subject: The Matrix Trilogy From Groundbreaking To Madness [print this page] The best action films usually lead to sequelsThe best action films usually lead to sequels. Whether you are talking about Die Hard, Terminator, or the Lethal Weapon movies, when something works studios usually want to repeat the success as many times as possible. This can be both a good and bad thing when looking back of the short history of action films we have. The case of the Matrix trilogy is a very interesting look into what can go wrong going from one massive hit to sequels that spin wildly out of control.
Initial Success
The Matrix was a success story that very few people saw coming in March of 1999. In its initial theatrical run, the film earned 463 million worldwide. 86% of the critics who covered the film gave it a positive review. While many people were interested in the movie and its themes, no one thought it would capture the collective minds of the masses the way it did throughout the year. The reasoning is really two fold. The Matrix managed to mix cutting edge special effects and action sequences with a very deep existential plot about the meaning of life.
This One Goes to Eleven
The sequels to the Matrix, Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions, were filmed simultaneously and released 6 months apart in 2003, four years after the originals debut. In typical sequel style, everything about the first film was featured in the sequels and drastically increased in scope. The action scenes of Neo versus a handful of villains turned into a battle of one versus a thousand and the chase sequences from the original now spilled onto massive freeways with nonstop chaos and carnage. Even die hard action fans felt a little overwhelmed walking out of the theater after the nonstop pace of the subsequent sequels.
More is Not Always Better
Although the action overload from the Matrix sequels is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on ones taste, the plots of the films were a source of controversy for both by fans and critics alike. While the first best action films certainly asked some interesting questions and presented questions for the viewer to take away, the sequels seemed to spin out of control in this department.
Multiple sub characters, plot holes, and unanswered questions turned many fans off as far as the story went. The interesting ideas the Wachowski brothers presented in the original seemed to grow beyond their grasp when trying to fill the stories in of the sequels.The third film, Matrix Revolutions, had only half of the box office of Matrix Reloaded and a very low score among critics at 38%.
The plot became increasingly difficult to follow and instead seemed to focus on different analogies to religion, politics, and various world mythologies. By the time Neo died and was resurrected to the introduction of the architect to explain the film to the viewer showed up, most peoples patience had run out. While the original Matrix film will always be a classic, the sequels will go down in history as an example of how to go overboard in trying to recapture lighting in a bottle.
