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Come the Revolutions ...
Nov. 13th, 2003 08:53 pmWell, I've finally seen it ... the film I've been waiting for so long to see. Yes, despite the warnings I went to see Matrix Revolutions and did I enjoy it? Well, the answer is a somewhat complex one but can be summed up as follows: it was like the Parson's Egg - good in parts. Overall I came out of the cinema glad that I'd seen the end of the story but wishing they'd chosen to present it differently. Did I like the plot? Yes! It was enough of a surprise to please me while at the same time being foreseeable enough to give me a sense of satisfaction.
So what didn't I like?
Well, for once I didn't like the effects. The first two films had a balletic grace which was utterly lacking in Revolutions. It appeared as though they were so eager to achieve greater and more breathtaking effects that they forgot that what really made us gasp was the purity of form that the first two installments possesed in bucketloads. The fight scenes are therefore, with one or two exceptions, rather disappointing ... not unlike the meal that looks great on the menu but on the plate fails to live up to its promised tastiness.
The film also seemed rather rushed to me, which is a shame as I think they could happily have missed out a large chunk of the Zion section in favour of taking a more leisurely pace with the ructions taking place within the Matrix. It would have been nice to see more of the Merovingian's forces for example (in particular the much-missed twins) and particularly the moment when he and the Agent Smith's collide. The moments of pathos also were so intermixed with strobe-fast action that I didn't have time to be affected by them ... which is a real shame. In summary the Warchowski brothers seemed to have forgotten throughout the film that what made us gasp in the first film was the stillness of the fights, not the stunts.
Will I then be buying the DVD when it comes out? Yes of course I will, I'm a completeness freak after all and I'm rather curious to see how it will look when I watch all three back to back (I can sense the Fox shuddering in anticipation of that particular event) and whether or not I will enjoy it more the second time around.
Anyhoo, I'm anticipating the imminent arrival of my extended Two Towers DVD and of seeing Return of the King on the big screen. And frankly, dear reader, if that doesn't live up to expectations then I will build a deathray and destroy New Zealand with it.
So what didn't I like?
Well, for once I didn't like the effects. The first two films had a balletic grace which was utterly lacking in Revolutions. It appeared as though they were so eager to achieve greater and more breathtaking effects that they forgot that what really made us gasp was the purity of form that the first two installments possesed in bucketloads. The fight scenes are therefore, with one or two exceptions, rather disappointing ... not unlike the meal that looks great on the menu but on the plate fails to live up to its promised tastiness.
The film also seemed rather rushed to me, which is a shame as I think they could happily have missed out a large chunk of the Zion section in favour of taking a more leisurely pace with the ructions taking place within the Matrix. It would have been nice to see more of the Merovingian's forces for example (in particular the much-missed twins) and particularly the moment when he and the Agent Smith's collide. The moments of pathos also were so intermixed with strobe-fast action that I didn't have time to be affected by them ... which is a real shame. In summary the Warchowski brothers seemed to have forgotten throughout the film that what made us gasp in the first film was the stillness of the fights, not the stunts.
Will I then be buying the DVD when it comes out? Yes of course I will, I'm a completeness freak after all and I'm rather curious to see how it will look when I watch all three back to back (I can sense the Fox shuddering in anticipation of that particular event) and whether or not I will enjoy it more the second time around.
Anyhoo, I'm anticipating the imminent arrival of my extended Two Towers DVD and of seeing Return of the King on the big screen. And frankly, dear reader, if that doesn't live up to expectations then I will build a deathray and destroy New Zealand with it.
