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In the final
chapter of the trilogy first featured in 1999, the Wachowski brothers
turn
Neo’s saga into a classic confrontation between Good and Evil, and
definitely clear
all queries about Matrix universe... or do they not?
 In may 2003
MATRIX RELOADED gave sequence to Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity
(Carrie-Anne Moss)
and Morpheus’ (Laurence Fishburne) quest against the machines which had
taken over
the world and enslaved human kind, putting them to live an elaborated
virtual
reality, the Matrix, completely unaware of the dreadful reality: people
are not
but mere biological batteries, connected to huge machines that consume
people’s
energy. Nowadays, a big mistake was made by the Wachowski brothers (the
creators) and Warner: the four years long delay to release the sequence
for the
1999 original, which has become a milestone for being a creative mix of
cheap
philosophy, cyber-punk, religion, literature, comics, anime, kung-fu
films,
innovative special effects and so on. Problem is, during the four-year
lapse,
competitors flooded the screens with films showing The Matrix related
theme and
visual style (when not simply copied). Thus, RELOADED debut, and even
filled
with dazzling scenes and effects, it was far from being, to the
public’s point
of view, a transcendent experience as promised by hype marketing.
Besides, the
Wachowskis have made another strategic mistake – their decision to not
to allow
the media to interview them (their spokesman is producer Joel Silver)
annoyed a
considerable part of American reviewers, who reacted with negative
RELOADED and
REVOLUTIONS reviews. For sure these are not the main reasons to justify
the
disappointment of many fans on the last two chapters, especially this
REVOLUTIONS
(which, strangely enough, is mostly recognized as being better than the
previous chapter, but elicited an even bigger rejection). It may be
explained
by MATRIX extreme originality, a cultural milestone that, as previously
mentioned, is a combination of elements which, when seen isolated, have
nothing
new: it is the ingenious way they were combined that makes a
difference. Thus,
the film has gathered a legion of followers all over the world, which
glimpsed
there an unlimited source of new experiences and possibilities, as a
movie as
well as a motto. In short, they have taken it far too seriously what,
in the
end, and as REVOLUTIONS made it crystal clear, has been a classical
fight
between Good and Evil focussed on a Messiah’s, a Chosen One’s
trajectory (any
resemblance between Neo and Christ is NOT merely coincidental).
Additionally,
the disappointment was due to Wachowskis not having replayed the
magical trick
on the sequence films. Let us admit it, it would really be hard to get
it, and
I wonder even if they would need to.
 According to
many, this final chapter acclaims the
victory of outward appearance over contents, profit over art. It is
partially
true, let us not be deluded: MATRIX success was unexpected,
the story about having planned three films right from the beginning is
sheer
marketing. The two sequels, therefore, were made intended for profit,
but even
so, to my mind, they exceeded what one could expect from mere
blockbusters.
I must confess:
I was getting very worried while
watching REVOLUTIONS’ first half-hour of projection: Neo’s scenes
trapped in
the Matrix, his endless dialogues with the Indian programs, the new
Oracle’s
face, everything looked rather garbled talk which apparently would lead
to
nothing. Nevertheless, past this part and from Neo and Trinity’s
departure to the
Machines City, and Niobe (Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Morpheus’ coming back
to
Zion, the film cuts the knot and becomes a memorable sci-fi adventure.
That,
additionally, features the most epic and intense score of the trilogy,
relying
almost exclusively on Don Davis’ orchestra and choir. REVOLUTIONS
is a more linear,
coherent and homogenous film than
RELOADED, and also the least "Matrix" of all. Being the trilogy
conclusion, the plot would necessarily have to go forward, and
everything that
had been made within the Matrix should necessarily reflect on physical
world
now. The creators, no matter if for inability, for creative or even
commercial
decision, put many story key points outside the Matrix. Most of the
greatest
sequences take place on the real world: Neo’s confrontation against
Agent
Smith’s flesh-and-blood version, Bane (Ian Bliss); the impressive
Sentinels
attack to Zion; and Neo and Trinity’s arrival to the Machines City.
 By opting for
show "reality" most time, the Wachowskis seem to have told the
masses: "Ok kids, put aside all the theories proposed in RELOADED,
forget
philosophy: it’s war now, it’s killing or dying: people are mutilated
and dye
right here. Even the heroes aren’t safe from this fate". During Zion’s
battle, portrayed by impressive special effects, we can see thousands
of
Sentinels attacking humans that drive ‘Mechwarriors’; soldiers are
mutilated,
crushed, and so far secondary characters, like The Boy (Clayton Watson)
and Zee
(Nona Gaye), Link’s wife, show what they are made of and do heroics;
aboard the
ship heading to the Machines City, Neo and Trinity face the "real"
Smith, in a combat which does not resemble the stylish kung-fu fights
in the
Matrix at all. Here, neither fashionable black clothing nor sunglasses:
this
time it is dirty combat, and there is also blood – and mutilation.
However,
even within action in physical world, the Wachowskis keep references to
movies
and other arts, some of them quite obvious. The flesh-and-blood Smith
bears the
same name of the villain who, on Batman’s comics, crippled the Dark
Knight –
and, in an analogous way, imposes Neo a horrid mutilation. Zion
‘Mechwarriors’
leader is named Mifune, a clear homage to Akira Kurosawa’s samurai
films great
actor, Toshiro Mifune. And all Zion battle is the brothers’ tribute to
STAR
WARS esthetics.
 Nevertheless,
as if coming back where everything had begun, the film greatest moment
belongs
to the Matrix: the final confrontation between Neo and Agent Smith
(excellent
Hugo Weaving), that looks like taken from a SUPERMAN film, or a live
version of
DRAGONBALL Z. Smith, along the films, has shown to be the richest and
more
contradictory character in the saga. He is a program that, ironically,
turns
into what he most loathes – a virus, and what makes it even worse,
contaminated
by a number of typically human questions and flaws. All the uncountable
ways
designed in the first two films converge to this final duel against
Smith. It
would be hardly possible to reach an end to the saga that pleased
everybody.
Speaking for myself, I was not disappointed, maybe for, in spite of
considering
THE MATRIX to be a unique film, I have never overvalued it or
considered it to
be more than it really is: a creative, and very good, sci-fi adventure.
Perhaps for the
fact
that I had not expected something outstanding, I considered the trilogy
conclusion to have been more than satisfactory, in a film that, in the
end, is
worse than the initial chapter only. All right, I agree that Morpheus
was wasted
in this film, having made nothing of importance, and that – crime of
all crimes
– Monica Bellucci was featured playing only a minor role... but its
conclusion
gets the loose ends together and definitely reveals us what is, in the
end, the
Matrix. Or does is not?
Jorge
Saldanha
English
version by
Jaqueline Tergolina
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