There are two films here really broken up by about the first hour of the movie vs. the second hour– one is an uninteresting slog (the first half), the other is spectacular
Starts with the emerald-infused Warners logo— the color scheme production design dedication even in the logo- love it!
The schlocky “oh—upgrades” sequel language that often happens in bad comedies or action sequels
It isn’t the rip-roaring creativity-infused narrative juggernaut the first film is—this sprawls out, more characters, building out the universe—fatty—mostly not good
Gratuitous scenes like the orgy dance, the fighting of the 1000 Agent Smith Hugo Weavings’. It’s showing off some size and special effects but it doesn’t impress
The opening with the 2 minute flashback of Trinity (which is a foreshadowed dream from Reeve’s Neo) is strong, as is the half-circle shot during love-making, there’s a triple ellipsis edit move here by the Wachowskis that is really nice as they move that set back farther and farther each time—but by and large the first hour is forgettable
The artistic aspects of the film start with the Merovingian scenes 63 minutes in (I’m pretty convinced it’s unarchiveable up until now)- green flooding that restaurant—a dogmatic dedication to color in the design
The artistic aspects of the film start with the Merovingian scenes 63 minutes in (I’m pretty convinced it’s unarchiveable up until now)- green flooding that restaurant—a dogmatic dedication to color in the design
This sets the tone for the chateau action set piece (at 70 minutes) sequence. You have the green tapestry and weapons on the wall. The stair cases-brilliant.
This sets the tone for the chateau action set piece (at 70 minutes) sequence. You have the green tapestry and weapons on the wall. The stair cases-brilliant.
And then leads to the jaw-on-the-floor phenomenal freeway scene at 85 minutes—these combine to make like a green-coated Zhang Yimou film (if the 1999 original is like Star Wars in many ways, this pivots and is like Zhang Yimou’s 2002 film Hero or House of Flying Daggers in 2004) and in a short film format the freeway scene really predicts Mad MaxFury Road
adore the green tinting– and in a short film format the freeway scene really predicts Mad MaxFury Road
Fishburne is commanding once again—a speechmaker- “isn’t that worth dying for”
The Wachowskis are as interested in background as they are in the foreground in this half of the movie which they weren’t in the first 60 minutes
The green doors in the white hall sequence, the skyline with green lights when Neo looks out
The green doors in the white hall sequence — in most films this is the most impressive set piece- in Reloaded it may be fifth
the skyline with green lights when Neo looks out — strong
The meeting with the architect is a stunner as well. Strong world-building in the mise-en-scene. It’s 2001’s ending encounter in the bedroom meets The Man Who Fell To Earth
The meeting with the architect is a stunner as well. Strong world-building in the mise-en-scene. It’s 2001’s ending encounter in the bedroom meets The Man Who Fell To Earth
Like the first film Rage Against the Machine smacks you in the face before you hit the credits- perfect
I love Ebert- what a writer– but he has 1000 words on the 1999 film original and 1000 words on this and never uses the word green. Does he not notice the color design? Or isn’t important to him? Has to be one, right?
HR/MS tough to evaluate with the flat first half and the remarkable second half
Cinephile, I would suggest actually reading books. Maybe start with the books your favorite movies are based on like To Kill A Mockingbird or the godfather. Nearly everyone agrees that books are better than movies. I dont. But they are really close. You’ll discover an entire world hidden in these books.
@Azman— Yeah, that’ll be very interesting but I am mostly talking books about the art of filmmaking.
I’m experienced with the art of literature too ( not on the level of cinema tho ), but I also don’t agree that books are superior to films. Every artform has it’s own style and ways of expression, there’s no need to make a “vs” scenario.
@Cinephile— yes- that’s the best start I think- anything written by Bordwell is worth reading. I think the Hitchcock/Truffaut interviews are essential as is the Andrew Sarris “The American Cinema”. There are so many good books and I have a decent little library here but if you haven’t read these three I’d start there. “pictures of a revolution” by Mark Harris is a semi-recent one I loved.
