Customer Reviews

The Matrix Revolutions (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

5 star:		(312)
4 star:		(170)
3 star:		(150)
2 star:		(121)
1 star:		(187)

 

 

Very good movie. Very intense action, but like the first two installments the plot is paramount. You can't take this movie at face value. It requires thought and analysis - and if you are able to give it some thought, I think you will enjoy it. I would also recommend checking out Reloaded within a day or so of going to see Revolutions.

Revolutions is Neo's continuing quest to figure out his purpose. The basic plot starts out in two directions - first, the machines moving towards Zion attempting to destroy the remaining humans who are freed. In addition, Agent Smith has made his way out of the Matrix into the "real world" in the form of Bane. Neo has found that his powers exists outside of the Matrix and now Smith has done the same. I equate Smith to a computer virus that continues to adapt. Smith is Neo's dramatic foil and the Oracle tells Neo that he and Smith are "negative twins".

Break for the very long intense fight between the humans and machines. Great battle scene (despite no Neo or Trinity). Suspense builds as we wonder if Zion can hold off the machines long enough to get support from Niobe & Morpheous.

After the fight, Neo makes peace with the machines by telling the machines that Smith is a threat to the machine world just as he is the matrix (at this point, Smith has overtaken the matrix). The machines then allow Neo to go into the Matrix and attempt to eliminate Smith - in the second film, Smith had adapted and was stronger (than he was in the first film) - unable to be destroyed by Neo. The big question is how will Neo destroy Smith and what will the implications be. The way Smith was finally destroyed was very profound.

Inside the Matrix, Smith overtook the Oracle, just as he had done to about everyone else inside the Matrix. We even saw some foreshadowing here, Smith (sounding frustrated) asked the Oracle "if you knew I was coming for you, why would you still be here". This was the Oracle's choice, and she knew that allowing Smith to overtake her would ultimately lead to his demise. The oracle said to Neo earlier, "Everything that has a beginning also has an end".

Another cool fight scene between Neo and Smith. Just as Neo was lying on the ground and nearly defeated, he finally realized how to defeat Smith. This realization came about when Smith said (standing over Neo), "I am now supposed to say - 'everything that has a beginning also has an end'". Neo then allowed Smith to overtake him, and then the machines pulled the plug that linked Neo into the Matrix. By pulling the plug, the machines killed Neo and since Smith had overtaken Neo, this ultimately killed Smith. Thus, Neo (major symbolism here - Neo is Christ-like) dies to save everyone else. Smith dies and everyone inside the Matrix that Smith had overtaken turned back into themselves - hence the Oracle lying on the ground where Smith was slain.

A cut scene shows the matrix "repairing" itself. The Oracle is sitting on a bench next to Seraph and the little girl (all of whom were earlier overtaken by Smith) and the architect tells the Oracle that she found a creative way to beat Smith. The end.

Conclusion - The matrix still exists. Big question - was the architect correct when he said at the end of Reloaded that Neo is an anomaly of the Matrix and that 5 others came before him and more will come after him? The little girl (sorry, can't remember her name) asks the Oracle if they will see Neo again and the Oracle says "I think so".

All we know is that the Matrix still exists and that for now the freed humans and the machines are going to coexist. Another question - will the machines continue to use humans for energy, or will those humans be freed - stay tuned...I think there is more to come.



There is a ton of Matrix philosophy on the this web site. But it is limited to the first film.

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com

On the top right, go to the mainframe and then click the box that says philosophy. A good article on the religious symbolism is "Wake Up!" by Flannery-Dailey & Wagner.

I have no idea what the critics are griping about. This is a _great_ movie.

And I do _not_ mean that you should refrain from looking for anything 'deep' and just enjoy the action and special effects. Oh, the special effects are fantastic, all right. But the 'deep' ideas _are_ there, and you can find them if you know what to look for.

I think the problem is that so many viewers misunderstood the main theme of the first _Matrix_ film, taking it to be a movie about the question 'What is real?' Then they were disappointed when the next two films had little new to say on that question.

But that's not the main theme of this trilogy, or even of the first film. The theme is: 'What is the nature of the relationship between humans and machines?' And the resolution of _that_ question in the third film has every bit as much mind-blowing power as anything in the original _Matrix_.

