Released 20 years ago this year, this sci-fi film is the follow-up to an incredibly well-received original but has always divided the franchise’s fans.
If there’s one sequel that didn’t please everyone in the world of blockbusters, it’s definitely Matrix Reloaded! This second installment in the Matrix saga, initiated by the Wachowskis in 1999, was released twenty years ago in May 2003.
In the film, Zion is preparing to fall under the assault of the machine army, with 250,000 Sentinels ready to launch a final attack that will exterminate humanity and this last refuge. Neo, who has learned to control his extraordinary abilities, officially becomes the chosen one who will guide humanity to victory.
While the average ratings on Movipage aren’t catastrophic, with 3.7 out of 5 for Matrix 2 and 3.5 for Matrix 3, compared to the first film’s 4.4 out of 5, there is a noticeable drop among viewers. This can be explained by the fact that while most are blown away by the special effects, they criticize a pretext-like story.
ChuckCarrey sums it up: “The Wachowskis had accomplished such a feat that we doubted they could do better. And our doubts were founded. Before getting into the details, we can already say that this sequel is a good film but slightly disappointing compared to its predecessor.” An opinion shared by lhomme-grenouille: “Where George Lucas had managed to give dimension to his mythology through his sequels, the Wachowski sisters got bogged down in a grotesque mishmash drowned in a multitude of visual effects as numerous as they were inappropriate.”
“It’s the best of the three for me,” counters Diane M. “How could we stop at 1? So many questions were left unanswered! (….) Of course, it’s much more complex. But that’s what makes it more interesting to me than the other two.” Without calling it a masterpiece, Themistocle_480 hammers the point home: “A great film, one that will go down in intelligent action cinema? Yes, and an essential reference.”
As you scroll through the viewer reviews on the film’s page, it’s clear that Matrix Reloaded is still a divisive film today. Some criticize its unnecessary complexity and its “subway ticket” storyline, while others embrace this complexity and are amazed by the film’s sumptuous special effects – and an action sequence that requires the destruction of 300 cars!
This mixed reception is obviously nothing compared to that of Matrix Resurrections, which has an average rating of 2.6 out of 5 on Movipage and was generally not well-received. One thing seems likely: a fifth installment is not coming anytime soon…