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Review: Matrix: Reloaded

PsndCsrV writes in with a review of the new Matrix movie, below. Rottentomatoes says that the reviews overall are more favorable than un-. Ebert likes it well enough.

PsndCsrV writes:

Due to some fortunate circumstances, I was able to partake of the Matrix goodness ahead of the release. Overall, I thought the movie was excellent, but there were some issues (for me, at least) that kept it from being spectacular. It's definitely worth seeing, and if you're worried about it not being that good, go see a matinee screening and skip the popcorn. ;-) It is a blatant cliffhanger, though, so if that drives you nuts, you better just wait until November. Keep reading for a more in depth look, and I'll try not to let any spoilers slip.

The special effects were great. I personally didn't see anything totally revolutionary in them... it seems like most of it was simply "bullet time", but more refined, utilizing CG where cameras don't make it. Only a couple of times did I feel that the CG wasn't quite right, and even then it wasn't due to the impossibility of the action. It was mostly due to a character's arms/legs/hair/clothes that didn't move 100% naturally during a stunt, which is definitely difficult to get right. There was only a couple instances in 1 scene that come to mind immediately, so the effects people did an excellent job.

One of the main criticisms of the first Matrix was the lack of character development. Well, I won't lie to you... there's not a whole lot of character development in this one either. There was more, but not for any of the main characters really. A little more insight into Morpheus's life, a new take on the Oracle, the introduction of some new characters, and the whole thing going on with Agent Smith. But there are still a lot of gaps in the characters, but Reloaded does make you feel like you're starting to understand things better, and that the next movie will be very enlightening.

One of the best after-effects of the first Matrix was the way it made you question your own take on reality. It really made you wonder what's real, and what's not. What's important to me, and what's not. Or maybe I was just being overly philosophical about it. Reloaded really does a good job of leaving you questioning, but this time, you're speculating about the movie and where it will head... how things will be resolved. Reloaded ends with many loose ends, and many questions unanswered, but at the same time, it's an excellent opportunity to speculate. I definitely want to see Revolutions now, and it's a good thing I only have to wait 6 months.

The movie also flowed well. I didn't ever feel like a scene was put in "just because", except once. I personally felt that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was a little overboard, and that a lot more could have been said with a much more subtle approach. Intermixed with this, were shots of the people of Zion having a wild dance party/orgy. Ok, so the orgy was implied with the whole sexual nature of the dance scene. I couldn't help but relate it to Herbert's Fremen spice orgy in Dune, except without the spice. It struck me as the same type of situation.

To sum it up, I really enjoyed it. My only big complaint was the love scene, but I am a conservative person. Other people will undoubtedly love the movie just for that scene. The rest of the movies was great, and definitely sets up Revolutions as a must see.

964 comments

  1. Don't ruin the ending by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't give a damn about the plot. I'm just going to see it for the computer generated graphics.

    1. Re:Don't ruin the ending by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      just stare at your screen, those graphics are computer generated.

    2. Re:Don't ruin the ending by ethx1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Don't get too excited tho... I just got back from seeing it. Some of the Computer Generated graphics were too obvious, I felt they could have done better, or avoided those scenes. Still pretty good work tho.

  2. Not a problem by jkabbe · · Score: 2, Funny

    I didn't get philosophical about the first Matrix movie. But, I'm not a chick, so that makes sense.

  3. MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by GozerBrothers · · Score: 3, Informative

    Just saw MATRIX RELOADED on opening night. The theater was packed, despite multiple showings -- 10, 10:10, 10:30... The audience seemed to greatly enjoy the movie.

    The action was as good as advertised. The actors acquited themselves well. As expected, CGI was greatly improved from the original, particularly for the "real world" shots.

    BUT... the movie didn't make much sense -- it was kind of like USUAL SUSPECTS, but without the basis in reality on which to grab hold.

    Go see it... but don't expect to understand it until you see the third one, too.

