Matrix Revolutions Reloaded, The

This review will be divided into two sections. The first is about the editing of the second and third movies. The second will be about the edit as a whole.

Part 1.

The editing connecting "Reloaded" and "Revolutions" together into one standalone ending to the franchise was excellent. The pacing was much better than in the original movies, and the removal of most of "Revolutions" was very welcome. The ending (in which "the source" is revealed to be the street where the final Neo/Smith(s) battle from "Revolutions" occurs) doesn't make a terrible amount of sense. Neither does the plot as a whole. But the same goes for the theatrical versions of the Matrix sequels. At least in this edit, the story doesn't outstay its welcome, so I'm willing to just "go along with it" and have some fun with the movie, something that was sometimes impossible to do in the theatrical version of "Revolutions". If there was one thing that I would have preferred to be different, it would be more footage of the drilling machine going toward Zion, and the residents of Zion bracing for the attack. Not much, just five minutes or so. It would have made the stakes seem more concrete. That's just a nitpick, though. The editing was nearly flawless for the most part.

Part 2.

Unfortunately, this edit combines all three Matrix movies, rather than just the last two.

The first Matrix movie is one of the most painstaking examples of Joseph Campbell's hero's journey to be found in recent film. While it leaves the story open for sequels, it has a clear beginning, middle, and end. So, by tacking your (excellent) edit of the sequels onto the first movie, you make the whole experience feel awkward. Even though the scene where Neo comes back to life, defeats Agent Smith, and awakens to his purpose as "the One" is not at the ending of your edit, it still feels like an ending, because the entire story up until that point sets it up as the ending. It is the resolution to the climax of the first story. Thus, when the edit seamlessly segues into the section taken from the sequels, the result is jarring, and feels like two wholes unsatisfactorily stitched together, rather than one cohesive whole. It feels like seeing an unsatisfying, anticlimactic end to one story, directly followed by another story.

Not only that, but in making the entire trilogy into one movie, you were forced to remove the original opening from "The Matrix". Not only is the original opening a neat scene in and of itself, but it is also the perfect introduction into the world of the Matrix. It was clearly meant as an introduction, and it feels like one. Whereas your new introduction (the scene featuring Trinity falling off of the skyscraper) plunges us headlong into the world of the Matrix. It's jarring. It fits as the beginning of the second movie in a series, but not the first. It doesn't make a good introduction.

Beyond that, I can't explain, but I feel it. I feel it the entire first half, that there's something wrong with the edit. I don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in my mind, driving me mad. It is this feeling that has brought me to write this portion of this review. Do you know what I'm talking about?

In short, I consider your version of the sequels to be top-notch, but feel that it was a big mistake to make the first Matrix movie a part of this edit. I intend to stick to the theatrical cut of the first movie, and skip over the sections of this edit featuring material from it during any future viewings. I would have much preferred an edit almost identical to this one, but without the inclusion of the first movie.

This was an interesting re-telling of The Matrix saga. (This is what a "reimagined" Matrix feels like.)

A/V Quality - Watched the HD MP4 and there was a fair amount of artifacting and compression. Not the worst I've seen but could have been better.

Editing - Solid. The audio editing was very impressive, what with how much micro-cutting was involved. There were a handful of shots that felt too short due to removed dialogue, but nothing too terrible.

Narrative - I am not a hardcore Matrix fan by any means. I've seen the flicks a few times and (I think) I understand them. I was able to follow this new version but there were certain aspects that, like an earlier reviewer mentioned, you need to just suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride. Wraith changes things up quite dramatically in the second half, and I'm not fully certain whether this story is better than the theatricals or not. Ok well, it's definitely better, but it feels a little incomplete somehow. Some of his major changes rely on faith, such as [SPOILER!] the Keymaker leading Neo to the final Agent Smith fight instead of the Architect. I kind of said to myself, "Wait, how that lead to that? Eh whatever, these movies make no sense anyway."

Enjoyment - I quite liked it, definitely better than Reloaded and Revolutions.

Recommend? Hard to say how diehard Matrix fanatics will like this. But I think the casual Matrix fans will get a kick out of it.

I'm learning that some fanedits require something similar to "suspension of disbelief" to really work and to allow the viewer to go along for the ride. This take on the whole Matrix trilogy requires a little of this. The movie starts off great, goes through the first film, with some new tweaks (loved seeing a little bit of Zion when Tank was telling Neo about it; that, to me, was a perfect use of the footage), but when the 2nd Matrix movie starts, it is abrupt. This is where, if you just accept the speed bumps and go along, you are rewarded, because the Matrix does feel more complete now. I generally thought Reloaded and Revolutions worked fine in this edit. It's just that one very tough edit between Matrix 1 and Matrixes 2/3.
Plotwise, things flow well and mostly make sense. I think I understood Smith as a self replicating virus/program better in this edit than I did in the originals. I wish it weren't 3 hours long. To me, personally, that's a little long. Other than trimming some fight scenes, I'm not sure how I would suggest tightening it though.
Overall, I enjoyed this and def recommend it.

Every ones in a while there is a new fanedit for the Matrix sequels and I have almost every time thought that the work put in trying to fix these movies have seemed waisted since I didn't believe the source material could be fixed. It was beyond saving. Doctor M did some interesting things with his HACKED edits but it wasn't enough. Anyone heard of the expression "you can't polish a turd"? Okay I shut up now.....

Wow! just....Wow! This is the one. The cover art brags that this is "The Ultimate Matrix Fan-Edit" and it's not far from the truth.

If you are a matrix fan and was/is disappointed with the sequels YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS FANEDIT!

The pacing is perfect! The final scene is perfect. And the final fight with agent Smith when Neo are going after Trinity I was pumped. So good! But as some other reviewer have said, one thing doesn't makes sense. After the key-maker have died and Neo goes through the door and then it is the final fight between Neo and Smith.

It feels like a workprint sometimes (that are on the right track of perfection) like some footage are missing, some scene feels a little rough. I'm guessing that it was a pain in the butt to make some of these new sequences happen, footage not existing that was needed, so this is something I guess we have to live with.

I think that this should just have been a edit of the sequels since the first movie is perfect. That is my one big complaint.

Also I don't now about the new score in some scenes, but that might be because I'm so used to the original score. It will probably grow on me.

But all that aside (nitpicking because it isn't 100%) the negative doesn't stop this from being very very good. I never thought that the sequels could be edited into something this good honestly. Thank you Wraith.

I think this has to be reviewed in two parts, the Matrix as one and two Reloaded/Revolutions.

I absolutely love the reworking of the Matrix. I actually think it's better than the original looking at it today. Great concept for the beginning, love the pacing, and love that some of the fluff was taken out.

Moving into REL/REV the beautiful pace of the first half stops abruptly as we all the sudden have new characters and ship crews. Not sure if the source material will allow it, but I think the second half could have used some more tightening up. A transition to introduce new characters and (dare I say it) a little bit of Zion, drop the Smith super-brawl (plenty of action to come and we just saw them fight), and then we are off to find the key master. The rest is done well, though a couple spots could have used a little more fine tuning and I like the ending.

Absolutely appreciate all the hard work and loved watching it!