parts of the sequels, but taken all together I think they don't work. If the Matrix had never had sequels it would be legendary today and even more beloved than it already is...people would universarilly say what a shame it is that this perfect movie never had sequels, blissfully unaware of the dangers of getting what you wish for.
Best movie content on YT
Monica Bellucci, the only thing worth remembering
Hell yeah
Behave, the action scenes are the best of the series.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
What About The Plotlines!?? It was all Amazing!
🤤Monica Bellucci..
i'm glad some fans have grown to appreciate the sequels. i saw them again leading up to resurrections and can't say i'm one of them.
That Mona Lisa overdrive track is so sick
this has always been my fave of the films
For me the first Matrix movie was lightning in a bottle. I will admit I was heavily hyped for Reloaded and absolutely loved it on first viewing in the cinema. It was when I rewatched it on dvd I found myself a tad bored and just wanted to get to the action scenes. The part with the architect though has always been pompous drivel for me, I will fast forward through that part everytime now. And Revolutions.. well ... probably one of the most disappointing films ever.
I can honestly say the sequels are the reason I am in no rush to see the new Matrix film, think I'll just wait till its free on streaming that one lol
Don’t worry your not missing anything because the new movie is a pile of recon 💩 and absolute garbage 🖕🖕😎😎
I wouldn’t waste time on it bro 😃
Matrix 4 was surprisingly okay. Like, I expected it to be absolute shit but it had a lot of good stuff going for it. It openly questions its own existence, I think that's a first
Do not see it ! It’s one of the worst films I’ve seen. It’s almost like a comedy matrix
Been waiting for this one for a while
6:16... This made me smile.😏 Finally.
It’s funny, this is the only movie in this franchise that I actually saw in theaters. I was too young to see the first one on the big screen, and I had no real interest in going to a theater to watch Revolutions or Resurrections. 😅
I was sixteen when this came out and was so excited. It was truly a mixed response because I loved the action especially the freeway sequence (which still holds up!) but the exposition stuff really killed the momentum. However over time I have really come to appreciate those scenes a lot more and do kind of admire the wachowskis going a completely different direction. For better and worse, these movies are unlike most sequels and they stand out for it. Plenty of flaws but I do enjoy reloaded.
Great retrospective, will we be seeing one of revolutions?
I remember in the cinema, when we got to the end, and saw Neo, then the cam goes to the guy Smith took over. People were asking (who's that). And I gotta admit I was not sure myself. A cliffhanger that people didn't get.
The dialog throughout the movie was overly complicated. It felt like you had to watch it twice to understand the story. Especially when the action-scenes was SO amazing. The Highway chase is still one of my favorites to this day. But going from that into a dialog scene taking the same amount of time that the Wachowskis made so complicated ruined the movie for me.
The whole Merovingian part was way too long. Him bragging about how great a program he was, the control he had etc. etc. And the architect conversation that nobody fully understood. Only that the machines had destroyed the city several times.
It was a complete deconstruction of the first film which I didn't like at the time but I have gained appreciation for as I have aged.
He's back baby
PLEASE do a retrospective on Passion of the Christ!!!
I loved the Wraith-Agents myself! They're awesome!
You can say this movie helped moviegoers like me, that can get through these tough couple of years. Think about that.
I love the fact that Sean Connery is turning down these big movies because they confuse him. The Matrix and Gandalf in LOTR. I just picture his face in the Jackie Chan confused meme as they pass him by and become cultural touchstones 😂
At least he's honest on why he didn't take on those roles. You gotta give it to him.
Honestly my favorite of the trilogy!
Another great retrospective. thank you Oliver.
1- the structure of the sequels makes them individualy weaker and less memorable. Reloaded ending on a clifhanger made me feel cheated instead of excited to see the next one. a sign that it wasnt a satisfying experience
2- they missused the tecnology in some moments. the fight against the endless Smith´s is perhaps the major culprit of this.
3- Hugo weaving is a great actor but the sequels miss the simplicity of having a clear antagonist. both the first and second movies are about making choices/believing and battles both interior and exterior.the original did it more elegantly.
4- mr. anderson´s story was much more interesting and engaging than neo´s in reloaded. i get that he isnt actualy special the way we though he was but it would have been nice to see some exploration of how his transformation changed and affected him.
5- the highway sequence is great.
6- the chateau fight scene looks great but at the end of the day is just eye candy and proves that Neo is immortal.
7- introduction of the new agents was amazing. a shame they werent better used.
8- Smith as a villain becomes very uninteresting and he shows up too soon.
9-Not a bad movie but not what most expected.
The main convention the Wachowskis flout is "show, don't tell". All they do is tell ... sometimes they illustrate while telling, but then fall back to telling. The first installment was less guilty because the scope was narrow, it introduced basic tenets, it called the hero forth. But as a whole, the trilogy-now a quadrilogy-is one of the largest, most bloated just-so stories ever distributed in movie form!
I always loved the matrix trilogy. Reloaded is my favorite movie of the trilogy. The philosophy, and the fight scenes are perfect!!!