    1. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by sweetooth · · Score: 2, Informative

      I dunno, I thought it all made perfect sense. Even the ending they leave with us makes a great deal of sense. The question is of course. Once Neo realizes the truth, what is the truth? We don't get to find out for six months.

    2. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Stubtify · · Score: 4, Informative
      I felt it made a lot of sense. The story delves even deeper into what is the matrix (remember www.whatisthematrix.com) and comes out the other end with a great explination for everything we just watched for the last hour and a half (I'll leave the spoilers up to someone else). Just that there are a lot of questions like what happenes to the matrix now? or what happened to it? what happens to zion, etc.

      I feel that the cliffhanger is great, keeps me wanting more, and asking what's next. I don't want to give anything else away, but I thought it was funny that every girl I talked to at the theatre left asking a million questions and not understanding and all the guys were just like "damn that was the shit"

    3. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 1

      At least in the film The Thirteenth Floor, it only takes one movie for the plot to be revealed.

      The Matrix guys seem to think we want to see three to have the whole story revealed. What a cash cow.

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    4. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by sweetooth · · Score: 1

      Well, I suppose I can understand it. Movie one world one. Movie two world two. Movie three..... ???

      Have I said too much?

    5. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 1
      On the contrary. I felt the movie was far too deep. The characterizations were a bit stiff and woody, because everyone in the movie was actually being playing along to a higher script.

      You really can't be told the plotline of Reloaded. You have to see it for yourself.

      --
      "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
      --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
    6. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 0
      I'm glad I wasn't the only person who understood the whole damn movie. I had to explain, at length, all of the rules of the game to everyone in the group I was with.

      Okay, well my background in Computer Engineering, OS Design, and a brief stint coding military simulations probably helped.

      --
      "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
      --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
    7. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by poopdik · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm glad I wasn't the only person who understood the whole damn movie. I had to explain, at length, all of the rules of the game to everyone in the group I was with.

      Okay, well my background in Computer Engineering, OS Design, and a brief stint coding military simulations probably helped.


      Oh god, you're ego is really making me hot. Stroke it baby, STROKE IT!!!.. Yeah, just like that. Oh yeah.. OOOOOH YEEEEEEAH.

    8. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by gpinzone · · Score: 1

      Okay, well my background in Computer Engineering, OS Design, and a brief stint coding military simulations probably helped. Back in my day I had to write games in BASIC, on a 4.7Mhz computer with no hard disk and 128K of RAM. And I was grateful

      Yeah, programming games in BASIC on a 4.7 Mhz processor is not too different from the Matrix program. How did you manage to render all that stuff on an XT anyway?

    9. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by macrom · · Score: 1

      Movie three...world three. A world either without the machines or without the humans. And probably without one of the major characters. :-/

    10. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by gamgee5273 · · Score: 1

      Usual Suspects didn't make sense to you? You did watch the end, right?

    11. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Robber+Baron · · Score: 1

      BUT... the movie didn't make much sense -- it was kind of like USUAL SUSPECTS...

      I happened to LOVE The Usual Suspects...the fantastic twist at the end alone was worth the price of admission. Unfortunately it's the fact that most people "don't get it" if a movie displays even a modicum of intelligence that has resulted in the preponderance of pablum and other formulaic crap that hollywood spews forth on an all-to-regular basis. Intelligent movies are few and far between.

      --

      You're using her as bait, Master!

    12. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the thirteenth floor was stupid, just like you.

    13. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by jazmataz23 · · Score: 1
      >You really can't be told the plotline of >Reloaded. You have to see it for yourself

      NO, YOU CAN'T BE TOLD THE PLOT BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ONE!

      God that movie SUCKED. All you "I took the red pill" dumbasses are reading way more into the movie than there really was.

