1. The Matrix
The Matrix is without question one of the most thrilling and influential sci-fi action films ever made, drawing hugely from foreign "wire fu" influence, while kick-starting Hollywood's obsession with CGI-soaked action sequences. As spaced-out uber-nerd Neo, even Keanu Reeves managed to deliver a believable performance, and the film was a massive hit with, well, just about everyone. The announcement of a sequel was unsurprising, and in 2003, both
The Matrix Reloaded and
The Matrix Revolutions landed. The first, while an extremely efficient action film - some dodgy visual effects aside - featured an overly verbose reveal in its third reel, though did end the film on an enticing enough cliffhanger. The third and final film, however, is considered a major disappointment to series fans, for it failed to deliver a thrilling finale between Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) and Neo, instead resorting to a wildly overblown "superbrawl", which felt more like a Dragonball Z episode than an epic, much-awaited final showdown. The ending had Neo returned to the machine world's source for his own code to be disseminated, having conquered Smith at his own cost, with as many messianic, Christ-like images as you could possibly throw at a screen. It seemed too ambiguous for a finale ending, denying us the catharsis we hoped for, leaving the series on a flat, oddly anti-climactic note. The Wachowskis have been linked to a fourth and fifth film frequently, though they always dismiss this as rumour, and thankfully so, because they've done enough damage to their baby already... Do you agree that these films were reasonably tainted, even ruined by their sequels? Are there any we missed? Let us know in the talkback below.