Hot take:

Matrix Revolutions is better than the Matrix Reloaded.

1/

For one thing, its narrative direction is just a lot more concise. It is all about conclusions, so all the questions we walked out of Reloaded with are answered. 2/

For another, the action is all really good, and makes sense. No battling 800 Smiths. Not quite the Kung-fu we loved in The Matrix, but solid (and narratively interesting). 3/

And weirdly, as disappointed as I was with the philosophy in the movies, it doesn’t quite feel as hokey as I originally thought. Yes, Neo is Jesus. But what superhero isn’t (or, at least, not some kind of martyr). Doesn’t Dark Knight Rises end pretty much the same way? 5/

What I found so interesting is how much I enjoyed BOTH movies after so many years removed. They’re not great, and the second one is laugh out loud bad at time, but even that is entertaining. 6/

Consider: what are they doing in Revolutions that we don’t see in an MCU movie? What has progressed so much since then? The CGI is a little tighter, but compare Revolutions to, say, the action in Wonder Woman or Ragnarok: they are all on the same level. 4/

And it added up to a satisfying ending. I kept expecting Revolutions to suck, but it never did. It was slow in some places, but nothing like Reloaded. 7/

But even when Reloaded dragged, or was outright silly, I kind of thought it was fun. The Meravingian, for example: that actor is just going for it, and it’s outrageous and perfect in its flaws. 8/

I’ll say this: I would put this trilogy above Episodes 1-3 any day—and I’d put any single movie up against any single movie in that trilogy. That trilogy has two good scenes: 1) Maul saber scene, and it’s not even what your remember—it’s shorter and cut up. 10/

And 2) the Order 66 montage. Pound for pound, there’s better story, better sci-fi and fantasy, and better action in the Matrix movies. 12/

Or maybe I’ve been in this apartment too long... 13/13