Reviews

The Matrix Revolutions is the apparent conclusion of the Matrix trilogy, which spanned the Matrix, Matrix: Reloaded, and finally Matrix: Revolutions.

Indeed, the Wachowskis put a lot of effort into this one. Upside down battles, fantastic CGI, and great cinematography, as usual. But therein lies the problem. This is all kung fu magic that we've seen before. Expect nothing new or "revolutionary" in this film.

It starts out fairly simply with Neo popping back up into existence after a small quest by Seraph, Trinity, and Morpheus to get him back from the clutches of the Merovingian. After that, everything starts to muddle.

We spend a good 30 minutes in Zion as the humans defend the dock from the imposing machines. This battle is too clichéd to be appreciated that much. We have the kid who promises to "not let down" his superior officer, the IL' battle- hardened captain. At this point, Trinity and Neo are off to machine city to strike a deal to get rid of Smith, while Niobe and the rest of the remaining rebels make their way back to Zion to assist in its defense.

After that little scene, we wisely get back to Trinity and Neo. At this point you'll probably be suffering from Matrix starvation: the Wachowskis seem to think the Matrix irrelevant at this point, and try to prop you comfortably in a place you've only briefly been in during Reloaded. This tactic really backfires, as we do not enter the Matrix for a good 40 minutes at least.

And we do, it is both exhilarating and disappointing. The final battle between Smith and Neo is a thing of wonder, but no where near as powerful as the subway battle in the first Matrix. And that was much longer then this, which ends about 7 minutes in.

After that, a resolution is brought upon us, and we are treated to a sugar coated faith ending.

So, to summarize, nothing new, just OK, not as good as the first one or the second.

You'd probably be better off watching all the movies in reverse.

During lunch at school today a few pals were talking about a Matrix parody called "The Matrix Has You" on Newgrounds.com. I watched it this afternoon and was suddenly entranced by the Matrix Trilogy all over again. (I previously called Reloaded as an elongated teaser trailer for Revolutions, which was not nearly as good, but still excellent). So I popped in my dusty Reloaded disc and suddenly realized the genius of Reloaded all over again. The cinematography is magnificent, the choreography amazing. The dialogue by some characters is great (Smith, The Merovingian, The Oracle) and bad (Trinity, some of Neo's lines). It makes you wonder why the Wachowski's couldn't give depth to all of their characters as they did to others, but it's forgivable.

Most of the good fight scenes have been overlooked (The Agent vs. Neo fight, The Château) in favor of the more obvious (The Burly Brawl, The Freeway). But even if they are of a smaller scale, they are given as much creativeness and attention as the bigger and more epic battles.

In the first film, Agent Smith was a villain because he was after the rebels. Only at the end of the movie, when he showed his true feelings about the human race ("It's the smell, if there is such a thing") did he become a true villain. After his "death" and resurrection, Smith (no longer an agent) becomes more a villain then he does just a tool.

The whole atmosphere of the Matrix has changed as well. In the first, everything was desolate and old and dusty. In this version, everything is sleek, shiny, and perfect. If the first Matrix was a beer, this is a glass of wine.

Morpheus, Trinity, and Neo are back, played effortlessly by Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss, and Keanu Reeves. It's as if they have the characters down to a hilt, which can be good and bad. But overall, they serve their purpose well.

All the supporting characters are phenomenal. The Merovingian, his albino Twins, the Oracle, the Keymaker, Persephone. Even the Merovingian's men have a little personality. Fantastic costume design, even if there is a bit of a leather fest.

Overall, a good, solid sequel to a groundbreaking film. This amplifies the bar of visual effects and martial arts choreography. If you're interested in "finishing" the story, watch Revolutions. It not nearly as good as this or the first film, but it's worth it just for the "closure".

In Half-Life 2, Gordon Freeman appears again, mysteriously on the train to City 17, a backdrop of seedy buildings and even seedier "civil protection", which is anything but. In the first few minutes of the game, you're treated to views of all-too-obvious propaganda. From a view screen high on the wall, Dr. Breen, the former administrator of Black Mesa, tells the people of City 17 that they are entering one of the best cities of the world in tones dripping with honey. In another room, he speaks of how individualism is nothing to be proud of. Follow the pecking order, and you'll get your just rewards.

Freeman is sent spiraling on a journey fraught with peril and danger. From fending against the CP with only a pistol, to wading through toxic waste, to speeding down a canal, smashing into support beams and toppling enemy sharpshooting positions, Half-Life 2 makes everything you see plausible. This is assisted by having no cut scenes, but just one long game. But it's not just reserved in sci-fi action. In a level that seems to come out of nowhere, you traverse a town infected with zombies, all out to destroy you. Some of the most nerve-wracking moments you may ever have while playing a game will be experienced here.

Throughout the game, I found myself saying "come on, come on". Not in protest, but in determination. The game hooks you, plain and simple. While it may not be for everybody (you don't get your first weapon for about 20 minutes, and when you do, it's a crowbar), but some levels have at least one element to interest a gamer. The driving levels are superb, and feature a depth not many games have yet achieved while balancing shooting and driving.

To touch briefly on it, yes, the Steam server may be a hassle for those with dial-up. I myself have cable internet, so I wouldn't know.

Overall, this game may just be the best game ever made. It's length, it's depth, it's graphic, it's game play, all fit intricately into great entertainment built on a solid foundation of moral values. No politics or racial issues abound in this game. It follows the simple yet timeless formula: The good needs to stop the bad. And after seeing the last few levels, bad may have an entirely new definition.

Final score: 9/10. Close to perfection, but Steam holds it back.