Review Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2003

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"There is only one way to save our city. Neo." - Morpheus CASS' CLIP (WARNING: **spoilers below**) After reading the reviews posted by The Diva and Bams regarding The Matrix Reloaded, I decided to interview one of the moviegoers (Carlton Johnson) who saw TMR with me. It's a bit unconventional but, hey, I couldn't think of a better way to share my views, instead of writing a conventional review. My questions, however, impart my overall opinion of the movie. Cass: What makes you a Matrix expert? Carlton: Well, I wouldn't actually say I'm a Matrix expert. More like a dedicated fan. I was watching the Denver Broncos destroy the Atlanta Falcons when one of the best Super Bowl commercials of all time came on. The room went from a bunch of loud mouth men arguing over football to a captivated audience watching with opened mouths...you see it was the first preview of The Matrix. We got to see Keanu Reeves dodging bullets in slow motion, a cinema technique we later learned was called "bullet time". I was hooked. Ever since that day, I have been a loyal fan of the animated short films and the video game. Cass: In comparison to the original Matrix, what did you like or dislike about The Matrix Reloaded? Carlton: I loved The Matrix Reloaded. I will even go as far to say that I liked it more than the first one. In the first Matrix we learned about the core cast of characters, Neo or "the One," Morpheus, Trinity, the Oracle, and the diabolical Agent Smith. Neo was unsure about his part in the whole equation of the downfall of the machines and found it hard to believe in the beginning that his whole life was a computer pipe dream. But he finally had his questions answered...he now knew what The Matrix was. Morpheus had true faith. The Oracle told him that Neo was "the One" before Morpheus met him. Morpheus believed in the prophecy and was willing to die for it. Trinity was in love with Neo from the beginning. She knew he was "the One" not because of faith but because the Oracle told her that she would fall in love with "the One". Plus she is one bad-ass chick. The Oracle is everyone's favorite grandmother or auntie who you could trust with anything. She is all knowing and all seeing. She answers questions with questions allowing them to find the answers on their own, knowing that they would find the answer in time. Agent Smith is the lead agent who is the bane of Neo and his freed brothers throughout the story. But what makes Agent Smith more dangerous than his kind is the fact that he had human emotions. He hates humans, and that led to his downfall. Or so we thought. The Matrix Reloaded takes place 6 months after The Matrix. The great thing about this movie is that you have the main core group plus new characters that bring more life and understanding to the original movie. The story is great. The prophecy might be a lie. Neo's powers are growing and Agent Smith is more powerful, doing things that makes him even more of a threat. I could go on and on. In a nutshell, the story is awesome and the added cast is great. Cass: Here's my thoughts on the philosophy behind The Matrix -- Computer/people + virus/disease = choice. We choose our own reality. We decide what to allow into our computer/bodies, etc. Think of it in terms of a cat having nine lives. A program within a program = choice + war - destruction = Reincarnation. So what is your concept or thoughts regarding the philosophy behind The Matrix? Carlton: I feel that The Matrix is one big mind game. This one was supposed to throw the audience off. You find out that the Oracle is a program. But the heroes thought that all machines and programs wanted to kill the humans. Neo is told that the prophecy is a lie, that he fought the war six times before only to lose and start all over again. More lies or truth? Neo uses Matrix-type abilities in the real world, which leads us to believe that maybe the real world is just another level of The Matrix. It's just great storytelling that leaves you wanting more. Cass: The special effects and fight sequences totally rock. What about you? Is there a particular scene you thought was over the top or missed its mark and could have been better? Carlton: I agree with you. The special effects and fight sequences kick major butt. To me they out do the first movie. The freeway scene and Neo fighting the multiplying Agent Smiths is tight. Cass: I really liked the Key Maker's character. What do you think the Key Maker symbolized, and was his role important enough to significantly impact the storyline? Carlton: The Key Maker is great. When they open the door and you see him sitting there making a key and he has millions of keys all over the place, is priceless. He is a major player because you find out about these back door hallways that leads to anywhere you desire to go. And they are untraceable. He had a key that could unlock any door. Cool concept. Cass: What about the actors and their performances? Did anyone WOW you with their overall depiction of their character? Carlton: I think the cast as a whole did a great job but Roy Jones Jr. was great. He is