Matrix Reloaded
Like U2’s music, there are some movies that are simply “Must Buy” on DVD as soon as they come out (TIP: The first week of release always features some incredible sale prices), and all the volumes of The Matrix are such titles. It’s been overstated, but the Wachowski brothers have created an amazing movie experience that fuses multiple religious ideologies with insane action and special effects. Heck, this movie is a cultural icon, part of our entertainment landscape. If you haven’t seen it, you’re simply behind. This package loads extra commentary and action breakdowns onto two discs, as well as showing some love to the Animatrix series, which underlines and explains so much of the movies’ plots and subplots. Like the first epic, Reloaded makes for good multiple viewings. The giant tribal ceremony that takes place on Zion when the Nebechanezzer lands paints a picture that rivals raw paganism at cursory glance. There’s a squeamish sex scene during this stay; and there is some drama involved between characters that underscores the sacred vs. secular: “I don’t care about oracles or prophecies or messiahs...” And the dark side rears its head with the proclamation that, “Hope is our greatest weakness.” It’s crazy and abrupt how it ends, with the “To be continued” text splashed on the screen, though. Sigh. [Warner Bros. / Doug Van Pelt]
Ratings:
Obscenities: 22
Graphic Violence: 02
Nude Scenes: 0.2
% Spiritual Relevancy: 90
DVD rating key:
Obscenities (fka: BL (Blue Language)) # of “blue” / cuss words.
Ideal rating = 0
Graphic Violence (fka: BG (Blood ‘n’ Guts)) # of scenes with graphic violence.
Acceptable rating = <50
SC (Spiritual Conversations) An arbitrary rating based on the ease of starting a conversation on spiritual things.
Ideal rating = 50+
Nude Scenes (fka: NP (Naked People)) # of nude scenes.
Ideal: 0 (A rating of less than 1 signifies questionable scenes)
This DVD review was printed in the Jan/Feb issue (#105) HM Magazine. You can order a copy of this issue online in our store, or pick it up at a local newsstand.
©2003 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved.
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