debate

[egypturnash]

I can't decide if I want to bother seeing 'Matrix Reloaded' or not. The original one was a surprisingly entertaining film. The ideas were all pretty old to me, but it was amusing to see them on the big screen, and it looked nice. But then it turned into this huge geek-culture thing as big as Star Wars. And every geek in America seemed to be eagerly masturbating over the trailers. And the 'Animatrix' stuff. And the game. And the ancilliary stuff may or may not be required viewing to fully understand the complexities of the plot of the new movie, which has as bad a case of 'middle book' as 'The Two Towers'.

It's gone from being something out on the edge and kinda nerdy-cool (insofar as any big-budget effects picture from a major studio could ever be edgy or cool) to being an immense media metastasization.

I'm curious about how they'll expand on what was never really intended to be a series (at least not the way I read the movie), and as to how they'll visually top oh-so-imitated 'bullet time' bit. But it's so cross-promoted now that I'll feel like a total media whore going to see it.

Comments

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

I'd say that it's worth waiting for the initial rush of the fanboys to die down before taking a look. Do it at matinee prices, since I didn't feel it worth a full-price seat. It's okay, but as you say, it suffers from middle film syndrome. A lot of exposition in the first half, a lot of action in the second. I don't want to speak in more detail, since others reading this may want to avoid spoilers.

Before the screening I saw, there were trailers for just about every action movie coming out this summer. I've never been so bored in my life. The result wasn't a desire to see any of the latest and greatest explosion fests, but to get the hell away from the theatres as soon as I catch one other film this summer, "Finding Nemo." I just hope I don't start having visions of fish involved in explosions and car chases...

[ultraken.livejournal.com]

I could feel my brain cells shrivelling under the onslaught of "2 Fast 2 Furious" and "Charlie's Angels"... so much sound and fury, signifying nothing. Bleah.

[kamenkyote.livejournal.com]

Funny you should mention "Star Wars." "Matrix Reloaded" gave me the same initial feeling "Empire Strikes Back" did: I was happy with the first one and didn't need another one. Perhaps #3 will clean things up, but there better damn well not be teddy bears...

-T'

[phaze2.livejournal.com]

"But it's so cross-promoted now that I'll feel like a total media whore going to see it."

There's a good deal of people having kind of an anti-matrix-movement going on for exactly this reason - which IMO is an exceedingly stupid one. So whether you go or not, you'll potentially be in one group of morons (at least that's how the morons of the opposite group will see it - but who cares about them).
Personally, I'm sure as hell not going to miss this movie, not because it was so cross-promoted, but simply because I liked the first one.
If you don't want to be a media whore, bring a camera and spread the screener for free.
Did I mention that I have a fast connection ? :D