As usual, Gareth and Andy started the gears turning in my head, which is refreshing since so much of the week wears me down mentally.

That said, it's a shame those gears had to start turning over the MATRIX sequels, but I have thoughts anyway. Take from these what you will.

1/7 https://twitter.com/PopcornDigest/status/1317045668448555008
The first thing that strikes me about MATRIX 2 & 3 is how dangerous it can be to give ourselves over so completely to the lore and aesthetics of any franchise. That's typically b/c those aesthetics get diluted with every sequel. We're setting ourselves up for disappointment.

2/7
There are exceptions. As G&A point out, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK gives Luke new purpose. THE DARK KNIGHT and THE GODFATHER II also deepened their respective mythos, confounding their heroes with escalating moral choices. But even they had Chapter 3s that tainted their legacies.

3/7
There are exceptions. As G&A point out, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK gives Luke new purpose. THE DARK KNIGHT and THE GODFATHER II also deepened their respective mythos, confounding their heroes with escalating moral choices. But even they had Chapter 3s that tainted their legacies.3/7
There are exceptions. As G&A point out, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK gives Luke new purpose. THE DARK KNIGHT and THE GODFATHER II also deepened their respective mythos, confounding their heroes with escalating moral choices. But even they had Chapter 3s that tainted their legacies.3/7
There are exceptions. As G&A point out, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK gives Luke new purpose. THE DARK KNIGHT and THE GODFATHER II also deepened their respective mythos, confounding their heroes with escalating moral choices. But even they had Chapter 3s that tainted their legacies.3/7
THE MATRIX doesn't have the benefit of a game-changing second film. I will forever be a fan of the way RELOADED flips the script on its characters—Morpheus as kook, Neo as one of many "Ones"—but even I'll admit that the movie works overtime to keep everyone in stasis.

4/7
That's partly b/c RELOADED spends so much time setting up ideas that will "pay off" in REVOLUTIONS. It's partly b/c flip-flopping constantly between expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing feels like exactly that—expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing.

5/7
That's partly b/c RELOADED spends so much time setting up ideas that will "pay off" in REVOLUTIONS. It's partly b/c flip-flopping constantly between expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing feels like exactly that—expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing.5/7
That's partly b/c RELOADED spends so much time setting up ideas that will "pay off" in REVOLUTIONS. It's partly b/c flip-flopping constantly between expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing feels like exactly that—expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing.5/7
That's partly b/c RELOADED spends so much time setting up ideas that will "pay off" in REVOLUTIONS. It's partly b/c flip-flopping constantly between expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing feels like exactly that—expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing.5/7
That's partly b/c RELOADED spends so much time setting up ideas that will "pay off" in REVOLUTIONS. It's partly b/c flip-flopping constantly between expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing feels like exactly that—expert set pieces and half-assed philosophizing.5/7
In my mind, though, REVOLUTIONS fares worse. That it so obviously models itself after RETURN OF THE JEDI isn't the problem. It's that, for all its endless TALKING, conflicts are resolved with banal machine-versus-machine battles and two dudes punching each other in the face.

6/7
In my mind, though, REVOLUTIONS fares worse. That it so obviously models itself after RETURN OF THE JEDI isn't the problem. It's that, for all its endless TALKING, conflicts are resolved with banal machine-versus-machine battles and two dudes punching each other in the face.6/7
In my mind, though, REVOLUTIONS fares worse. That it so obviously models itself after RETURN OF THE JEDI isn't the problem. It's that, for all its endless TALKING, conflicts are resolved with banal machine-versus-machine battles and two dudes punching each other in the face.6/7
In my mind, though, REVOLUTIONS fares worse. That it so obviously models itself after RETURN OF THE JEDI isn't the problem. It's that, for all its endless TALKING, conflicts are resolved with banal machine-versus-machine battles and two dudes punching each other in the face.6/7
Even the original MATRIX couldn't worm its way out of that particular rabbit hole; sure, there's a lot to parse out, but it's the kung fu and gunfights that stick out the most. The difference is, this was done so effectively the first time, there was no need to do it again.

7/7
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