@Azman— Yeah, that’ll be very interesting but I am mostly talking books about the art of filmmaking.
I’m experienced with the art of literature too ( not on the level of cinema tho ), but I also don’t agree that books are superior to films. Every artform has it’s own style and ways of expression, there’s no need to make a “vs” scenario.
You’re right.I shouldn’t have compared.
However, you can read the books about your favorite movies like 2001, the godfather, to kill a mockingbird etc so that you can get a deeper understanding and appreciation for these movies.
Have you heard the laughable reason why DP Bill Pope says the sequels weren’t as good? He thinks it’s Stanley Kubrick’s fault. Apparently, the Wachowskis had read a quote by Kubrick stating that actors cannot act well unless you wear them out with a large number of takes and decided to do an exorbitant number of takes in order to copy that.
Although i’m not sure they should have followed Kubrick’s advice, he wasn’t Kazan, you know, he couldn’t get a good performance from Duvall despite mistreating her, Altman had no problem getting a good performance from Duvall and he didn’t have to use those methods.
Okay, to all this i forgot to mention Coppola, he said that it is his fault for filling the cinema with sequels, it occurred to him to put numbers to the movies (Godfather 2) and he didn’t even want to do a sequel, he said that with the first part he had enough of gangster movies, he only made it to raise money and make the conversation and his dream Apocalypse now, ironically it could be his best movie haha
Although they didn’t really work because the interest behind was monetary, not artistic, they could have made only one sequel, but instead they made two sequels with no interest behind.
i have been re-watching these films and still need to get to the last one. It isn’t in the archives of yours I don’t believe…
Ill have to confess that i prefer this film to the original matrix. i think the original matrix is much stronger formally and story-wise. But I can’t look past all the numerous MASTERFUL action sequences in this film. honestly i think these are some of the greatest action sequences of all time. i’m sure no one would agree, but i think they are better than terminator 2’s action sequences (among my favorite films) and even better than Mad Max Fury Road’s sequences. I still wouldn’t say they are as good as some of Lucas high stakes lightsaber duels in the prequels, like anakin v obi wan at the ‘lava planet’ but these are amazing sequences.
I mean the car chase, neo vs the smiths, neo stopping the bullets.
especially, i mean there is so much to the whole car chase extended sequence, morpheus vs the agent, those dreadlocked brothers, trinity on the motorcycyle and car… absolutely astounding choreography
We’re just going to gloss over the claim that George Lucas’ prequels contain action filmmaking at a higher level than T2, and Fury Road? That’s… um… bold.
@Matt Harris, @Zane. I believe that Obi-Wan vs, Anakin at the end of III is the greatest action sequence in film history….. regardless of how one feels about the films as a whole, the way Lucas choreographed the lightsaber duel with the music and all the wild flips and acrobatics… major props.
Although Fury Road and T2 both contain masterful action sequences as well, namely the care chase in MAd Mad into the storm and at the end back to the city.
You praise Fishburne here but what do you think of Hugo Weaving in this one? I think both of them as strong as the first film. Weaving in particular is amusing to watch.
What do you think are the best books for cinephile’s/cinema lovers ? In my opinion Film Art: An Introduction by Bordwell-Thompson is an amazing book.
Cinephile, I would suggest actually reading books. Maybe start with the books your favorite movies are based on like To Kill A Mockingbird or the godfather. Nearly everyone agrees that books are better than movies. I dont. But they are really close. You’ll discover an entire world hidden in these books.
@Azman— Yeah, that’ll be very interesting but I am mostly talking books about the art of filmmaking.
I’m experienced with the art of literature too ( not on the level of cinema tho ), but I also don’t agree that books are superior to films. Every artform has it’s own style and ways of expression, there’s no need to make a “vs” scenario.
@cinephile If you like Bordwell, his “On the History of Film Style” is absolutely essential. Likewise his blog.