      The first movie was really great, made you look at the world a little differently AND had kickass fight scenes. This movie just fell over under its own pomposity. Everyone that was purportedly "explaining" just sounded like they were stoned out of their gourd. See it at a matinee for the fight scenes. I hope someone makes an edited version that tightens up this gasbag of a movie to give us the good fight scenes and the philosophy you guys are reading into it (but that wasn't really there).

      jaz

      --
      Death to Argument by Slogan!! (This post twice-encrypted with ROT-13. Replies not using same will be ignored)
    14. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 1

      what about....HOW THE FUCK did neo do that thing at the end!!!

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    15. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by DJ+FirBee · · Score: 0

      'Everyone that was purportedly "explaining" just sounded like they were stoned out of their gourd. '

      I plan on seeing it and being stoned out of my gourd!!!

    16. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 1
      PCjr, with Cartridge basic. The XT's generally had 64K of ram, but that's beside the point.

      You rendered shit in those days with a hell of a lot of PEEK and POKE statements. I would spend days getting the DATA lines all right.

      --
      "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
      --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
    17. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      You mean the things with the things?

      Yeah that was neat.

      Maybe in the next thing the thing will do that thing to those other things. And' we'll finally know what that one thing was.

    18. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by fitten · · Score: 1

      Think recursive.

    19. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by mrondello · · Score: 1

      Because he has part of smith (machine code) in him. Just as Smith was able to assimilate and infect a human in the real world to try and kill neo and sabatage the resitance with the EMP.

      I am assuming that he is able manifest and control the machines as his has been melded with the machines now. Which is prolly what makes him the real ONE and not just the ONE v6.0.

      I am assuming that the the real anomaly is that fact that man and machine can meld via the matrix and not the .01 of the matrix code that is imperfect.

    20. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by MadAhab · · Score: 1

      Profit!!!

      --
      Expanding a vast wasteland since 1996.
    21. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 1

      but!! he is not in the matrix so how then can you explain the connection?
      I would say that he can leverage his inherent psycic powers that
      began manifesting themselfs in this movie and use them to connect to the machines.
      that is why he could feel them coming and why he could short them out.

      I thouhg that it was kind of cool homw there is a rouge programwar going on
      in the matrix :-) the marovingin was actualy a good guy!!

      oh, and you do know that neo never had a choice when he picked which door

      the only diffrence (that the architect could forsee) is that
      in one door trinity dies, and in the other she does not.

      what he did not forsee and was impossable for him to know was that
      neo would have the powers he had. if neo ran he would have died just like all the other ONES.

      my buddie made an observation that humans will evolve after this be melding with machines as neo and smith had done (I find it dangerous that smith can infect humans with his psyci)

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    22. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Nogami_Saeko · · Score: 1

      Saw it last night as well. It was good, but not great, for many of the reasons that reviewers already have mentioned.

      Seemed like one more pass through the editing booth would've probably trimmed 20 minutes or so out of the picture and left us with something a little leaner (it is VERY long), and which had better pacing. There were a few editing choices in the 3rd act that I found somewhat confusing to follow.

      I'm giving it a 7 or a 7.5/10 as it is now.

      I think I'm beginning to suffer from CGI overload. Anything can be done in CGI and we all know it, so it's just not as exciting as real live-action sequences. There's the feeling of everything being done on a bluescreen then comp'ed together (sometimes poorly IMHO).

      Some of the characters did have LONG dialog sequences, especially near the end of the movie where one long bit of pseudo-exposition nearly put the audience to sleep for 5 min.

      It's worth noting that the most amusing moment of the screening was just after the dance-orgy scene when someone in the theatre yelled out "BOGUS!!!!" :)

      N.

      --
      "Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." - Charles de Gaulle
    23. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by dubiousmike · · Score: 1

      I thought it was a decent movie, but there were DEFINITELY CG parts that I thought were poorly done. Extreme action shots where Neo or the Agent did not look like themselves at all.

      That said, can anyone explain to me about the final 2 door choice?

      Door one goes back to the Matrix where he can save what's her name.
      Door two is so that he can go pick 35 bodies from the cocoons to start a new breeding ground?