The question does get answered, and the answer does make sense. All the tension in the plot comes down to whether Neo is really the 'One' and what it means to be the 'One'. Well, what _is_ the One? I won't tell you, but I _will_ tell you to pay very close attention to the relationship between Neo and Smith.

In this final film of the _Matrix_ trilogy, humans and machines achieve the next level in their symbiotic evolution. The Wachowskis have done it right; the critics have it wrong. Don't miss this one.

Let's get one thing straight: "The Matrix Revolutions" has none of the reality-bending plot twists nor the eye-opening originality of the first. The final chapter in the trilogy is an altogether different type of movie. Although it cannot compete against the original, it competes strongly against other entries in the action/adventure genre. With the requisite battle scenes that pit the underdog against a superpower, "The Matrix Revolutions" is a fast-paced, adrenalin-packed movie that owes its entertainment to action and special effects. Despite this, the viewer must listen and watch carefully, as in the other two, to understand why events unfold as they do.

The plot is difficult to detail without spoilers since many of the most shocking revelations come at the beginning, before the high-stakes battle scenes begin. Let it suffice to say that Neo has become something more than we thought, and as a result, he is much more of a threat to the nefarious virus Agent Smith. When the Oracle indicates (or does she?) that Neo is Zion's only hope, he and Trinity break off from the others who are hunkering down for an all-out assault of Zion. This is the strongest indicator that the third of the trilogy has stepped away from philosophical sci-fi and into pure action, as Neo and Trinity disappear from the screen for long stretches. Their onscreen time is limited, as is their plot; this will disappoint many diehard fans. Still, the action sequences are breathless (although eventually overdone) and the special effects are first-rate. The resolution of the trilogy is both surprising and inevitable, the hallmark of a well-prepared story. If you've been paying attention, it will make complete sense.

I recommend you approach this film without high expectations. Comparing it to the first will only disappoint you. Expect instead something along the lines of the "Terminator" movies, and you'll enjoy every minute.

I am dumbfounded at how many people actually gave this film five stars. Imagine if Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Lea where all given bit part roles to play in the final movie of the trilogy and Jabba the Hut, a Jawa, a Storm Trooper and an Ewok where made the central focus characters? Would you like that? Well this is EXACTLY what Revolutions does!

Okay so Terminator 3 was no Terminator 1 or 2, but it was satisfactory! Return of the Jedi was the weakest of the series but that too was satisfactory. Star Wars Ep.1 was nothing like the originals but again at least it was satisfactory.

Revolutions is nothing like the above. It is more akin to the kind of sabotage that we see in movie remakes!

The filmmakers obviously have absolutely no idea what made the first film so good. Reloaded and Revolutions have gone down the road of Disney cartoons instead of staying on the patch of action comic book type appeal. It was a tremendously bad call by the filmmakers to focus too much on Zion and bring bit-part characters to the forefront of the movie. Morpheus is forgotten about and does little more than sit in a co-pilot seat next to Niobe throughout the movie. It was Morpheus who made the metaphysical statements cool. When the same things are spoken by some bit part characters... (who are given a leading roles!... oh what a crisis!... you simply DO NOT DO THAT.)... it just sounds plain stupid and dumb. NEW CHARACTERS are introduced that serve very little function and are forgotten about just as quick. The Trainman appears as an important character and then... disappears. His whole scene at the start of the movie with Neo served absolutely NO PURPOSE. The Architect materializes briefly at the end for a few lines to try and consolidate everything. Persephone is back again with the Merovingian as if nothing is wrong after her releasing the Keymaker in Reloaded. The Twins who disappeared in Reloaded are obviously vaporized, because they are not here.

The original Matrix was a high like no other. Reloaded was satisfactory and at least had some knockout action sequences with elements that where in the first Matrix and a few extra scenes here and there to help develop the story around Zion. Okay so the dance scene at the start was totally out of place but in Reloaded as soon as Neo met the Oracle it was the Matrix rocking like you mother from start to finish. Revolutions is NOTHING like Reloaded and it certainly is at the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to the original Matrix.

Questions that where created in Reloaded are left unanswered. What is it with the Indian family who take up almost fifteen minutes talking at the start of the film? The copout for replacing the Oracle with a new actress is explained in the worst possible way..... AND WHOEVER WROTE THE SCREENPLAY DIALOGUE SHOULD HAVE HIS PAYCHECK REVOKED! What a cliche driven script! You will not believe the stereotype dialogue on display here! Seriously it is a SIN to do what they have done to the Matrix series. Watch the climatic scene between Neo and Trinity which lasts for ages. Listen to what they are saying! Watch Neo stand for a few minutes in stupidity as Bane, who sounds, talks and moves just like Agent Smith, almost has to tell Neo who he is before the penny drops with our savior character! Bill and Ted where on the screen for a few moments there. Sssshesshhh.....

