The Franchise: Imagine the world you live in isn't real, but is actually just a computer simulation. That's the conceit that brings most people into The Matrix, which makes what the film's are really like a gleeful surprise. Boasting incredibly choreographed action sequences and one of the most badass mentors this side of Mr Miyagi, for a brief period at the turn of the millennium the future and the artificial reality it contained was one of the most beloved fantasy worlds, with TV shows and video games released that perfectly complimented what was on screen. Even though the final film was over a decade ago rumours still pop up about a return to the green hued world. Why The First Was Best: The Matrix sequels have the odd effect of actually making the original film better, although not in the way the Wachowskis intended. The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were such abysmal efforts that they highlighted just how good the first one was. This isn't just a case of the first movie being slightly better than what followed; the sequels are utter trite. Rushed out to capitalise on the original's success, Warner Bros. made the mistake of throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at the sibling directors. Amping everything that had worked in the first film up to ten (machines don't really allow eleven), the cool philosophy now sounded pretentiously dumb and plasticy CGI that was dated at the time replaced real world action. The first film has its faults, but it was so visceral despite some low tech moments you didn't care. Which other franchises couldn't improve on their first film? Disagree with any of our choices? Let us know in the comments below.
