This is part of an entire series of matrix reviews, look out for more to come.

"I believe that this night could hold the very meaning of our lives"

This is the second part of the Matrix "Trilogy". I don't like calling it a trilogy because it simply isn't. It's a collection of movies, comic strips, games, short stories. The matrix is far bigger than three movies. It is like star wars, but star wars has a far wider reach. I mean the matrix has still remained focussed around a smaller area. So all of the bits fit in far better with each other. However, Star wars still holds the ground in franchises.

It's also the most complicated part of the Matrix "Entity". I have already watched this at least 3 times. I've now watched it another 2 times in preparation for this review. I've also intently listened to the speech given by the architect several times to try and decipher it. So here goes.

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What Is The Matrix?
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*******The next section (till you get to the next highlighted title with -------- in it) contains an in depth analysis of what the Matrix is based on the first two films. If you'd rather think about and discover this for yourself don't read on.

It is very long and does reveal quite a bit about the plot. *******

Right. My interpretation of events leading up to where Neo is at the end of this movie and what we have found out:

The war between machines and humans happens. The machines take us in and start using us as batteries. They plug us into a matrix designed by a program called the "architect".

Programs? Ahh, yes, artificial intelligence is now at such a complicated level that it can make decisions and be almost human like. To create and control everything there have been programs written by artificial intelligence itself. Programs writing programs.

In order for everything to be done properly, these programs are given the same freedom and intelligence as the AI mainframe itself. They take human-like form so that they can be put into a Matrix with humans and fit in without anyone wondering why they're there. So their incarnation in the matrix is human-like anyway.

Two programs were created in order to build the Matrix. One of them was the architect. His (Its) job was to design the matrix itself, what it would look like and how it would incorporate people. The second is who we know as the Oracle. She was designed to analyse human nature and essentially figure out how to treat the people etc.

The first creation of the Matrix was perfect, but failed. The people put into it simple didn't believe what they were born into and rejected the program. This meant chaos, death, destruction. The people weren't contained. So the project failed and version 2 was released.

This time it was based on our history, less perfect, not as good. So more people accepted it. But a large number still didn't and eventually it descends into chaos.

Then came the third version (not the 6th as everyone thinks. There were 2 then a third. This third version is then used 6 times and effectively re-booted every time) was created. The solution to the problem was found by the Oracle.

The problem is choice. People were restrained and weren't given a choice. Effectively a choice of whether to accept or reject what the computer program was telling them was real. It was the taking away of freedom that meant people rejected the program.

So, subconsciously people were given a choice. They could choose to live in the Matrix and believe it was real or to escape the Matrix.

In order to make sure this works, they needed to create a story to keep the people in check. They created a prophecy of "the one" and implanted some code into a chosen human. This is Neo. He would have some degree of control over the Matrix and the machine world. He would "Free" the people who did reject the program.

The Oracle acts as a guide to people. She takes people out of the matrix, helps the rebels to get people out. This way, she can analyse the people who don’t accept the program and decide who should and shouldn’t be freed. But the rebels think she’s working to help their cause rather than to insure the right people are pulled out of the Matrix.

So Neo is part program, part human. He is effectively a tool so that the machines can take those who don't accept the Matrix. The prophecy is created about him leading Zion to victory so that he can be taken back to the "source" (effectively the mainframe) and they can take away the code he has and create the next "one".

Zion is then destroyed and Neo frees another load of people (a strange number was given in the movie) with a prophecy and they spend 100 years looking for "The One". Eventually they find him and the whole thing is like a cycle.

Zion is created to make sure those who reject the Matrix are controlled, it is then destroyed and re-created once it gets too big and too powerful.

However, Neo must have freedom and independence for all this to work. Which is why it's not 100% within the computers control. All the other programs are also given independence. So agents will still try and stop all of this from happening even though it's something which is "inevitable".

Still with me now? There's more to come.. this is where it really is a plot spoiler so don’t read on if you don’t want to.

Right. Next we have the programs. They have intelligence so high that they are starting to have desires. They are effectively beginning to have feelings. It's almost as if they've evolved into life forms.

Because of their independence and their intelligence they work out that they don't have to do what the mainframe wants them to. So when the mainframe wants to replace them with an upgrade they can choose to hide from it within the Matrix.

Having worked out ways of hiding using their intelligence they can stop themselves being deleted. They have the desire to survive. They are effectively becoming an animal. To continue living is a fundamental desire of any animal.

