3. The Matrix Reloaded / Revolutions
I already covered these with my terrible sequels article, but they're the reason I got started on this one. The
Matrix sequels could fill this article alone. Everyone knows why these sequels are a mess. Convoluted plot lines (the Architect). Random additions to the world (pretty much all of Zion). Neo became dull. Most of the characters died. And the brilliant Agent Smith character became...well...a hundred Agent Smiths. It's that scene from
The Matrix Reloaded that speaks volumes. It makes a mockery of the epic, gravity defying, bullet-time showdown at the end of the first film. Neo taking on a hundred Agent Smiths turns the film into a virtual cartoon and any essence of cool becomes silly. With each film they tried to get more spectacular. The events felt less personal and by the time the machines launched a full scale attack on Zion in
The Matrix Revolutions it was hard to care. Sure it was a masterpiece in special effects but what made the first film so great was the 'warping' of reality in the 20th Century world humanity is living in while plugged into the matrix. Perhaps that's why the highway chase in reloaded was the best bit in both films - it upped a standard car chase up to the next level but didn't get silly.