      But if they destroy Zion, why do they need to start a new breeding ground? How does Zion have anything to do with the continuation of the breeding ground? If Zion is destroyed, the uprising goes away (at least for the sixth time, the architect said). Why give Neo the ability to start a new breeding ground when the destruction of Zion should have nothing to do with the cocoon field?

    24. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by mrondello · · Score: 1

      One route of an explaination would be that one theme has run through it all. Mind over matter. By melding with smith in the matrix, neo's mind has been stamped with the signature of the machines. Because he is able to sense or know the machines now, he is able to use his mind to affect the machines, just like he can use his mind to affect the matrix. The point may be that he has just now, because of smith, gotten to *know* the machines as he knows the matrix. That is why I suggested manifistation in the real world and control in my post.

      The other choice, as many have written here, may be that zion is another matrix, that both neo and smith have just discovered. Smith by virtue that he is not bound by his original design, and neo by his ability to sense the machines. I posted elsewhere that I think the part where the "smith infected" human cuts himself priot trying to kill neo in zion is a subtle point. If the cutting is just smith trying out the real world then the first explanation might hold. If he did heal his wounds ( looked that way to me ) after he was noticed by neo and the group, then the second matrix idea might apply, as smith is controling the "real" world.

    25. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess you forgot your add medicine before the show, huh.

    26. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 1

      so themelding of man and machine allows for tthe enlightenmnet of the fact that both man and machine are in a matrix together but that matrix is natural (mabye).

      I did not notice the wound healing but I willbe going back to watch it again so I can see all the subtle things I missed the first time.

      I must say that the idea of a second matrix did occur to me but I discarded it.

      all I know is that the rouge programs have a lot of information that hey are not sharing at this point and I think smith especialy knows the true nature of what is happening.

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    27. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by elton247 · · Score: 1

      The one has to free the original to start a new zion. This zion will be ready for the appearance of the next one. And so the cycle continues.

      --
      How strange it is to be anything at all
    28. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by sweetooth · · Score: 1

      I'm fairly certain that the main character you are reffering to will be there, however quite possibly more powerfull than ever before. The other characters might find a new found power in a differant place as well.

    29. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by macrom · · Score: 1

      I wasn't referring to any character in particular, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the big 3 bite the dust. Neo and Trinity are prime candidates, but Morpheus will probably end up giving his life for the freedom of the people. Who knows but those who made the movie!

    30. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by sweetooth · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I assumed you were reffering to the one character that looked somewhat out of the picture at the end of the movie.

    31. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They are copying the 13th Floor in many respects

    32. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by hytmal · · Score: 1

      If you havent seen the movie, dont read this. If you are confused about the nature of the One with regard to his overall role in the Matrix's design, Neo is the bug report The architect is like the guy that looks at neo, sees how they got to that place and fixes the flaws that led him there. By entering that last door, it's like a breakpoint inserted into a program's source, the architect can stop, look at everything that happened up until this point

    33. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by lga · · Score: 1
      what about....HOW THE FUCK did neo do that thing at the end!!!


      The obvious conclusion is that he is still inside the matrix. Or A matrix, anyway. Remember, just before frying the machines he said something like "Somethings different, I can sense them." (I can't remember the exact wording.) My guess is that the matrix is inside another matrix that also contains Zion. This gives the machines a way to control the 1% that can't deal with the matrix without actually releasing them.
    34. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1


      file neo

      neo: MATRIX V7.0 core dump of kernel

      --
      __
      Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
    35. Re:MATRIX RELOADED -- opening night by crashnbur · · Score: 1

      I understood the movie fine, I just don't think we'll understand where it's going until the third film.

  4. that whole movie was one long intense mindfuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I enjoyed it

    1. Re:that whole movie was one long intense mindfuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hmmm MindFuck, what's that 1900 number again?!

  5. The biggest mistake by sweetooth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    of this release is not having Revolutions waiting right there for you to see. They could have lined up 90% of the people from that theatre and herded us into the next theatre emtpying our wallets as we went.