So the programs are working against the mainframe now, disobeying it. Many live within the Matrix and can't be deleted easily.

This explains ghosts and vampires. They are (one would guess) older versions of the agents which police the matrix. Instead of being deleted they simply hide. The same goes for many programs that litter the Matrix.

The Oracle has predictive powers because she can predict and analyse human behaviour. She is also concerned about her own existence and knows that things aren't the same this time.

Firstly there is agent Smith. His program code got jumbled around a bit when Neo killed him and he has the ability to copy himself. He's also taken the desire to survive into a desire to populate the Matrix with himself only. The desire to rule.

Then there’s the kidnapped key maker. One would presume that Neo would normally just be given the key maker and wouldn’t have to rescue him. But now they have to go rescue him. Finally there’s Trinity. Neo is in love with Trinity. This is something that the programs hadn’t bargained for.

So, despite enforcing the prophecy and insuring Neo goes to the source. She knows that he can’t be destroyed yet. She knows that the only way to get rid of agent smith from the matrix is Neo.

Right, so still with me? Still reading? Fallen asleep yet?

You see Smith and Neo are (thanks to Neo destroying Smith) opposites. If Neo is matter, he is antimatter. Here is where my understanding stops. Why? How? I don’t quite know and I don’t think there is meant to be an explanation.

In order for all this to end normally, the person returns to the source. There is no other way of saving Zion from the imminent robot attack so the person is given the choice to return to the mainframe and let Zion be destroyed to save the human race. Or they can allow chaos to reign in the Matrix and terminate the lives of every human being in existence. They are given this choice because the programs cannot control the fundamental human right to freedom. We don’t accept control.

But this isn’t a normal ending. Because Neo is in love, because agent Smith is in control. Thanks to the freedom of programs and the freedom of humans (in particular “the one”) things have occurred which have changed the situation.

The machines no longer have control of the situation within the Matrix. However, they are still the strongest force outside of the Matrix.

The architect has no insight into human behaviour. He can’t calculate with ease what will happen next. He can’t calculate the consequence of his actions that well. Furthermore I think there’s a little envy of the Oracle.

He wants Neo to go back into the Matrix because he believes that this will mean the ultimate destruction of the human race. This will prove the Oracles idea for the Matrix and how it should be constructed equally as invalid as his own designs. Thus he can then resume control.

The machines can survive in a limited capacity without humans. If you remember, in the Matrix they say that they also use a form of cold fusion to generate their power. So I believe that the architect wants to give up on the whole Matrix idea completely. It’s caused more problems than machines anticipated and they should accept their level of survival.

Neo stopping the machines at the end shows that he now has some sort of power. After seeing the third film I now understand what this power is. But here it is unclear as to whether he has a power outside of the Matrix or not.

So that is where this chapter ends. It has described the matrix and has told us what it all entails. Now it’s all about how Neo will save the human race, now that he knows the truth about who he is. I think I’ve included everything.

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No More Spoilers From Here On
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I promise
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The Plot
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For those skipping my description into the Matrix, you can continue reading now!

The plot of this film follows loosely on from the last Matrix film. I am lead to believe that it occurs 6 months after the original. That’s due to Morpheus saying “We have freed more minds in the last 6 months than we have in 6 years”.

We enter with Neo having a bad dream about the future of Trinity. He’s still on board the Nebecanezzar lying next to Trinity. So we’re informed reliably that they are indeed now going out and in love. We see them find a point and go into the Matrix.

Here they discover what is happening in a meeting. They have a recording picked up by Niobe and Ghost which was dropped into the Matrix by the Osiris on it’s last flight. It tells about how the Osiris saw several machines with a huge drilling machine drilling down towards the last human city – Zion.

From here on in we have 2 plot lines which run parallel to each other. There is Zion’s story, where they are trying to coordinate a defence against the attackers and Neo’s story where he is trying to discover his purpose.

Most of the film follows Morpheus, Trinity and Neo within the Matrix as they try and discover the path of “The One” and try and fulfil the prophecy in order to defeat the impending invasion. They learn about what the Matrix is, how it works, what Neo is throughout the story.

There’s plenty of people trying to stop them achieving their goal which ends up in plenty of fight scenes. One particularly large one involves most of the cast speeding down a highway for 15 minutes fighting each other and running from each other. A fantastic scene, if not too long.

We get to see Zion and the relationships which have been forged there. A look into life in the last human city. It’s very interesting to see what Zion actually looks like and I have to admit it’s far bigger and more populated than I thought it would be. The first movie makes it sound like one or two people lived there.

