The Matrix Trilogy discussion

[Jmills]

After rewatching the trilogy on Blu I thought it would be interesting to get everyones thoughts, and feelings on the trilogy as a whole. Which movie was the best? Why? What should've been done different? Etc. Finally do you feel the Matrix trilogy will be remembered as a groundbreaking acheivement in sci-fi cinema.

I first recommend all of you who own this to watch the Matrix experience part of the disc and check out the "philosophy of the matrix."

The Matrix- I feel this film could've easily stood alone amongst the likes of Blade Runner, 2001, and I would even put Dark city in that category as well. I think everyone can agree that the buzz surrounding this movie after its release was HUGE and unlike any other movie they had ever seen. The fact that it was so philosophically heavy and thought provoking was amazing to me and because of this movie alone I became a huge philosophy buff. The ideas, the questions, the plot, the characthers, and the special effects translated into perfection in my opinion. From when Neo gets unplugged, "The real world", to the infamous lobby scene. This film made such a huge impact.

The Matrix Reloaded- Probably the second or third biggest sequel anticipation movie to come out since Empire strikes back, Episode 1, The dark Knight. Seeing Zion for the first time was satisfying to me, I think I was expecting more. I absolutely love the Ritual that went on however, finding it to be a beautiful interpretation of human life and celebration, regardless if it coming off to some as one long music video or a beer commercial. The transition from the real world/zion to the matrix didn't feel as smooth as the first movie, and almost felt like a different movie on it's own. The introduction of the Merovingian was brilliant and bringing up more thought provoking concepts and ideas to which we never seem to question. The freeway chase between Morpheus, Trinity and the Twins was mind blowing, as I believe it being one of the greatest car chase sequences in cinema. The introduction of the Architect was also interesting to me and opened up our idea of the matrix as a whole. The ending left alot of unanswered questions which I was hoping to get the answers too in the third film.

The Matrix Revolutions- Picking up where the second left off I loved that Neo was trapped inbetween "realms" or worlds and that whole sequence with the train man and the Merovingian I felt like it would almost exceed Reloaded, but I was wrong. I really wish they would've expanded the Merovingian, train man, twins alot more, instead we got more Zion, which seemed to be missing something this time around. I Look at revolutions as stictly a mission of peace and war. The war in Zion was pretty to look at, but the action as a whole didn't have much depth, and the same can be said about the final duel between Neo and Mr. Smith, however the end result of the duel between the two was VERY rewarding especially the dialogue. The ending of the film however, still left alot of things unclear and unanswered to the viewer, which might be on purpose, or lack of creativity and stringing all three movies as one together. It does make you wonder if we could see another movie with the open ending.

Trilogy as a whole- I felt each movie could stand on its own as being a great sci-fi flick, especially the first one. Each film offers something the other did not in my opinion, which to me makes all three valuable to one another and the viewer. I felt the Wachowski brothers missed an opportunity to make the greatest sci-fi trilogy of all time, instead in my eyes they fell short with the following two installments. Where they did succeed was bringing philosophy, and action together into one, which in my opinion puts the trilogy up there with some of the best.