not an actor at all but he held his own with heavy weights. I can't remember his character's name but he did a good job. Cass: Besides the contrived conflict aspect - Morpheus (Fisburne) and Commander Lock's (Lennix) relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith's character, Niobe - was her character even necessary? Carlton: Niobe was very necessary. She will have a larger part in The Matrix Revolutions and she is the main character of the Enter the Matrix video game that explains what she and her crew were doing while Morpheus and his guys did there thing. She was also the contact for the crew of the Osirus. Last Flight of the Osirus was the 15-minute movie that played in theaters before Dream Catcher. It shows the crew finding out about the machines digging and they give there lives to get a message to Niobe. Cass: Before Monica Bellucci's character, Persephone, said she'd tell Neo the Key Maker's whereabouts, she asked him to kiss her with the passion and love he and Trinity share. What's your take on the purpose behind this scene? Carlton: Here is where 15 years of Dungeons and Dragons comes into play. Monica Bellucci's character talks about the ghosts and vampires and aliens and such. We also see the twin albino characters who clearly had the ghost thing rapped up. She shot one guard with a silver bullet and that is the only way to kill a werewolf. She was a succubus, which is a demonic vampire that feeds on emotions. They desire the strongest emotions, hate and love, joy and pain. When she had Neo kiss her in front of Trinity she got all of them in one. Cass: What's your take on the love scene between Neo and Trinity? Did it add to the plot or was it necessary? Carlton: I don't think it added to the plot at all. We can tell that they are madly in love with each other just by their body language and affection. Cass: This might be a bit far-fetched, but did you notice that there were a lot of African-Americans in this movie as main characters and extras? However, the people with authority or 'with dat power', were Caucasians. Was this a subliminal message, about white men always being the ultimate dictator/ruler, and non-whites under their control? Carlton: At ease Sista Souljah. I didn't get that at all. I saw all races in the movie. But where are the black agents? Cass: Were there any, "Damn, I didn't expect dat" surprises? Carlton: The Oracle being a machine/program threw me for a loop. And Neo using a new power in the real world got me too and Agent Smith being pulled into the real world. Cass: Was the dialogue boring or was it interesting enough to make you scratch your head and say, "I've had enough of Neo's, 'Yo dude, where's my spaceship' type one to three word sentences' -- think Vinnie Barbarino from Welcome Back Kotter. Or, "Hmmm, the message The Oracle delivered was profound? Carlton: I think it was interesting. Every person was different. Neo is the man with his powers but Morpheus is the brains. I liked the way everyone talked. Cass: Was the movie a bit too long? If so, in terms of continuity, what could have been edited out? Carlton: It was just right. Cass: Okay, lets talk about the overall look of the movie - the set, the spaceship, and the wardrobe. [I definitely want a pair of those sunglasses and anything in black leather]. Any thoughts? Carlton: The overall look and feel was great. The actors made those clothes look good and possibly the next fashion trend. In The Matrix they looked awesome and sleek. In the real world, I could smell the stench of unwashed cloths aboard there junky ships. It was great. Cass: Was The Matrix Reloaded worth the wait and did it live up to the hype? Carlton: I think it did. It was The Empire Strikes Back of the 2000's. Not since Back to the Future II have I been so ready to see the third movie. Lord of the Rings is doing it, but I read the books long time ago. And Harry Potter is lame. Cass: After seeing The Matrix Reloaded, do you plan to see the final installment of The Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions? Carlton: Perhaps not camping out to buy the first ticket, but I will definitely be front and center. I will also be the first to buy the Wal-Mart exclusive DVD set when it comes out. THANKS Carlton! DA 411 Matrix, as defined on http://www.dictionary.com/, is: 1. A situation or surrounding substance within which something else originates, develops, or is contained: "Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every form of freedom" (Benjamin N. Cardozo). 2. The womb. 3. The totality of present-day computer networks. Matrix is also synonyms with cast, forge, form, grid, model, mold, origin, pattern, source, or womb. (http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=matrix). So what does this mean? It means that the substance (plot) contained in The Matrix Reloaded freely expressed the opinions of Andy and Larry Wachowski, which they originated and developed (screenplay) out of the womb of a computer. CASS' CONCLUSION Read The Diva's and Bams' reviews because I totally agree with their take on The Matrix Reloaded. THE MATRIX RELOADED:   back to top Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2003 EMAIL: cass@3blackchicks.com