One must question where their clothes come from. I don’t see any furry animals or anything with skin you can make clothes from. Anyway, I digress.

The films plot contains a lot of action, fighting, explosions and a lot of complicated description of what the Matrix is. But it is, in my opinion, a well crafted plot which leaves us following the journey of someone who doesn’t quite know who they are or why they’re special. We see confusion in our hero and fear. These are the paths to the dark side. Sorry, couldn’t resist getting a little Yoda on ya.

The ending is somewhat disappointing “To be concluded”. I had assumed they wouldn’t be so tacky to tag this onto the end. But they were. We have to wait for the next movie to see what happens. Brilliant idea, insuring an audience for the sequel. Like it or not, you have to see what happens.

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Acting
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Keanu was never really a fantastic actor. He’s alright but his facial expressions are very limited and he is somewhat wooden. However, I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing Neo and he doesn’t do a bad job at it.

The other actors manage to pull off their skills pretty well. This isn’t a film where good acting is required and there aren’t many emotional scenes. But the characters are believable and despite being slightly wooden most are achieved successfully.

Whoever plays (fast forward to next paragraph as this may be a bit of a spoiler) the guy who agent Smith infects is fantastic. His expressions and motions match that of Hugo Weaving perfectly. Just the way he talks, walks, looks at Neo, I must commend this actor’s skill.

So, not bad acting all round.

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Special Effects
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This movie was built for special effects. It’s too bad that they’re removed themselves so far from bullet time. Now it’s all done in a computer and using virtual people instead of real effects.

Somebody somewhere in a special effects department decided that FX had gotten good enough to model people virtually and make it realistic. There must have been a meeting where the producers were told that they could do it and they believed the FX guys. There must have been another meeting about how the millions of dollars spent on them shouldn’t have been. Because the effects where they completely replace Neo and Agent Smith (in one scene in particular) look so false it’s unbelievable.

I was shocked that this was a multi million (some even claim billion) dollar film which put so much into the effects. But they stupidly went too far and digitised actors when the technology wasn’t ready for it.

But otherwise, the effects are stunning. I’ve seen behind the scenes footage and you’d be surprised at how much of the movie is computer generated. But this wasn’t a Star Wars style CG. This stuff looked real (except the scenes where they digitise humans!).

I remember hearing that they’d got so pissed off at everyone stealing bullet time from the original film that they wanted to do something nobody could replicate in this one. So they poured as much money as possible into it and made the effects as complicated and impossible to replicate as possible. However, I don’t think there was too much new in this movie in terms of effects. The two colliding trucks was extremely well done. Could you tell it was CG purely because you knew they couldn’t do it for real or was it actually noticeable? It looked so perfect but I guess my brain just told me it was CG.

The action in this film is also huge. There’s some fantastically well done scenes. However, they last a little bit too long. There’s only so many times I can see Neo block a punch before I want the storyline to progress a bit.

This film has pushed the boundaries forward for special effects once again. However, there are some where it’s pushed too far too fast. But still an enjoyable action movie with great effects.

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Music and Sound
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The music is once again a mix of orchestral brilliance and electro-dance music. It perfectly sets the action. I can’t really say that much more about it. Everything’s just dandy on the music and sound front!

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Extra Features
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The disk contained the typical trailers and behind the scenes footage. There isn't that much on this DVD which isn't on other DVD's. There's also commentary and things like that as usual.

So basically it's like most DVD's now. The menu's are a bit snazzy (though I must say I preferred the original menu on "the matrix")

So there's everything you'd expect, not too much though. But it wont dissapoint and definately worth getting as a DVD.

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Conclusion
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This film got a lot of bad reviews written about it. Personally, I love it. I think it’s both thought provoking and a brilliant second chapter (or rather continuing chapter as the Animatrix is really the second chapter) to the Matrix story.

The effects are huge and fantastically done (except in one bit) and the action is also enjoyable. Perhaps there’s a little overuse of effects and action, but I think that’s a small downfall to a good film.

I have watched this over and over again and get something new from it each time. I understand a little bit more of the plot which is extremely difficult to get to grips with.

Yes, you can tell they’ve purposely tried to make it more complicated than it needs to be and perhaps aren’t sure themselves what they’re trying to do. But then, it’s still a great story.

It’s original, it’s good, it’s enjoyable.

Thanks for reading

Dean.