Matrix Reloaded

Steve what the fcuk u on about m8???? :spangled:

In typical programming fashion not properly bugfixed until V6.0. Or is it???
The anomaly is still there!!!!!????

got it on dvd the end of last week , good quality copy too , centropy svcd transfer the same people that ripped xmen2 and daredevil , fingers crossed there gonna do a good rip of the hulk in july !!!!

<---fiddla--->:groovy:

THEORIES

THE ANOMALY + THE SIX RELOADED MATRICES

So -- We know from the many clues along the way and principally from the Architect that Neo is the 6th version of “The one”. The Matrix has been RELOADED six times over and every time it’s started anew, Zion is destroyed. The One picks the people to start Zion all over again - Everything goes back to the beginning -- time passes until “The One” emerges again. “The One” is an anomaly which the architect cannot seem to rectify. With each new design of The Matrix, the anomaly is still there -- thus “The One” will always emerge with each new design.

After the creation of Matrix version 1.0, the machines probably new that a few humans would eventually realize that they were living in a virtual fantasy and that these individuals would attempt to escape from the simulation. To address this, the machines created ZION, a recreation of the real world and obviously part of The Matrix. The first band of “free” humans were fooled by this recreation. Thus, this pattern repeated itself with each new version of the Matrix.

With each new Matrix comes an anomaly. The machines need to control this anomaly as they recognise the anomaly could be dangerous. So -- using computer games as an analogy -- what if the entire Matrix is like a huge computer game? To control the anomaly the machines create a game that has many levels. The ultimate object of the game is for “The One” to get to the Architect level and then make the choice and then restart the game again. It’s all a form of control. Everything happens for a reason. Everything is placed in The Matrix by the Machines for a very specific purpose.

The humans believe they are on some kind of quest to free themselves from slavery when in actual fact, everything is expected and planned by the machines. The Keymaker for example: a program designed by the machines who’s purpose is to ensure that “The one” gets the key to see The Architect. When the Keymaker dies he says” It’s meant to be” and it is -- he’s served his purpose within the game, thus he’s supposed to “die” at this point.



THE ORIGIN OF NEO’S POWERS -- POSSIBILITY 1


As Neo is an anomaly, this could explain how he has superior powers to everyone else. Some glitch in the Machine’s mainframe allows Neo to have superpowers. In a way, Neo’s powers are comparable to “cheats” in a computer game. Cheats allow the gamer to, in a way, defeat the game -- disregard the rules and progress ahead without following the normal rules -- overcome some obstacle or gain some special power which will assist them. If this power is retained it helps the gamer complete the game quicker. The machines know there is a way that Neo could eventually harness those powers and destroy The Matrix for real -- thus it is in their interests to create the game and ensure Neo is kept occupied so that he can never realise his true potential.

NEO’S POWERS -- POSSIBILITY 2: NEO IS ARTIFICIAL


On another level, perhaps it’s possible that “The One” is in fact a sentient programme -- Neo for example could have been created by the Machines for the specific purpose of controlling the band of humans who create the resistance. The Oracle creates the myth about the Prophecy; the one comes along to apparently fulfil that prophecy when in actual fact he is leading the humans to their doom. If Neo is artificial, this could explain why he has such powers. The presence of Neo in the real world as a living, breathing human would seem to dispel this possibility -- however, not necessarily. If the twist is as I think it is, then Neo is not in fact human at all. This would mean that the Neo of the supposed “real world” is as artificial as the Neo of The Matrix. Thus the likes of Morpheus and Trinity, upon seeing Neo in the “real world” would automatically assume he was human -- despite the fact he’s a mere fabrication. After all, that is their reality. For them, the real world IS the real world.


THE REAL WORLD DOESN’T EXIST! GENIUS!

Near the end, neo seemingly has his special powers outside The Matrix when he stops a group of sentinels. He exclaims that “something’s different”. This is where the genius aspect of the script comes into play IMO. Could it be that Neo’s felling of the sentinels is the point that we realise Zion is not actually free at all but just another part of The Matrix. The division between “Matrix” and “Free world” is another control device created by the machines. If Zion is part of The Matrix then where is the “real” real world? If Zion is part of The Matrix then everyone will realise the true extent of their lack of choice. Neo will surely realise that everything he’s been doing is in fact pointless. Nobody is really free -- everyone is still plugged into the generator! Surely means Mankind is well and truly screwed. They’ve been fighting an impossible battle and got nowhere except the exact place the machines want them -- under control.