The filmmakers have stamped all over this film as if they are out to harm the entire series - or maybe - is it just possible ..... that the first Matrix movie was just made a FANTASTIC MOVIE by accident? Everything on display in Revolutions seems to point to that conclusion.

There are only two key action sequences in this film. One which revolves around warriors controlling "Aliens" type robots with guns and the machines crashing around the place with lots of gun-fire and explosions. It is excellent stuff for the first few minutes but far too much time is spent on it. We WANT to see NEO getting it on with Agent Smith!... and finally ... (and it is a long time coming) when it appears, it is nothing compared to the Alleyway Brawl we saw in Reloaded.

This film is a disaster. Even if it where like Reloaded it would have been an acceptable movie but it seems almost like some sort of Direct to Video type movie. The filmmakers should never have given our principle characters a back seat to other bit part actors. They should have reduced the Zion fight sequence by at least three-quarters of the running time and put that space into Neo and Smith getting it on in some way shape or form. The screenplay should have been revised from the start instead of plowing so much money into the Zion action sequence. It is very hard to describe what an utter disappointment this film was. It could possibly be one of worst mega-budget pictures ever made. Fans will feel downright conned. Those who are looking for popcorn fodder will probably find it okay-ish entertainment but if we wanted to watch okay-ish entertainment we would hope to find that somewhere else other than in one of the most expensive sci-fi films ever made. Thank God that the Lord of the Rings is there to redeem our faith in high-concept large budget fantasy films. Revolutions is a prime example of a marketing confidence trick marred with bad acting, bad writing and bad direction. The special effects are on top form but this DOES NOT MAKE A MOVIE.

Revolutions is a bad stain on the Matrix series - if not trilogies as a whole. Fans should voice their disapproval so that this sort of humiliation does not happen again.

I have to admit that ive spent waaaay too much time with my buddies and bros after Reloaded trying to guess what this movie would hold....man, were we off!!! (although I did dig my theory that Neo could lock into the Matrix wirelessly, kinda like WI-FI) I will also admit I was a bit worried whether the brothers could wrap this up in two hours, and yet leave us with enough eye candy.....WELL THEY DID IT....im so impressed with this movie on so many levels....

As far as my take, It has to be when the Oracle tells Neo that he and Agent Smith are one and the same, exact opposites of each other. I think that the reason Agent Smith dies at the end is because in order to keep the balance of both of their existence, Neo's sacrifice of himself to save the people (no need to tell you about the religious undertones here) ultimatley kills Agent Smith as well, because Neo's existence had to balance out Agent Smiths existence. (Im gonna have to watch this again...and again, and again)

The War scence in Zion was magnificent...and had the whole theater cheering at its close(I remember the frustration I felt was so real when the second wave of machines made theyre way through...not to mention the end fight scene between Agent Smith and Neo was absolutely brilliant...

There are many religious undertones to the conclusion of this movie, mainly dealing with faith(Oracle's belief in Neo,
christianity/judaism/islam (Ressurection of Neo and his sacrifice for his people) and even some Hinduism (the belief of reincarnation, much like the recreation of the Matrix six times) and lets throw some good old Kharma into the mix for good measure.

Absolutely fantastic.

Matrix I was a triumph of the marriage between a Hong Kong style kungfu fu flick and the typical Hollywood blockbuster. It had jaw-dropping action sequences and CGI effects that blew everybody away and set the standard for future CGI-infused thrillers. What made it so memorable was that it had a story, a plot and a concept all neatly rolled into one. It was so engaging that by the time the credits were rolling, you almost wanted to cry of relief that you're still in the real world and at the same time pray that the Matrix doesn't really exist.

Fast forward to November 2003 and here we are at the screening of the final chapter of the Matrix trilogy. After the debacle that was Matrix Reloaded, expectations are high as the W brothers try to redeem themselves with a bang of an ending. To be fair, M3 is better than M2. Much better. The CGIs are still quite breathtaking albeit less explosive, and there is actually a semblance of a plot this time round. Gone is the technobabble that threatened to sink M2. In its place is simple logic and heart which leads us to an inevitable showdown between Neo and Smith(s).