@Cinephile— yes- that’s the best start I think- anything written by Bordwell is worth reading. I think the Hitchcock/Truffaut interviews are essential as is the Andrew Sarris “The American Cinema”. There are so many good books and I have a decent little library here but if you haven’t read these three I’d start there. “pictures of a revolution” by Mark Harris is a semi-recent one I loved.
@Azman— Yeah, that’ll be very interesting but I am mostly talking books about the art of filmmaking.
I’m experienced with the art of literature too ( not on the level of cinema tho ), but I also don’t agree that books are superior to films. Every artform has it’s own style and ways of expression, there’s no need to make a “vs” scenario.
You’re right.I shouldn’t have compared.
However, you can read the books about your favorite movies like 2001, the godfather, to kill a mockingbird etc so that you can get a deeper understanding and appreciation for these movies.
Have you heard the laughable reason why DP Bill Pope says the sequels weren’t as good? He thinks it’s Stanley Kubrick’s fault. Apparently, the Wachowskis had read a quote by Kubrick stating that actors cannot act well unless you wear them out with a large number of takes and decided to do an exorbitant number of takes in order to copy that.
Hahaha that comment came out a few months ago, right? i also heard it
Although i’m not sure they should have followed Kubrick’s advice, he wasn’t Kazan, you know, he couldn’t get a good performance from Duvall despite mistreating her, Altman had no problem getting a good performance from Duvall and he didn’t have to use those methods.
Okay, to all this i forgot to mention Coppola, he said that it is his fault for filling the cinema with sequels, it occurred to him to put numbers to the movies (Godfather 2) and he didn’t even want to do a sequel, he said that with the first part he had enough of gangster movies, he only made it to raise money and make the conversation and his dream Apocalypse now, ironically it could be his best movie haha
Although they didn’t really work because the interest behind was monetary, not artistic, they could have made only one sequel, but instead they made two sequels with no interest behind.
i have been re-watching these films and still need to get to the last one. It isn’t in the archives of yours I don’t believe…
Ill have to confess that i prefer this film to the original matrix. i think the original matrix is much stronger formally and story-wise. But I can’t look past all the numerous MASTERFUL action sequences in this film. honestly i think these are some of the greatest action sequences of all time. i’m sure no one would agree, but i think they are better than terminator 2’s action sequences (among my favorite films) and even better than Mad Max Fury Road’s sequences. I still wouldn’t say they are as good as some of Lucas high stakes lightsaber duels in the prequels, like anakin v obi wan at the ‘lava planet’ but these are amazing sequences.
I mean the car chase, neo vs the smiths, neo stopping the bullets.
especially, i mean there is so much to the whole car chase extended sequence, morpheus vs the agent, those dreadlocked brothers, trinity on the motorcycyle and car… absolutely astounding choreography
@D.W.Griffith – Good stuff here- I was thoroughly impressed with this film when I rewatched it last April. In many respects it is the superior film
We’re just going to gloss over the claim that George Lucas’ prequels contain action filmmaking at a higher level than T2, and Fury Road? That’s… um… bold.
Well, you and I certainly are not going to ignore it, and I guess Drake just ignored that.
@Matt Harris, @Zane. I believe that Obi-Wan vs, Anakin at the end of III is the greatest action sequence in film history….. regardless of how one feels about the films as a whole, the way Lucas choreographed the lightsaber duel with the music and all the wild flips and acrobatics… major props.
Although Fury Road and T2 both contain masterful action sequences as well, namely the care chase in MAd Mad into the storm and at the end back to the city.
So… Revolutions sucks?
@Zane- Sucks seems strong, but it was a massive drop off after the first two
@Drake – Sounds good. What grade do you think this film (Reloaded) gets if the second half is the entire film?
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You praise Fishburne here but what do you think of Hugo Weaving in this one? I think both of them as strong as the first film. Weaving in particular is amusing to watch.
@M*A*S*H- Interesting- something for me to keep an eye out for with my next viewing