5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways It’s Aged Poorly)

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There are still some amazing things to cherish about The Matrix films but, unfortunately, there are some pieces viewers wished stayed on the page.

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5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

Ever since the mind-bending trailer for The Matrix Resurrection was released, fans have been speculating at just how a fourth entry in the sci-fi series might even exist. While fans debate whether the real-world they saw in the first three movies was actually a Matrix world, other fans are going back to the original films to be as refreshed as possible for the December 21st release date.

In the 22 years since its release, fans and critics have debated all aspects of the original trilogy, from the infamous Architect to the revolutionary special effects and stunts. It is during these debates that fans have come to realize that there are still some amazing things to cherish about the films but, unfortunately, there are some pieces viewers wished stayed on the page.

10 Still Holds Up: The First Entry Is A Flawless Film

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

There are many critics that will say that The Matrix (the first entry) borrows too heavily from the anime film Ghost in the Shell and the Wachowskis don’t deny that the anime was a massive inspiration for their first major studio project. Despite the similarities, there is still a freshness that oozes out from the first film. The shot compositions and imagery still feel unique and vibrant.

Its commentary on the philosophical ideas of fate versus free will was a foreign concept to mainstream audiences of the ’90s. It took the classic action film and gave it weight and substance when audiences were used to muscle and one-liners. The Matrix was a movie that defined a generation and actually got audiences to think about reality and their role in it.

9 Aged Poorly: The 99 Smith Fight Looks Terrible

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

After coming off an Oscar win for best visual effects, audiences were looking for more of the same amazing detail in the 2003 sequel, The Matrix: Reloaded. However, what was presented was less than stellar and no better than a PlayStation cut scene of the time.

One sequence in particular concerns Neo fighting Agent Smith, now a rogue program that has replicated himself and created 99 versions of himself. In the ensuing battle, the graphics look cheap and not fully rendered, even by 2003 standards. Today in 2021, it’s nearly unwatchable.

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8 Still Holds Up: The Architect Scene Isn’t As Bad As Fans Remember

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

At the time of its release, everyone found ways to make fun of and impersonate the “Neo & Matrix Architect” scene. Fans and critics found it boring, pretentious, and convoluted. For years, fans would point to this moment as the single biggest blight in The Matrix’s history.

However, when given a second viewing with fresh eyes, it actually becomes one of the more compelling moments of the series, as the protagonist, Neo, discovers that there have been six other “Ones” who have fought in six different versions of the Matrix. This is a staggering revelation that should not only pique interest but make the audience yearn for a movie set in one of these realities.

7 Aged Poorly: The Rave In the Caves Is Still Disgusting

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

The second entry introduced the much-discussed Zion, the final underground city which houses the remaining survivors of the human race. It’s a fast metropolitan city where people eat, sleep, procreate and, apparently, hold sweaty raves as an expression of being free from oppression.

It was scrutinized at the time of its release and today it still raises an eyebrow or two. Why do the survivors need to be that sweaty? If there are killer squid robots that are about to come busting down their doors, why are they choosing to spend their last night in such a way? So many questions, so few answers.

6 Still Holds Up: The Philosophical Ideas Still Resonate

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

There have been many discussions and papers written on the philosophies that The Matrix touches upon. Concepts on what the meaning of reality is and whether a person has free will or not, permeate across all three films. While these aren’t foreign concepts to cinema, the way the Wachowskis were able to break them down into manageable bite-sized chunks is remarkable.

Yet what is the most remarkable is that the Wachowskis successfully wove these bite-sized chunks into a 120-minute narrative all the while still providing entertainment to an audience.

5 Aged Poorly: Trinity Is Turned Into A Jealous Lover… And It’s Awful

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

When viewers are first introduced to Trinity, she is a mysterious, very capable woman who is just another soldier fighting in the war against the machines. Sure, she is set up almost instantly as Neo’s love interest. The script, at first, allows her to grow and hold her own (especially in the lobby shootout scene), but then the first film culminates with her saying her entire motivation has been that she will fall in love with the One and that’s why Neo is going to live.

Fast forward six months into Reloaded and Trinity is reduced to a typical damsel (she is the thing that Neo has to save at the end of the film) and, to add insult to injury, they make her a jealous lover when Persephone (Monica Bellucci) asks Neo for a kiss. Sure, the scene is already an awkward request, but the second film only serves to make Trinity like so many other female characters.

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4 Still Holds Up: The Original Oracle Scene is Profound

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

When news broke that Gloria Foster had passed away, not only was it a devastating blow to the entire acting community, but it was a major letdown to Matrix fans, as she was portrayed as one of the most compelling characters in the franchise. The Oracle was the mouthpiece for most of the philosophy that the Wachowskis wanted to talk about, but it was Gloria’s performance that made the material profound and note-worthy.

When she appears in Reloaded (her final performance) her scene with Neo is nothing but a complicated exposition, but Gloria Foster is able to elevate the material and make the audience lean in.

3 Aged Poorly: The Cake That Gives Pleasure Feels Out Of Another Movie

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

In Reloaded, Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus are on the hunt for the Keymaker, but in order to do that they must visit a rogue program, The Merovingian, who they suspect is either hiding the Keymaker or knows of his whereabouts. During their introduction to the French program, the hero trio is treated to a monologue about a cake he coded and created that will give pleasure.

It’s an awkward monologue that is meant to convey the power the Merovingian has within the Matrix and how he can move beyond what his original programming dictated. What was committed to film is an odd section of dialogue that slows the movie down and makes the viewer scratch their head.

2 Still Holds Up: The Action Sequences Are Still Awe-Inspiring

5 Ways The Matrix Trilogy Still Holds Up (& 5 Ways Its Aged Poorly)

While the films relied more heavily on special effects—sometimes not always the best choice—there was still a feeling that the film’s creators were looking to up the ante with each installment. From the lobby shoot-out in The Matrix to the exhilarating freeway chase scene in Reloaded, the action sequences never disappointed.

That was what stayed with these films, the Wachowskis’ commitment to creating solid action for their films. They were so successful in doing that for years after the release of the original film, other films copied The Matrix’s style, tone, and energy of their action scenes.

1 Aged Poorly: Agent Smith Infecting Bane Is Weird

One of the more peculiar parts of The Matrix: Reloaded is the plotline of Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) infecting a man named Bane, one of the leather-clad resistance fights, and being able to take possession over his mind and body in the real world.

This all comes to a head in a climactic battle between Bane/Smith and Neo as they fight one another in the real world, only to end up in a coma next to one another at the end of the film. It’s a weird inclusion that feels like just a setup for a cliffhanger ending to lead into the third film.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/matrix-trilogy-still-good-relevant-bad-poor/

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