Amazon.co.uk Review
The opening reels of
Matrix Revolutions do nothing to dispel the feeling of exhausted disappointment that set in during the second half of
The Matrix Reloaded. There's plenty more talky guff combined with the picking-up of hard-to-remember plot threads as Neo (Keanu Reeves) lies in a coma in the "real" world and is stranded on a tube station in a limbo "beyond the Matrix" while his allies do a reprise of the shooting-their-way-past-the-bodyguards bit from the last film (this time, the baddies can walk on the ceiling). A new Oracle (Mary Alice) makes some pronouncements about the end being near and more things happen--including the evil Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) manifesting in reality by possessing a minor character and perfidiously blinding our hero, who wears a becoming ribbon over his wounded eyes and perceives the world in an impressive "flaming truth vision".
What about the action? The equivalent of the last film's freeway chase scene is a huge face-off as the Sentinels (robot squids) finally breach the caverns of Zion, "the last human city", and swarm against a battalion of pilot-manipulated giant robots: here, the effects are seamless and the images astonishing, though the fact that none of the major characters are involved and the whole thing goes on so long as if designed to top any previous robot-on-robot screen carnage means that it becomes monotonously amazing, like watching someone else play a great computer game. After a too-easily-managed major realignment of the enmities, the film--and the series--finally delivers a sign-off sequence that's everything you could want as Neo and Smith get into a kung fu one-on-one in a rain-drenched virtual city, flying as high as Superman and Brainiac in smart suits. It comes too late to save the day and the wrap-up is both banal and incoherent, but at least this single combat is a reward for hardy veterans who've sat through seven hours of build-up. --Kim Newman
On the DVD: when the first Matrix DVD was released, with never-before-seen features such as the "Follow the White Rabbit" option, it set a benchmark against which subsequent discs were judged. But neither sequel has lived up to the original's high standards. The Matrix Revolutions two-disc set is an unexceptional package, with a routine "making of" featurette being the main bonus item. Amid all the usual backslapping guff about how great everyone is and what a great time they've all had, it's possible to glean some nuggets of useful information about the baffling plot--though cast and crew can't repress a note of weariness creeping in when discussing the horribly protracted shooting schedule. The feature on the CG Revolution is the most informative for people who like to know how everything was done, and, in the same vein, there's also a multi-angle breakdown of the Super Burly Brawl. A 3-D timeline gives a handy summary of the story so far, and there's a plug for The Matrix Online game. The anamorphic 2.40:1 picture is, of course, a real treat to look at, even if the movie is mostly shades of dark grey and dark green; soundwise the dynamic range of the Dolby Digital surround is extreme: all conversations are conducted in throaty whispers, while the action sequences will push your speakers to the limit. No DTS option, though. And as with Reloaded, there's no audio commentary either: the Wachowski's policy of not talking about their creation begins to seem like a ploy to avoid answering awkward questions. --Mark Walker
Synopsis
The final movie in Larry and Andy Wachowski's MATRIX trilogy is THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS. Toning down the romantic and philosophic elements of the second film in the series, THE MATRIX RELOADED, this third instalment focuses on action. Neo (Keanu Reeves) is trapped in limbo between reality and the Matrix, while Zion, the last human city, is attacked by hordes of machines. Meanwhile, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Seraph (Collin Chou) confront the ruthless Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) to secure Neo's release. As the fight for Zion grows more dire, Neo and Trinity embark on a perilous journey into the heart of the machine city, while Morpheus and Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) rush to Zion's aid. Eventually, Neo must face the increasingly powerful Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) in a last battle for the fate of humanity. Highlights of the film include Niobe's thrilling spaceship piloting, the armoured battle for Zion, and Neo's inevitable brawl with Smith, all of which feature amazing special effects. In the midst of the adventure, there are a few quieter moments--such as Neo's Beckett-like wait for the train back to reality--that intriguingly punctuate the proceedings. A fast-paced ending to an epic trilogy, REVOLUTIONS proves once again why the MATRIX series is revered by its dedicated fans.
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