    While the ending is not surprising it certainly leaves you wanting to see the rest of the story. I personally didn't notice any cg mistakes, but I usually don't until my second viewing of a film unless they are just glaring mistakes.

    The main flaws with the movie are a slow start that really does little to develop the characters. If they wanted to break from the constant action for that purpose they didn't do the best job. I heard several people in the theatre complain about the somewhat technical dialog that takes place in the movie. That was no big deal to me as it all made perfect sense, but I could see how others might not like it or pick up on it. Then again I laughed out loud when I saw the terminal with ssh 10.2.2.2 on it ;)

    1. Re:The biggest mistake by jsse · · Score: 5, Funny

      laughed out loud when I saw the terminal with ssh 10.2.2.2 on it ;)

      That's what pissed Matrix - encrypted session that it can't spy on - damn hackers.

      Only one thing that could stop them from hiding themselves in encrypted channels, and that'd be the major theme of next sequel - Matrix - Super DMCA

    2. Re:The biggest mistake by sweetooth · · Score: 1

      Ah, but it was the "hackers" using ssh within a building in the matrix controlled by the machines. The particular network was also in a fairly important building ;)

    3. Re:The biggest mistake by ender81b · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yeah that cracked me up as well. Also if you watched really close you would've noticed them using something like "ssh v1 exploit (something)" to haxx0r into the computer. Really nifty IMHO.

      And man ....

      SPOILERS BEEP BEEP BEEP SPOILERS BEEP BEEP BEEP

      SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

      All me and my friends can figure out is that they are trapped inside a matrix within a matrix AND neo went on the EXACT COURSE THE MACHINES WANTED HIM ON! It makes perfect sense when you think about it, which is why it is probably wrong.

      Yeah Neo (and every other human, even Zion) is still trapped inside the matrix. Reasons? Well let's think about it. They targeted and destroyed one of the hovercraft JUST so Trinity would have to go out and get the power shut off. Two, they showed him the pictures of trinity dying to entice him to go out the other door back into the matrix. Three, Neo was able to destroy those sentinels by THOUGHT outside the Matrix. Four, Neo can see the future. Five, Agent Smith was able to transfer his consciousness into the 'real world'. I don't see how this is possible (I mean a computer program mapping itself to the human synapses?) unless Zion or the 'real world' is actually the matrix. Agents can take over people by 'overwriting' them - in the matrix . Why can Neo see the future... well just like the oracle because *has has already lived it!*

      I also think I understand why they alllow Neo to exist and return again and again (besides fixing a flaw). it sets humanity on a predictable course and allows them to control it and fulfills the human need for hope and choice. A messiah, prophecy, etc. Maybe in the first design they had no idea about Neo but now they do and can deal with him, obviously. Destroying him would give rise to perhaps somebody else, some other Messiah who might just succeed in destroying the matrix. It also makes sense for there to be Matrix's inside the Matrix like layers of an onion. After all you can manipulate an entire world, why not make multiple layers?

      They said 1% of the population won't accept the matrix. That 1% is given an outlet - to Zion another matrix. That way they can't corrupt or influence the other 99%. Logically, allowing a real human city to exist would be a *very bad no good idea* since they might - jsut might - come up with a weapon or something else that could actually kill the machines. So it makes sense that instead of allowing a real city they make a fake one. Zion also might have different rules and levels of control than the Matrix which allows for people to not understand what is really going on - i.e. they are still in the matrix. Even the idea of 'bending the rules of the computer program' allows for them to take a sample of the human population that doesn't like rules and allow them to break them in ways the machines can control and manipulate.

      It is also plausible that the whole idea of humans as 'batteries' is simply a 'red herring' to through humans off the real course of why they are kept around. Perhaps if they figured out THAT they would be able to hurt the machines.

      I simply can't wait for the next movie. A really cool ending, much like 1984, would have neo simply fullfilling his purpose, waking up the next generation to live in 'Zion' and telling them he will return and then just replaying the first scene of the orginal Matrix. No hope, despair, etc. But interesting ending nonetheless.

