Is Reloadeds Burley Brawl Awesome or Awful?

[wonderer99]

So I watched the first three Matrix movies all in a row in prep for the forth. The original is still great, iconic. When they were released I enjoyed the sequels just as much and I still do.

Having said that watching them back to back it really stands out how excessive the sequels action sequences are and I remember the love/backlash for the burley brawl in particular.

So, nearly 20 years after release did the burley brawl raise the bar for action scenes or did it take away from what the first film established?

Personally I think it's a great scene outside if some very iffy CG but at the same time I kind of wish it was from another film. Taken on its own it's so far removed from the more restrained action of the first as to be a little jarring. What say you?

[mwynn]

It looks like and feels like something they added late in production, to have an action scene.

[Gacivory]

I like it. I view the cheesy CGI in the same way as old movies with cheesy makeup. So the iffy CGI doesn't bother me.

[wonderer99]

I will say the multiple Smith's looks fantastic still and the effect only falls apart when it's clearly an all CG creation.

[BudBaxter]

Originally Posted by wonderer99

So, nearly 20 years after release did the burley brawl raise the bar for action scenes or did it take away from what the first film established?

I don't think it really did either. The action in the first Matrix changed US action films almost overnight. The sequels? Not so much. They did nothing to detract from the stuff in the first film, they just took it & amped it all up to 11.

As for the Burly brawl, it's a fun, completely OTT scene that has little or no impact on the rest of the film. The CGI wasn't that great at the time, however groundbreaking it might have been, & looks horribly dated now. Keanu looks like he's made of rubber half the time.

IIRC it's one of the most expensive scenes ever filmed. It was rumoured to cost around $40m because they were inventing the tech as they were going along.

[CreasyBear]

It's awesome and hilarious and fun and super cool.

[J999]

The first half to two thirds is great. But towards the end it switches to being completely CGI and doesn't bother hiding it. Still fun though.

[Prog5000]

Hilariously bad when released. Even worse now.

[dallywhitty]

Awesome. Anybody who thinks otherwise deserves to be ****ed and ****ed and then **** in their ****** until they *** and ***** and ***** ****ing ****** ****.

[bferr1972]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

Awesome. Anybody who thinks otherwise deserves to be ****ed and ****ed and then **** in their ****** until they *** and ***** and ***** ****ing ****** ****.

LOL!

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by J999

The first half to two thirds is great. But towards the end it switches to being completely CGI and doesn't bother hiding it. Still fun though.

That's my take on it. The practical stuff is excellent but the all-CG shots look rubbery AF and always have. It goes from awfully awesome to awesomely awful, but lots of fun as you say.

The freeway chase is still an incredible scene from start to finish though.

[wonderer99]

I will add that set piece wise the attack on Zion in Revolutions is an amazing 20 minutes of action and still looks incredible.

[mwynn]

Originally Posted by wonderer99

I will add that set piece wise the attack on Zion in Revolutions is an amazing 20 minutes of action and still looks incredible.

From The Chateau to the Car Chase is amazing.

[Roonan]

Awesome.

I don't have a problem with the CGI. I think it still holds up for the most part (specially for its age) and it makes for a cool sequence, which was the point.

Although as far as Matrix fights go, I always preferred the Chateau sequence.

[Jay H.]

I can take it or leave it. Until now, I didn't know of any love for that scene or backlash against it.

[Dr Lenera]

I love it. But then I love most things about Reloaded as I'm the only person on the planet who considers it to be the best Matrix film.

[Damon1281]

I didn't know the scene had a name, but it was fun.

[Evangelos]

It's insanely awesome.

Just the idea itself of Keanu fighting hundreds of identical Hugos is so out there that most board meetings would veto on the spot.

Plus,bowling pin sounds.

[wonderer99]

Originally Posted by Evangelos

It's insanely awesome.

Just the idea itself of Keanu fighting hundreds of identical Hugos is so out there that most board meetings would veto on the spot.

Plus,bowling pin sounds.

Lol it was the first time I head the bowling pin sound. I had to rewind to make sure I had heard right. The Wachowskis had their tongue firmly in cheek it seems.

[levcore]

Love the scene, i think the fx were great for 2003 and the ambition is/ was off the charts.

The Wachowski's were in a difficult place when it came to pushing the action/ VFX envelope with the Matrix sequels, particularly with regard to bullet time. After The Matrix came out, EVERYBODY was ripping off bullet time, movies, commercials, music videos. It had been done to death by 2003. The only thing The Wachowski's could do really was try and take the effect/ concept to the next level, utilising a 100% virtual camera and entirely CG shots. No other movies could afford to do that at the time and at the level that The Matrix sequels could.