AGENT SMITH AND NEO

It seems that Agent Smith has been “freed” in some way. Apparently he’s no longer an Agent of The Matrix" Could it be that after being destroyed by Neo in the original, some of Neo’s code was assimilated into Smith, giving him the power to clone himself? When Smith and Neo meet before the huge brawl, Smith says some pretty revealing stuff like “Can you feel the connection between you and I” and “After our last meeting a part of you became me, a part of me became you" or words to that effect. There’s obviously significance to this. Why doesn’t Neo just destroy Smith again the same way he did in the first film? Well -- if destroying Smith the first time gave him extra abilities would Neo actually want to rip him apart again and risk giving Smith some more abilities? I don’t think so. Makes sense to me.

Furthermore, even if Neo wanted to destroy an Agent that way, I don’t think it would work. When the agents confront Neo even though they are clearly prepared. When neo goes to hit one of the agents his fist doesn’t penetrate the flesh. Neo then says “ah Up Grades” It seems pretty obvious to me that the machines fixed whatever hole/weakness/ in their agent code that allowed Neo to jump into Smith. With this programming flaw fixed Neo now has to fight the agents in the normal manner.

Smith at one point hints that he’s been unplugged. Is this true? I doubt it. First of all he’s a computer program/virus/whatever anyway and secondly, it seems pretty clear that there is no real world (in as much as we haven’t seen it yet) everything thus far has been The Matrix. Perhaps Smith is just teasing or even lying.

General Points

FIGHTS

I thought the fights were exciting for the most part -- BUT after a while they become a little repetitive. The martial arts are too choreographed, too clean, too tame. Despite the fact that Neo has these powers, he doesn’t seem to really do any damage in one on one spats. Hardly anyone gets bruised or bloodied. It’s too clean. Even with swords and other weapons, same old story. When Neo or any sunglass wearing person gets punched in the face, the glasses stay! Are they glued on?! Despite these things though, I still found the fights entertaining.

NEO: LACK OF DANGER/TENSION WHEN HE FIGHTS

This was a definite problem. Its obvious Neo will not lose. Thus no danger, no suspense. This is compensated for (IMO) however with the sheer variety of spectacle of some of the action.

NEO VS 100 AGENT SMITHS: A MATTER OF EGO?

Necessary to the plot? Probably not -- though the verbal exchanges between Neo and Smith are quite revealing. The brawl is amazing though. The CGI was very effective -- I thought it would bother me but it worked perfectly IMO. Of course, there were little flaws -- but these didn’t matter because what we were seeing on screen with this fight was unlike anything before. The music in the scene was excellent and really added to the adrenaline.

So why didn’t Neo just fly away right at the beginning instead of fighting? I actually think it’s down to ego a little. Neo probably thinks he can kick ass. He’s the one! He likes the challenge. He thinks he can defeat Smith/s and takes them on -- he realises though that it’s an impossible task as they just keep multiplying and keep coming so -- at that point he gets the hell outta there.

ACTION SEQUENCES

Absolutely stunning. The Freeway chase was just fantastically conceived. Pure action cinema. Great camera and great thumping soundtrack.

CHARACTERISATION + ACTING

Keanu Reeves: Another impossible thing has happened -- even more wooden than the first film! He does a great job with the action but he just has no personality whatsoever. Painfully uncharismatic IMO. Sedate, boring, uninvolving. Perhaps it’s a stylistic thing and he’s told to act like that? His stonefaced performace was 50% of the problem with the original IMO -- in Reloaded however, there is so much going on that even Reeves’ stunning ability to suck the life and energy out of a scene is not enough to spoil the film.

Neo is also too passive a character in my view. He’s almost entirely reactionary. Too many times in the he was merely a foil for another character’s length exposition. Too many questions and not enough taking action and making things happen.

Laurence Fishburne does Ok -- his speech at Zion was embarrassingly bad though. Hugo Weaving stood out again. I was impressed with the more minor characters though -- Link, Merovingian, Persephone etc brought some heart and spirit and humour to the. This countered the usual staid, sedate lead performances.

EMOTION

An improvement on the original IMO. The Trinity/Neo love story is handled well to be honest, I still don’t give a toss whether Neo lives or dies. Trinity’s character grew on me little I suppose. Reeves just cannot evoke audience empathy.

haha....well explained....

saw it last night, its very good...
gonna go again @ wkend....