Sadly, there is minimal character development and the lead actors are pretty much left to their own devices to try and spice things up with whatever dismal lines that they are given. In fact Neo and gang actually disappear halfway through the show leaving only the CGI sentinels to salvage whatever dignity this trilogy had. As a result, nothing of importance really happens until the final half hour of the movie and by then you would've stopped caring for whomever it was that survived the invasion.

Finally, the way they wrapped it up is inconclusive, messy and totally not worth all the trouble the original writers took to create an alternative reality and fate. Which begets the question: How did something which started out so well end up so bad?

Story: A Acting: B Direction: A Visuals: A+ Overall Grade: A

Okay, first of all, I loved the first Matrix. I couldn't wait for the next 2. BUT I did not see Reloaded in the theater because the critics and my friends told me it was terrible. I listened to them and ignored it all the way until last week when I reluctantly rented the DVD. Much to my bittersweet chagrin, I liked it. A lot. The action + special effects were awesome (in the true sense of the word), the story was fluid and the themes dealt with were relevant and intelligently handled (the major theme being free will vs. predestination and how love works out out within that apparently paradoxical framework). Excellently executed in a taut, thrilling, butt-kicking, name-taking rollercoaster ride of a movie. Good stuff.

First lesson learned: Movies are subjective. Everyone has different tastes. Your taste is not mine. I will never listen with absolute attention to a critic or my friends again. Of course, I will weigh their opinions and tack them on to my "discretionary buffer zone" before deciding to see a movie - but I will never make an absolute decision based on others opinions in matters of subjectivity again. Second lesson learned: Expectations suck. (Which is probably why the critics and my friends were let down with Reloaded)

Now, onto dealing with Revolutions...from my perspective:

After my unexpectedly pleasant encounter with Reloaded, I eagerly anticipated seeing Revolutions. This time around, critically speaking, the critics reviews were tougher and my friends expectations were once again shattered. They either *liked* it, mildly disliked it or hated it. All were disappointed by it. Hmmm...what was I to think? I learned my lesson after seeing Reloaded...this time around I was going to ignore them and go into it with no expectations. I decided to let the story take me where it was going instead of me having a preconceived idea as to where I 'expected' it to go. I just saw it. I LOVED it.

First lesson reinforced: Critics suck. I can't fully trust my friends' judgments ever again. Second lesson reinforced: Drop expectations (of a subjective nature of course...moral expectations are a different ball game). Sometimes when it comes to judging film, instead of letting the storytellers take us on a journey, we become the backseat drivers. We kick and scream, begging the driver to change his/her course because it's not where we wanted to go. I surmise that this could be the reason that most folks disliked Revolutions. They jumped into the car wanting to go somewhere else.

Now Revolutions was definitely a change of atmosphere and pacing in comparison to the previous two. In this movie, most of the story took place in either ZION or a spacecraft. The feel of this movie reminded me of ALIENS (Alien 2)...dark and at times creepily suspenseful. And unlike the first Matrix and Reloaded, the filling isn't comprised of mind-blowing special effect laced - reality-defying kung-fu action sequences. Instead, the action, however quantified, is INTENSE in a different way. Replacing the usually ever-present hand-to-hand combat is a craaazy techno-war between the humans and machines with an insane amount of bullets being fired. FUN. Furthermore, for the first time in this trilogy, I felt a genuine sense of fear. I actually feared for the lives of the characters faced with imminent death. The Wachowski's did a tremendous job portraying courage in times of absolute terror...which is a large part of the movie. And the ending...wow...now this is RIDICULOUSLY COOL. Neo and Agent Smith duke it out for the last time. I must say that this is the BEST fight scene depicted in the trilogy (again...in my opinion). I left the theater very satisfied.

For many, the depth of philosophical exploration in the Matrix series was not adequate enough. I disagree. Although I concede that I did leave the theater with some questions still unanswered (ontological in nature), the simple truths brought out by this series WERE more than enough for me. Revolutions was a terrific compliment to the previous two, ending the series brilliantly - tying together the loose strings Morpheus, Trinity and the people of Zion were anticipating. Simplicity is often very profound. Faith. Hope. Courage. Love. Hate. Life. Death. Choice. Fate. These are the concepts the Matrix tautly grappled with - and with boldness like no other film I have ever seen. Simple concepts...yet each with significant relation to our core existence.

