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Stars: Keanu
Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Jada Pinkett
Smith
Writers: The
Wachowski Brothers
Director: The
Wachowski Brothers
Feature length:
129 minutes
Extras:
Revolutions Recalibrated Featurette, CG Revolution Featurette, Super Burly Brawl
Comparison, Future Gamer: The Matrix Online Featurette, Before The Revolution
Timeline, 3-D Evolution Stills Gallery, and Theatrical Trailers
Languages:
English and French Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and French and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Two-Disc Keep Case
Chapter Stops:
33
Sound: Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year of
Theatrical Release: 2003/DVD Release: 2004
Theatrical
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
Home Video
Distributor: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: R
Reviewer: Mark
A. Rivera
When we last
saw Neo (Keanu Reeves), he had successfully saved Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) by
literally reaching into her heart and restarting it while they were still within
the matrix. Shortly after getting out, their hovercraft is destroyed and the
surviving crew are all but dead meat at the tentacles of the squid like machine
sentinels, but Neo amazes everyone when through his own force of will, he is
able to set off an EMP burst that incapacitates the sentinels before he slips
into a coma. Now aboard another hovercraft sent from Zion, Morpheus (Lawrence
Fishburne) and Trinity learn that the preemptive strike sent from Zion was
sabotaged and the only survivor from the failed mission is the prime suspect.
However he too is in a coma and harboring a deadly surprise.
The original
Matrix feature film was such a bombshell hit that it spawned endless
discussions, essays, and even became one of the best selling films on DVD to
ever be released since the format was first introduced in 1997. However while
the promise and even the seductive lure for a sequel to “The Matrix” was
quite understandable, the truth is that the film stands just fine on it’s own.
The two sequels were shot collectively and released theatrically six months
apart. While many complained that “The Matrix Reloaded” was at times
incomprehensible and a bit slow, others appreciated the fact that the film was
ambitious enough to raise even more questions, which would somehow all be
answered in the third and final film “The Matrix Revolutions.”
Unfortunately
many of the questions “The Matrix Reloaded” posed were never answered and
some of the new characters introduced in both films seem only to have glorified
cameos with no real dramatic payoff. It seems as if somewhere between the second
and third films drastic changes were made resulting in a film that focused too
much on the effects action at the expense of satisfactorily resolving some of
the character arcs in the trilogy. I remember reading a synopsis of the third
film a few weeks before it opened theatrically and wondering how some of the
enigmatic imagery that was detailed would be dramatized. The funny thing about
this synopsis was that it was pretty close to what the final film ended up being
and in some ways made more sense on a cerebral level with certain characters
introduced in the second film actually having a larger role and a more pleasing
finale. Now for all I know it could have been purposely posted to mislead those
seeking to read spoilers and to keep the film’s final moments as much of a
surprise as possible, but it was so close to the finished film that I still
often wonder whether it was written based on a earlier draft of the screenplay
or maybe The Wachowski Brothers decided to go more with action in this final
film after the philosophical backlash leftover from theater patrons seeking
something more akin to the original.
Having seen all
three films now both theatrically and on DVD and taking into consideration the
prequel, prelude, and companion shorts found in “The Animatrix,” I think
that as a whole, “The Matrix Trilogy” feels incomplete and I resent that
fact that the story will continue in a massive interactive Internet game
entitled “The Matrix Online.” There is nothing wrong with marketing a
property to create an expanded universe fans can enjoy for generations to come,
but I hate the idea that the open ended finale of “The Matrix Revolutions”
will go unresolved in a real online matrix that I have no doubt people will have
to pay for if they want to play. Movies are movies and games are games and no
matter how lifelike a game may appear, ultimately the story structure of a game
is not at all linear like a film. Even films that present events out of order
somehow have a beginning, middle, and an end, but games can go on indefinitely
depending on the multiple paths the players will take and no doubt what they
will bring to the game as well. So while I appreciate the hard work that went
into expanding the world of “The Matrix” to create a true multimedia
experience, I think it was created at the expense of the films themselves and
ultimately the expense of those who will have to buy the software in order to
participate in “The Matrix Online” when it goes live later this year.
