Matrix Revolutions Decoded, The

This is the Matrix sequel that I've always wanted. I doubt I will ever bother to watch Reloaded or Revolutions again. What an achievement!

Combining the two sequels into one movie is what should have originally happened. In Jerick's edit, there were a few scenes i missed, and a few petty qualms, but ultimately it was amazing how much clearer and fast-paced everything became. It showed how bogged down those movies really were with unnecessary filler. Re: the different ending- I could go either way on- and can see how it makes sense both ways. However, this was the only time I really noticed the editing (a little choppy)- which is actually a testament to how professionally Jerick's editing was overall. However, the splicing at the end brought me out of the film, and that alone was probably worth keeping it as a simpler and unreinvsioned edit. but- any way you look at it- from the over 2 hours of original footage cut to the changed ending- a bold finished product that i will put on DVD and place right next to my copy of The Matrix as my go to sequel.

Edits Loved:
* editing out boring, unnecessary dialogue- especially all the detailed explanations of things
* editing out Bane
* changing the focus of Neo's motive from Trinity to Zion
* the underdeveloped Zion characters
* so much more that doesn't immediately come to mind.

Minor Editing Quibbles fwiw:
* would have axed a bit more of the awkward opening dialogue in the captain's meeting
* would have axed the part where the "kid" says "i won't let you down!"
* first Agent Smith fight scene- I was hoping not to see so much of "video game" Neo and was also hoping to replace the metal music.
* the cut at the end where Neo "gets blinded" with arms open is jumpy, would have cut that out, and just let the audience assume neo got blinded in the crash of the ship.

I think the Matrix franchise is one I will forever be intrigued by. Having watched the original as a kid and being absolutely enthralled by it's imaginative vision, ever since I've been disappointed by how the sequels effectively killed off any chance of revisiting the unique universe they inhabit. I'm often interested in exploring those sequels and what made them go wrong via these fanedits, and the number of times I've now seen the sequels because of fanedits easily makes them one of the most watched films I've seen.

And now, I think Jerick has made the definitive edit for most people. The Matrix Revolutions Decoded is by far the most professionally edited version of the sequels I've seen, and it dramatically retools the story in a way that simply works. All of the shoehorned philosophy is removed, the development of secondary characters you don't care about is gone, and the terribly pointless subplots from The Matrix: Revolutions are cut. The result is an exiting, sharply paced battle for survival that gives the series the send-off it deserves, with a new narrative that is surprisingly sturdy, and edited so flawlessly that regular viewers wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

It's just that for me, personally, this edit has all the right ideas, but it goes a little *too* far in it's execution. I LOVE what jerrick has done here, and how excellently he executed it, but by completely removing the side characters and philosophy, there's less build-up to the dramatic battle for Zion, and to me it makes it feel like less of the epic conclusion it was designed to be. You're not as emotionally invested in if Zion survives since there's barely any characters we know there. The shortened mech fighting similarly makes it feel like another battle scene rather than a climactic one (though once again Jerick edits it in beautifully unnoticeable fashion), and the way that Neo's visions and motivations are modified so it seems like he cares for Zion's fate rather than Trinity's doesn't ring true to me. I also thought, like his last edit of the sequels, Jerrick's decision to remove the replacement Oracle seems like an unnecessary attempt to save time (the new scene where the old Oracle seems to be killed by the Agents is a particularly awkward one to me), and I personally thought the ending is kind of sudden compared to the original one.

But other than that, this is a brilliant edit of some mediocre sequels, now my second favourite edit of them, and undoubtedly the most well executed one. Well done, man! Great job!

What a great job. I've watched and enjoyed a bunch of Matrix edits but for me, this is the best. The editor and I share a sense of what was great in the sequels and what is completely useless. This is my definitive version of the sequels. I have this and the first Matrix next to each other on my shelf, in my "real" movies section. This is perfectly paced and I loved the ending. Thank you for reading my mind and making it real, apparently.

Technically, this is incredibly proficient. Very clean, no noticable cuts or wonky stuff. Great job.

I'm very impressed over all. I think the changes are great. I watched this with a few people and only one friend who is basically a matrix purest was disappointed with the end.
I thought down playing the martyr / messiah thing was great.
I hadn't seen the originals in a while so I was a little rusty watching this, which made the movie a little harder to follow. I think if you just saw the first movie and watched this you'd be a little lost, but you'd get there in the end.
The pacing is great, very fast and fluid.
I thought the use of the rave at the end made much more sense.
I thought keeping Trinity alive was a bit tricky but you pulled it off well. It does get visually a little awkward but overall if I wasn't looking for cuts and "mistakes" and was just watching this like a Hollywood movie I might not have noticed all.