8 Film Franchises That Became Victims Of Their Own Popularity

6. The Matrix Tried To Be Deeply Profound And Ludicrously Over-The-Top At The Same Time

It's no secret how awful The Matrix films become after the first instalment. It's probably the most significant example of what happens to a franchise when it begins to believe its own hype. The first movie was praised for blending awesome action with a complex sci-fi plot; a plot that speculates on weighty themes like the nature of reality, individual identity and what it truly means to be ignorant. The ability to balance these elements without ever becoming silly is one of the things that made The Matrix so influential (you could barely move in the early 2000s for the sheer amount of slow-mo action scenes). It's just a shame that these were also the aspects of the film which fans so loudly championed. When it came to The Matrix Reloaded, then, released four years later, the Wachowskis tried to up the ante on all fronts. The action €“ which was previously breath-taking €“ became ridiculous, exemplified by the famous highway fight scene in Reloaded. The plot €“ which sat on the border between pretentious and philosophical €“ was consumed by its own self-grandeur. And if you think things got better in the The Matrix Revolutions, think again. This effect permeated throughout the entire film, from the clothing the characters wore to their faux-intellectual monologues. Just because fans think it's cool doesn't mean it's a good idea.