10 Most Bitterly Disappointing Movie Showdowns

5. Neo vs. Smith (The Matrix Revolutions)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yimxqCn65Wk Whatever anyone thought about the substance of the two Matrix sequels, it was still hard to deny the general impressiveness of their action set-pieces. In Revolutions I never get tired of seeing the Machines' spectacular assault on Zion and the increasing desperation of the human resistance. It's a battle that gets put on hold however as the combatants are made to await the outcome of the final showdown between Neo and Smith within the Matrix. It's by no means an unimpressive showdown but is quite a disappointing end to their conflict after several excellent fights in the previous two films: the first Matrix gave us their highly-polished wire-fu fight in the subway and culminated in Neo's eventual recognition of his status as 'the one'. Reloaded then exhibited the ludicrous yet still highly-entertaining rooftop fight between Neo and the increasing army of Smiths. After these two varieties the tactic adopted for Revolutions, making Smith into another flying Superman-like entity able to match Neo one-on-one, was certainly a logical choice. The scale of the confrontation is truly epic- quite literally earth-shattering €“ but is excessive to the point of becoming risible, and in that you could include how slow-motion, the series' favourite action scene technique, is now employed in almost every other shot. At times it descends into near-pantomime, such as the shot from below of Smith posing maniacally against the stormy sky as lighting flashes behind him. Neo' super slo-mo punch to Smith's cheek during his brief resurgence near the fight's conclusion is also especially comedic. After all this, perhaps I still don't fully understand the film's ending, but frankly I don't care to.