      Whew. Good movie.

      ---- END SPOILER END SPOILER END SPOILER END SPOILER END SPOILER END SPOILER ---

    4. Re:The biggest mistake by worst_name_ever · · Score: 4, Funny
      SPOILERS BEEP BEEP BEEP SPOILERS BEEP BEEP BEEP

      ...and then, like, half the plot twists were gone. And I was like, hunh? It was a really good movie. And then I had to watch it again but I knew the ending so it wasn't as good.

      --

      In Soviet Rush, today's Tom Sawyer gets high on you.
    5. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Assuming that the Architect was not lieing: Where does all that amazing machinery come from that protects Zion?

    6. Re:The biggest mistake by Covener · · Score: 1


      All me and my friends can figure out is that they are trapped inside a matrix within a matrix AND neo went on the EXACT COURSE THE MACHINES WANTED HIM ON! It makes perfect sense when you think about it, which is why it is probably wrong.


      I think that occured to alot of people. Some other choices are that only that final "return" was somehow hijacked (as in the first 2 hours the world w/ zion is real, and the last 20 minutes it's a simulatuion, or that the botched EMP counter-attack just coincided w/ neo stepping to the machines. You'd have to blame his "feeling" on his recent mindfuck.

    7. Re:The biggest mistake by 0x00000dcc · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Also if you watched really close you would've noticed them using something like "ssh v1 exploit (something)" to haxx0r into the computer.

      Interestingly, yesterday someone posted a comment with a link to an "exclusive shot from the movie", but no one save an AC responded. In fact, it was modded down offtopic. I bit, however, and to my surprise while watching to movie, I discovered it was real!

      Anyway, the shot is the same as the ssh exploit as you were mentioning ...

      --

      -- (Score:i, Imaginary)

    8. Re:The biggest mistake by barzok · · Score: 1

      No, it was an EMP from the other hovercraft that took out the sentinels, and probably also put him in the coma.

    9. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem for me, was that this one plot twist, however good, could not make up for the fact that while the moviemakers were busy creating the special effects, they forgot to take the time to write a decent script. Now, I'm certainly not saying the first Matrix was Shakespeare, but it at least had an interesting story. For all the action on the screen at this movie, it all seemed kind of pointless to me.

    10. Re:The biggest mistake by maddskillz · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't this have knocked out Naiobi's ship then?

    11. Re:The biggest mistake by ehiris · · Score: 1

      I'm afraid ssh will become an old forgotten program which will turn psychotic and try to kill me.

    12. Re:The biggest mistake by jeffx · · Score: 1

      I really like your thoughts one the film. I didn't get all of that but it could still be the way it is.

      POSSIBLE SPOILERS
      If you can get instruction to fly a 'copter dumped into you mind I am sure other programs (Agent Smith) would be able to copy into your being.

      Remember the prophecy from the first Matrix? There was once a man born inside....that must have been one of the previous Neos. However In Reloaded you here him say "why did no one tell me,..because they didn't know". Someone had to know.

      I am hearing a lot of talk about Agent Smith being a virus. I don't think so. Also do some of the computer charachters bring new meanings to zombie processes?

    13. Re:The biggest mistake by edmo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah Neo (and every other human, even Zion) is still trapped inside the matrix.
      it's possible that Zion and the rest of the "real world" were always inside the matrix, but based on Neo's line "everything different now" at the end of the movie I think that it may be that they were in the real world before, but after Neo choses the left door(after all his predecessor chose the right) the machines kept Neo and the others in a new matrix when they tried to logout. If the right door simply resets the whole simulation, both inside and outside the matrix, maybe the left door starts a whole new simulation, one in which humans think they are truly free. If that's the case, perhaps Neos coma means that he has in fact returned to the real world(losing control of his avatar), while the rest are trapped in the matrix approximation. Another possibility, thow perhaps not a strong one, is that Neo's adventure in the "core" changed the firmware on his cybernetics, allowing him to interface w/ the machines in the real world.

      another unrelated idea I had, if humans are used as batteries in the matrix, why allow batteries to die when they could still have years of useful service ahead, instead the machines could make anyone who dies be loaded into an after life program. Assuming the mind cannot be brought back/restarted after it thinks it is dead this could be done right before death, then if the persons avatar in the matrix is revived the person goes back w/ a near death experience, otherwise they continue to work as batteries in the after life...