I could go into
what I think my interpretations of the events of the film were and they were
definitely quite archetypal complete with biblical sacrifices and more, but in
some ways I’m still a bit disillusioned by the conclusion presented in the
third film to a point where I almost wish they left things alone after making
the first film. I am a huge sci-fi fan too so for me to state that in a DVD
review is a lot. Regardless of what I expected and what I got, I have no doubt
“The Matrix Trilogy” has earned it’s place as one of the most creative
sci-fi storylines ever put on film, but as far as cohesiveness, it leaves a lot
undone. I almost wonder whether somewhere down the line we might see an
alternate version of the final film or at least the deleted and alternate scenes
that may exist because then I might truly be able to appreciate what could have
been instead of what we have now.
My gripes about
the storylines aside, Warner Home Video is releasing a two-disc set that is a
fitting companion to their DVD release of “The Matrix Reloaded” from last
year. The transfer is impeccable with an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) aspect
ratio presentation that preserves the manner in which the film was exhibited
theatrically as close as possible for home video users. The English Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack is not as aggressive as I had hoped it would be,
but it is very clear with a nice ambient quality and well mixed too. A French
Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack and English Captions and Closed
Captions for the hearing impaired as well as French and Spanish Language
Subtitles are encoded onto the first disc as options. Both discs feature DVD-ROM
links to www.thematrix.com and www.thematrixonline.com
where users can test out the upcoming interactive game. Teaser trailers for
“The Matrix” (: 59), “The Matrix Reloaded” (1:18), “The Animatrix”
(1:02), and the theatrical trailer for “The Matrix Revolutions” (2:22) wrap
up the extra features on disc one.
The balance of
the extra value materials are on disc two and they begin with “Revolutions
Recalibrated,” which gives viewers an overview of the making of the film. At
times this can be a bit more promotional than educational, but it is definitely
meatier than the standard EPK. On can get also detailed look at huge amount of
work that went into creating the combined practical and CGI effects. The
miniatures were so huge that people began to refer to them a “Bigitures.”
The “Super Burly Brawl” is a multi angle look at the final fight sequence
between Neo and Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) with video footage and animatics,
storyboards, and the completed footage provided. One can look at each sequence
through to the end with the preferred image in the large window or can toggle
continuously between all three choice combinations (6:17).
The featurettes
all feature a “Follow The White Rabbit” branch off option, but these bonus
featurettes can also be viewed individually under the “Operator” subheading
and are composed of “Neo Realism: The Evolution Of Bullet Time” (12:23),
“Super Big Mini Models” (8:47), “Double Agent Smith” (7:11) and “Mind
Over Matter: The Physicality Of The Matrix” (8:04). There are also animated
still galleries of concept art, storyboards, pre-visualizations, and
realizations that can be viewed individually or skipped through using the remote
as one larger gallery (5:36). The 3-D timeline of events in the “Matrix
Trilogy” begins with images from “The Second Renaissance” and continues
with a mix of stills and text as well as some motion images placing all of the
key events from “The Animatrix,” “The Matrix,” and “The Matrix
Reloaded” in chronological order and concluding where “The Matrix
Revolutions” begins. I wish they covered the events in the final film too
since maybe it might have made themes from the series more clear for viewers
with questions. A preview of “The Matrix Online” concludes the extra
features on disc two.
All of the
interactive menus feature animated transitions with full motion scene selections
and all are easy to navigate too. While the film might not have been all I hoped
it would be, the DVD set is equal to last years “The Matrix Reloaded” and as
a standard edition Warner DVD release, “The Matrix Revolutions” is still a
merit worthy two-disc set. “The Matrix Revolutions: 2-Disc Widescreen
Edition” will debut on DVD-Video day and date with a full screen version, but
sold separately on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 at retailers on and offline from
Warner Home Video.
©
Copyright 2004 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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