Actually, there is a case to be made that 1999 is the best yr in American cinema historical past.
Sure, many individuals will level to 1939 (The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Gone With the Wind, and so forth), and my colleague, Hugh Scott, will level to 1986 as the perfect yr in film historical past. However, for my cash, 1999 will at all times reign supreme, as Struggle Membership (arguably David Fincher’s finest film), The Sixth Sense, The Iron Large, The Proficient Mr. Ripley (What a gem!), and so many different masterpieces got here out in 1999.
The film that may have left the most important footprint was The Matrix. Right here was a movie that principally modified the way in which folks seen motion/sci-fi motion pictures endlessly, and it grew to become an on the spot basic. So, being as huge and influential because it was, OF COURSE it was destined to grow to be a franchise. I’d argue that it should not have, and I’ve 5 the reason why.
The Film Works Simply High quality As A Stand-Alone Movie
There are some motion pictures the place a sequel really does really feel warranted. Star Wars, for instance, had an excellent story, however the universe appeared so huge {that a} sequel will need to have felt vital. The Terminator is one other such instance. In quite a lot of methods, I favor the unique to the sequel, however there was simply a lot to that first film {that a} follow-up simply felt like a pure development.
After which, you’ve gotten the “pointless” sequels. Now, don’t get me fallacious. There are numerous Half IIs that I really take pleasure in (like Ghostbusters 2, which I actually like!). That mentioned, I’d argue {that a} overwhelming majority of sequels really feel pointless at finest, and like money grabs at worst. And, The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions (I’ll get to Resurrections in a couple of) felt like money grabs to the nth diploma.
Which nonetheless bothers me, because the unique Matrix is nearly good. In case you don’t keep in mind, the unique story is each easy and intensely complicated. A pc hacker named Neo, performed by the badass Keanu Reeves, is a desk drone in the true world named Thomas Anderson. He goes about his day by day life identical to all of us, whiling away his time at work, and having fun with his late-night hours on the web.
However, when Neo’s hacking skills lead him to what’s generally known as “The Matrix,” he attracts the eye of different hackers, like a badass named Trinity (Carrie Anne-Moss), who says she will be able to take him to a mysterious determine named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). You see, actuality is a lie, and we’re all dwelling in a simulation. And, when the clever machines which are feeding on our bioelectric vitality understand that others are “waking up” to this truth, they ship out their killer A.I. (Led by Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith) to cease them.
Enter one of many coolest, most clever motion motion pictures of all time. The story works itself out, and Neo goes from being a weakling to The One in 136 minutes. Sure, after he kicks Agent Smith’s butt, he does promise to point out all of humanity that they’re enslaved earlier than flying away, and that ending works by itself. We don’t HAVE to see what comes subsequent. We are able to think about it. However then, we acquired the sequels…
The Sequels Demystified A Lot Of The Ideas That Have been Launched In The First Film And Made Them Much less Fascinating
Oh, my God. Zion. That’s all I’ve to say, proper? Zion.
When it was talked about within the first film, it appeared like this actually mysterious place, and I’m certain all of us had these pictures in our heads of what it may presumably seem like. However then, we noticed it in The Matrix: Reloaded, and my God, what a disappointment.
Actually, it seemed like Woodstock ‘99 with the entire sweaty, dancing folks, and I don’t imply that as a praise. In that approach, I feel it will have been higher if we had by no means seen Zion, and it was simply left to our imaginations. As a result of now, at any time when I watch the primary film, all I can take into consideration is a few rave in a cave at any time when Zion is talked about.
I additionally favored how restricted (however impactful) the motion scenes have been within the first movie. For instance, seeing bullet time within the first Matrix was wonderful. However then, once we acquired extra motion within the sequels, it began to look ridiculous, like that struggle with Morpheus on the truck in The Matrix Reloaded, or that God-awful battle between Neo and Agent Smith in The Matrix Revolutions.
Like, it was cool when all of this energy was implied within the first movie, however to have it flung in our faces was simply terrible, and it really demystified every little thing that made the primary film so particular. Ugh.
The Sequels Are Additionally Arguably Nowhere Close to As Good As The Authentic
Plus, right here’s one other factor. The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions are nowhere close to nearly as good as the unique. The Matrix Reloaded itself isn’t horrible, and I keep in mind liking it after I first noticed it. However, it’s dragged down by The Matrix Revolutions, which is among the worst motion pictures I’ve ever seen in my total life, because it’s simply so loud and obnoxious.
Now, The Matrix Resurrections…that one’s type of attention-grabbing. I’d nonetheless lump it in as being an “pointless” sequel, however not less than it feels prefer it has one thing to say. In our assessment of the movie, my colleague, Eric Eisenberg, referred to as it “uneven,” and it’s. However, it does really feel prefer it had one thing to say on not solely the franchise itself, but additionally motion motion pictures on the time, and for that, I applaud it.
However, again to dumping on Revolutions. It’s simply such a busy, annoying film, and it made every little thing I favored about Reloaded really feel like an afterthought. Right here was a film that simply flung every little thing on the wall, and none of it caught.
In quite a lot of methods, though it got here out lengthy earlier than it, it makes me consider the Zack Snyder film, Sucker Punch, which I’d rank on the very backside of his filmography. I solely evaluate the 2 since Sucker Punch gave me a literal headache with the entire loud noises and visuals, and I had the identical response to The Matrix Revolutions, inexperienced because it was.
I simply do not just like the Matrix sequels, they usually convey down the unique film, which is a disgrace.
The Added Characters Did not Really feel Mandatory
The primary film had a ragtag group of characters, they usually all felt vital.
The sequels, not a lot. When different characters just like the Architect, the Keymaker, or Niobe have been launched to the story, they appeared vital on the time, however after watching Revolutions, all of them simply felt like a lot added padding.
However why was this wanted? Once we acquired characters just like the Oracle or the Spoon Boy within the first movie, they felt like they added to the lore and story. Characters like The Architect simply appeared to information dump, although. Whereas he created extra lore, did we actually want the lore?
I’m being utterly severe. As any individual who prefers when issues are proven somewhat than instructed, I actually don’t really feel like sitting by folks worldbuilding by dialogue after I’m watching a film.
Once more, I convey up The Matrix Resurrections as a result of the brand new characters in that one, like The Analyst, performed by Neil Patrick Harris, did really feel like a welcome addition. Then once more, that film total simply feels extra centered than Revolutions. Even so, the characters within the unique have been good. The later characters are hit and miss and I’d say principally miss.
The Authentic Would Seemingly Be Seen As Extra Impactful At present If The Sequels By no means Existed
Lastly, and that is what stings essentially the most, however I feel The Matrix can be extra revered and revered at the moment if there had by no means been any sequels.
As a result of the sequels simply drag the entire franchise down, and I’d by no means advocate the unique to anyone, figuring out that they’ll most likely need to watch the sequels, ultimately.
We live in an age the place the thought of A.I. taking up, and us dwelling in a false actuality, appears extra believable than ever as of late, and The Matrix may have been that film that appeared prefer it foretold all of it.
As a substitute, all of it feels muddled, and the unique is seen extra as a place to begin somewhat than a decisive ending level, as I really feel it ought to. In that approach, making The Matrix a franchise really doomed the novelty of that first film, and I hate that. It may have remained so particular.
What do you suppose? I’d love to listen to your ideas.