FOLLOW the white rabbit.photo: Continental
The Matrix Reloaded
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Monica Bellucci
Directed by: Andy and Larry Wachowski
Running time: 135 min.
Rating: 9 out of 10
NEO, the chosen one, loves Trinity, and together with Morpheus and the rest of the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar they are trying to save Zion, the only remaining haven for people outside virtual reality. If this all rings a bell, then you are most probably a fan and have been waiting for Reloaded, the second episode in the Matrix trilogy, ever since you saw part one.
If you are not among the devotees and would just like to see the movie out of curiosity, you probably have some catching up to do. Besides the old characters like the Agents, the super-powered guardians of the Matrix, there is also the renegade agent Smith, who deserted the Matrix and is fighting the Zion crew on his own. Well, not quite, because he creates an army of clones, which Neo meets in one of the most spectacular battles.
With its martial arts choreography, Matrix is truly writing film history. And when you think you have seen it all, be ready for the highway race, for which the Wachowski brothers built their own 3-kilometre strip of road. The media-shy filmmakers - who are solely responsible for Matrix-mania, as they also wrote the script - take inspiration for their characters from everything from comics and kung-fu movies to Greek mythology and the Bible.
This is reflected not only in the plot but also in the dialogue, which either sounds like the short lines in the bubbles of a comic strip or is eloquently complicated, defining differences between fate, providence, and chance. An element in this film that was not in its predecessor is the focus on the love between the main characters, making the inhabitants of Zion much more human and also giving an unexpected (if not to say irritating) romantic touch to the cult sci-fi phenomenon.
The philosophers among the moviegoers will love the new character of Key Maker, who shows Neo more sophisticated ways to uncover the truth about the prophecy of the Oracle. However, they may not love Persephone, played by Monica Bellucci, who although gorgeous does not seem to fit, and is the one character you could complain about to the creators. Luckily she is only on screen for about five minutes.
