Pinkerton's Weblog

Reload, Already!

Author's Note: I originally wrote this prior to having seen Matrix Revolutions. Now, from my vantage point in the future, I admit that what you're about to read was wrong. The Matrix sequels sucked ass. Hindsight's 20/20.

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"The Matrix Reloaded" may have shocked the box office records -- being the second-fastest film to make $100 million and having the biggest single day opening ever -- but is it ultimately a disappointment?

So, even as inches to a quarter billion dollars ($232 million) in revenue, it doesn't seem to be the big box office success with legs that "Matrix" producer Joel Silver had hoped. "My prediction is that both movies are going to blow everyone away and break all kinds of records," he told Zap2it weeks before the first sequel opened.

-from the Zap2it article "'Reloaded' Box Office Drops Dramatically" By Mike Szymanski

So. Following the lukewarm reviews, the huge marketing blitz, the years of anticipation, the mad rush for every Matrix fan to see the thing in the first week -- after all that drama, this? Reloaded dies an embarrassing, slow box office death at the theatre? (Well, not death, I suppose -- it still made a crapload of money. It just hasn't made anything since its first week). What happened?

Here's what happened: we all had to wait three years for it, during which time we were allowed to build up monumentally high expectation. Did Matrix Reloaded meet this expectation? No. Could any film? No. And yet we all saw it, and probably bitched and moaned, or even said, "It was okay, I guess," and then left it to languish in theatres. No repeat business, no word of mouth -- no gratitude.

Let's put aside the expectations for a second. Matrix Reloaded is a fantastic movie. I didn't know what to make of it the first time I saw it. I've since watched more viewings, and have been delighted to find that it offers a viewer far more the more they're willing to immerse themselves in the world it has created. It is a very detailed, very smart, very polished, and very engaging film.

And it might not have been.

The Wachowski Brothers could have made one of two movies. They could have taken some of the more fun elements from the first film and made a crowd-pleasing action movie. Or they could have taken some of the deeper philosophical and violent aspects from the first film and made a film only a true fan could appreciate. They went the latter route (no they didn't! -
Jay 2004), and I for one am immeasurably happy they did. They stayed true to their core fanbase and delivered the film that Matrix fans wanted to see, not the film that Joe and Jane Casual Moviegoer wanted to see. So it comes as little surprise that the non-core fanbase would either not understand or not enjoy the intricacies and depth of the sequel. What is surprising is that the hardcore Matrix marks also voiced displeasure with the film -- purely, I suspect, out of too-high for too-long expectations (see above).

The facts are: the movie's really long, really violent, and really thought provoking. It's everything the first film was, except much more expensive and expansive. What it isn't anymore is fresh. The Matrix is as comfortable as an old sweater.

And that's fine. Because having seen the film four times now, I can assure you: this is one comfortable fucking sweater. It gets more comfortable every time. If you've seen it once, go see it again. The time has passed, your failed expectations forgotten, and you're free to enjoy it immensely now. And you will, more and more, I promise you. Go see it not because Reloaded's hurting for cash, but because Hollywood has finally made a movie exactly the way the fans wanted it, and it doesn't deserve to be sent this kind of message. Go see it because we need more films like Matrix Reloaded, and less like Bruce Almighty.

If we can't prove we're more of a buying draw than the 13 year old girls and middle-aged families out there, we will not get good films made for us anymore. Don't let Matrix Reloaded go quietly into the night. Take responsibility for your tastes in film, geeks of America, or no one will listen to you ever again.