Now, the movie did end kind of open-ended. We weren't really given complete answers to everything. Well...I hypothesize that the Wachowski bros. left our questions insufficiently answered for a purpose. Not that they want us to believe there is another movie coming that will seek to offer further explanation, but they want us to choose what we believe. Maybe they want us to take the journey Neo and the others took instead of telling us plainly. If all the questions were answered, we wouldn't have to think. Now that would be a shame. Hmmmm...could it be? It's possible. :)

5/5 (Booyah!)

The Matrix Revolutions represents a disappointing way for the science fiction trilogy to bow out. Overlong and underwhelming, The Matrix Revolutions reinforces the thinking that it's a rare movie series in which the final chapter is the strongest. In this installment, the intelligence and ideas that formed one of the cornerstones of the original The Matrix, and were still in evidence in The Matrix Reloaded, have been shunted aside in favor of computer-generated action that makes about 1/3 of this movie look like a video game on the big screen.

The problems with the film are easy enough to pinpoint. It's pretentious (this was true, at least to a degree, of its predecessors) - we're expected to approach this film with the same solemnity that the Wachowski Brothers do. The action is hackneyed - the slo-mo martial arts stuff was neat the first time, but it was already getting old by the time it was re-used in The Matrix Reloaded. Now, it's past the expiration date, and the Wachowskis fail to come up with anything genuinely new or innovative to enhance or improve upon it. The pacing is uneven - the first hour is bogged down with talking and unnecessary exposition; not until the half-way point does the energy level shoot up. And the payoff is weak. Had this been a stand-alone popcorn science fiction adventure, it might have been enjoyable, but this is a poor way to end a trilogy. Expectations built up by the first two films are not fulfilled. One could be forgiven for anticipating something more momentous than a long shoot-'em-up followed by a glorified fistfight. And the "twist," if it can be called that, is hardly earthshaking.

The Matrix Revolutions begins where The Matrix Reloaded ended - with Neo (Keanu Reeves) in a coma after defeating a few sentinels. Actually, his mind is stuck in a sort of limbo (that looks like a train station) between the Matrix and the Real World. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) go in after him, and are forced to make a deal with the annoyingly cultured Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) to retrieve him. Meanwhile, Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), has found a way to escape from the Matrix in his unending quest to eliminate Neo. The machines are about to finish off Zion, and Lock (Harry J. Lennix) is running out of options. Morpheus, Link (Harold Perrineau Jr.), and Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) decide to return to the human city, but Neo and Trinity believe their destiny lies elsewhere. So, with the fate of mankind riding on their shoulders, they head in an unexpected direction.

In recent years, the line between special effects-focused blockbusters and computer games has been shrinking, and The Matrix Revolutions further narrows the gap. All that's missing is a joystick on the theater seat arm rest. The battle for Zion should be tense and suspenseful, but the obviousness of the computer generated animation during these sequences damages the ability to suspend disbelief. I didn't ever believe that I was watching humanity's last stand. Instead, I felt like I was watching a non-playable demo for a Matrix Revolutions videogame - shoot down as many sentinels as possible before being overwhelmed. The human element is limited to a few familiar faces rather than legitimate characters we actually care about.

After playing Superman for the last movie, Neo is back to being merely mortal this time around. That makes for some degree of uncertainty about his fate, but, unfortunately, it also requires that Keanu Reeves attempt to do more than stand around looking bemused and cool in black. The Matrix Revolutions expects Reeves to act a little, but the moment he tries to show emotion, we have to fight back giggles. Sadly, Reeves isn't the only one to display acting deficiencies. His co-stars, Carrie-Ann Moss and Laurence Fishburne, are on auto-pilot. Moss tries (and fails) to make us believe that Trinty truly, madly, deeply loves Neo. Fishburne had little to do except look stern. The only ones with any real energy are Harold Perrineau Jr. and Jada Pinkett Smith, neither of whom has a lot of screen time. The gorgeous Monica Bellucci (as Persephone) is so underused that it's inappropriate to label her appearance as anything more than a cameo, with her cleavage getting most of the attention. There has been one casting change: the enigmatic Oracle is now played by Mary Alice, replacing Gloria Foster, who died during production of The Matrix Reloaded.

