[Mr 5 0]

Matrix Reloaded is good science fiction with the usual movie flaws including some overlong fight scenes, overdone 'love' scenes and some very dense plotlines.

I really think the Wachowski brothers were making some of it up as they went along here but they do an interesting job of mixing up various intellectual, spiritual, & theological philosophies with Neo as a (sort of) Messiah, the Architect as 'God', the issue of whether 'free choice' can actually be a true free choice and 'Agent Smith' as a type of Satan and very dangerous to the Matrix with his ability to delete others minds and clone himself, thus making him able to eventually destroy the Matrix. The underground city (Zion) is also quite interesting (and has a vague bibical connection) as it holds the .1% of the people who don't accept the Matrix but it appears to be an another illusion, sort of a fall-back Matrix. After all, where did the fugitive humans get all the technology to run the city and what exactly does 'The Councilor' mean when he says that humans can't live without machines? Of course we also have the ancient 'What is Truth?' conundrum that is broached (yet again) by Morpheus when his beliefs are proven to be wrong.

The 'What is Real?' question always looms large in this series and renders it elusive yet compelling, a neat trick of filmaking for a fairly new team of writers and directors (the Brothers Wachowsk) with 'B-level' stars (Laurence Fishberne, Keanu Reeves) and mostly unknown actors in lesser roles, with the exceptions of Jada Pinkett Smith and the older character actor, Anthony Zerbe.

Then we have the issue of whether humans would 'evolve' (mentally) over 100 (or 600) years of stimulation by the Matrix and if so, Neo could now be where humans are capable of being in terms of mental power but right now, he apparently cannot accept it - or is Neo simply another creation of the Architect - a program - meant to kill the 'Mr. Smith' virus that could infect and destroy the Matrix?

On and on it goes, as good science fiction should. The Matrix Reloaded does makes you think (and can even have you believing you're on to some important 'truth') as well as entertains you - although I suspect that the entertainment value is driving ticket sales a lot more than the very dense and convoluted plot but considering most of the dreck that passes for entertainment today, The Matrix series is interesting filmed entertainment and worth watching. I liked it for what it was: an interesting, fantastic story; metaphysical elements mixed up with philosophy and religion and lots of fantastic fight scenes (as well as the unnecessarily long make-out scenes and other filler). 'Matrix - Revolution' should be great (I hope).