Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Guess what, you guys? You can now stream all three Matrix movies on Prime Video. If you stop reading this article immediately so you can go watch Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus kick some serious ass in slow motion, I totally understand.
When The Matrix was first released in 1999, it basically broke our collective psyche. Here was a movie that blended action, sci-fi, and weird rants about philosophy into one mind-bending movie. Our love of combining brooding action with philosophical leanings would later prove to be relentlessly profitable, as the hype around Christopher Nolan’s Batman and USA’s Mr. Robot can prove. But this movie, which grossed over $460 million, was the one that started the trend. You would think the almost universal critical and commercial success this movie caused would result in some great sequels, but you would be wrong. The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions aren’t merely regarded as inferior to the original. They’re hated.
Let me get something straight — these sequels are not good movies. But I think we overreacted. Both sequels are sloppy, confused, hot messes that butcher some of the best parts of the original, but they’re fun disasters. If you need something crazy to watch while you drink, The Matrix franchise has you covered.
This is especially true of The Matrix Reloaded, the overwhelmingly better of the two sequels. On the con side, Reloaded spent a lot of time fleshing out the philosophy of these movies and this universe, which made us realize how many holes there are. The same is true of Neo’s (Keanu Reeves) never-ending list of abilities. We learn in the first movie that Neo has the ability to bend the laws of reality. That’s every shade of awesome in the epic rainbow of life. But then he can suddenly start sensing the machines because … I don’t have an explanation for this. It’s just because he’s Neo, and the Wachowski siblings wanted him to be even cooler. However, the second you stop holding Reloaded up to The Matrix’s complicated and high standards, it starts to become really fun.
The action sequences in Reloaded are so. Much. Fun. I can watch Neo punch Smiths all day for a week, and I still wouldn’t get bored. Watch Neo’s fight against all the Smiths one more time, and ignore how fake the CGI looks. Isn’t that cool? It’s the most epic part of a video game brought to life. An appreciation for things that are objectively cool is what makes Reloaded a great watch. Whereas The Matrix showed Neo discovering his powers, Reloaded watches as a giant sandbox. The question isn’t what can Neo do. It’s what can’t he do. I think we were too harsh on this movie. Yes, it’s a letdown, but it’s a fun letdown that’s exciting in its own right. The original may be approved by your critic friend, but your dad loves the sequel. Both approaches have merit, and both are worth watching. And I’m not alone in this opinion. Uproxx’s Dan Seitz rewatched both movies on The Matrix’s 10th anniversary and came away with the same conclusion.
Reloaded isn’t a masterpiece, but it is a fun mess. As for Revolutions, there really aren’t many redeeming qualities. It is as bad as you remember. In fact, it’s a little worse. Bottom line, The Matrix Reloaded deserves a second watch, especially if you’re looking forward to a lazy weekend.