When The Matrix Revolutions works, it does so as eye candy. Although the first hour drags because of the pontificating about choice and fate (none of the speeches offer anything new), the second hour zips by. The battle sequences may not be as involving as those in, say, Star Wars, but they are done with enough technical savvy to retain the attention of most viewers. And those who are on hand just to see a big-budget special effects extravaganza will be satisfied. Anyone hoping to experience the blend of science fiction, philosophy, and edgy action that characterized the previous two movies will be disappointed. Nevertheless, for completists who need to find out how it ends, The Matrix Revolutions provides answers (although not necessarily to all questions) and doesn't cop out when it comes to the final resolution.

Matrix Revolutions was interesting as sort of a post-modernistic blend of Christianity and Jungian psychology, but in the end it was a let down as an action adventure movie, and it's message was rather garbled.

The main positive for me was that they didn't resort of one of those ubiquitous finales where some sort of clock is ticking down to disaster, with the world saved with 2 seconds to spare.

But the ending was not very satisfying. Nothing was resolved in any way that seemed permanent. The main characters were abandoned and minor characters pushed to the front of the stage. What philosophical points it made were confused by the need to show something exploding, speeding, or performing Kung Fu every few minutes.

The Matrix Revolutions completes the saga of science fiction fantasy films brought to us in part by Larry and Andy Wachowski (hope I spelled that correctly). The film stars Keanu Reeves (A Walk in the Clouds, Speed) as Neo, the super empowered liberator of the human race, Laurence Fishburne (Just Cause, Boyz in the Hood) as Morpheus, one of the wise leaders of the human resistance movement, Carrie-Anne Moss (Memento, New Blood) as Trinity, a dedicated freedom fighter and the love of Neo's life, and Hugo Weaving (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, LOTR Trilogy) as the renegade program and Neo's arch nemesis Agent Smith.

Alone, the film stands as a great visual and cinematic achievement. As a final sequel, it suffers from the all too infamous "Sequel Rule" that has plagued American cinema for decades. The Wachowskis broke new ground with the original and why they failed to achieve the same success with this film is the basis of this review. While there are many good things about this film, custom dictates that you dispense with the bad news first, so here goes: WARNING! Spoiler-laden

What doesn't work:
1) CGI over use. Like Star Wars Ep.II, this film suffers from an overuse of the overrated CGI technology. This causes some of the action scenes to be at best choppy and the Sentinel war and the final fight to suffer from a lack of realism and ending up cartoonish. Better use of the CGI was done in the first two films.

2) Character utilization. Morpheus, the Oracle, Seti, and most of the other players are poorly utilized in the film. Perhaps if Morpheus had been at the last stand with Mifune, he could have gone out with the proverbial bang that his character deserved. Instead he's left crying about the end of the war and how happy he is. It was all just a trifle bit sappy and pathetic.

3) The conclusion. The most obvious problem is how rushed the ending was and how it leaves the audience and the trilogy with no sense of closure. The machines are not defeated as we had been led to believe, rather, they enter into a temporary truce with Zion orchestrated by Neo. Then, the Oracle says that Neo will be heard from again. Rather an odd statement considering that the Wachowskis have gone on record of saying that there will be no further sequels and Neo dying as a result of being too powerful for Smith to assimilate. The ending I had envisioned was that Neo would take control of the Machines and the Matrix and shut it all down, thus killing himself and saving Zion. Everything is left up in the air and it was all too rushed.


What works:
1) The death of Trinity. At least one or two major characters have to die in a film of this magnitiude. This gives the film a hint of realism in that this shows that success and freedom and all of the other civil liberties we take for granted ultimately come at a price.

2) Agent Smith. Hugo Weaving continues to dazzle us with his uncanny and over-the-top performance as Smith. He is a villain's villain in every sense and in my opinion, should be counted among cinema history's most popular and memorable villains. The scene that truly defined Smith as a character was his last speech to Neo during their final fight in which he urges Neo to give up the fight because all of the things he was fighting for (peace, love, truth, freedom) were only human delusions and that love itself was meaningless because it was invented by humans.

3) Captain Mifune's last stand. This scene captivated me because it shows the measure of a how far one ws willing to go to support his cause and when faced with insurmountable odds, he does not back down. Mifune was probably a character that we should have seen more of.

4) The film score. Don Davis' score is electrifying and pulsating. It moves the troubled plot along and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat and gives the film a last saving grace.