IFDB Review: Matrix Revolutions: Reprogrammed, The:

I loved the first MATRIX movie when I saw it in theatres back then. I don't know if anybody here is into German 70's movies, but I actually thought it was inspired by Rainer Werner Fassbinder's WELT AM DRAHT. (If you've never seen it, please, try and find it. It was based on the novel Simulacron-3, that was later adapted as The Thirtheenth Floor, just without ANY SFX, since it was a German TV movie. In the f*cking 70's!) The Matrix was also probably the last time I was truly blown away by SFX in movies.Later I was really disappointed with RELOADED, so much in fact, that I didn't even see REVOLUTIONS in theatres. When I finally saw it, I was baffled. I thought it was stupid. Maybe I was stupid. I just didn't get it. I seriously had no idea what was going on and I thought the CGI looked horrible. "Horrible" meaning: way too ambitious for what was possible at the time.Over the years I kept reading articles about the MATRIX or listened to podcast about it, but I never felt the need to revisit it. Jerick's fanedit was the first time, I actually did rewatch it. I thought it was great. Finally I knew what was going on, what the character's/the machines wanted and what the idea/the philosophy behind it all was. I also loved the pacing. It didn't feel like anything was missing. I could have done with a shorter Burly Brawl (what does that even mean?!) and car chase sequence, but I didn't mind them in this version. I think Jerick did a tremendous job and if I ever watch The Matrix sequels again, it will be this version. (I already gave it to a couple of friends, who are fans of the originals, but I haven't heard back from them yet.)I guess, I enjoy these kinds of fanedits the most. Fanedits, that peel away all the unnecessary crap and reduce a movie to its basic story.Having said that, and I'm sorry for bringing it up, I still think The Wachowskis are full of sh*t. For some reason I can't shake the feeling, that they paid some intern to google "cool sounding names from whatever mythology", while they spent their time storyboarding how high up in the air Neo can punch Agent Smith. I don't know. I love the first movie, because it leaves all the right things up to your imagination, but I honestly think the sequels are only deep on a surface kind of level. If that makes any sense.

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