      --
      Don't save your orgasms for Heaven; Heaven knows we need them here.
    14. Re:The biggest mistake by egriebel · · Score: 1
      Wouldn't this [emp pulse] have knocked out Naiobi's ship then?
      EMP pulses seem to have a finite, short range, so can only affect ships nearby, which is why they have to wait until the Sentinels get close enough [Matrix I]. Also, when the Sentinels are searching for the Nebuchadnezzar, Morpheus states that they are just outside of EMP range when they lob the bomb. It looked like the range wasn't that far, to me it looked like the sentinels were less than 1km away.
      --
      ACHTUNG! Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen.
    15. Re:The biggest mistake by gniv · · Score: 2, Interesting
      !!! MORE SPOILERS !!!
      !!! SPOILERS !!! You have been warned.

      All me and my friends can figure out is that they are trapped inside a matrix within a matrix

      I thought so too, at the beginning, but then I reconsidered. It's too obvious and it would make the first movie rather pointless.

      I also think I understand why they alllow Neo to exist and return again and again (besides fixing a flaw). it sets humanity on a predictable course

      They don't *allow* him to exist, he is the one flaw that is inevitable in the Matrix (according to the architect). My thinking is that the Matrix tolerates the existence of Zion (and they don't destroy it completely in each iteration---that would explain the 23 people) because the people there can find the one flaw. The Matrix itself cannot find it. Then, the oracle brings the one to the source, helping to reload the Matrix. They take a small risk that the one will destroy the matrix, but, every time, the human nature takes over and the one cannot bring himself to destroy the Matrix (and everything else with it...)

      Unfortunately, this doesn't explain why Neo was capable of stopping the sentinels and why the people of Zion don't remember the other Matrix reloads (remember what the architect said about how old everything is).

      !!! END SPOILERS !!!

    16. Re:The biggest mistake by DarkMym · · Score: 1

      The theory of multiple matrix(es) is the logical conclusion... it fits a lot of the loop holes that we spot in the movie. Tho we may be overthinking the movie.

      But lets stay on that course... cuz it's a lot more fun than what it is on the surface, an fx thriller. Think about this... the one thing machines can not do (besides evolve - you must have new radiations/adaptations... digital copies do not produce that effect, as does analog DNA replication) is to think for themselves... they can only react to pre-programed responses. Thus they are totally controlled by cause and effect. That "we already made a choice... but why did we make that choice". They don't understand it, they can't control it... and this is utterly the paradox they live in.

      That's why all of the "programs" continually refer to this fact... the Oracle, the French Guy, The Keymaker, even the Architect.

      What humans, and thus Neo can do is come up with totally new ideas, or "choices". Basically he was confronted with a choice by Morpheus, and he made it and thus he checked out of the first matrix. Then he comes up to the Architect, who again gives him the choice... and tho he can watch the chemical reactions, the neurons firing, he can't understand it... "he is afterall, only a program".

      So this parallel, between choosing the red pill, or the blue pill... the right door or the left door, again is symbolism for humanities abilities to come up with choices.

      That's what many philosophers always fall back to... free choice, or predetermined destiny? Mechanical Determinism... Genetic Determinism, etc.

      And besides which, the idea has come around time and time again. For those who were amazed by the original matrix, try reading more philosophy, or books in general... for those who's example is Star Trek or the Thirteenth floor, didn't you ever read Neuromancer when you were a kid... they imprison case in a made up world as well.

      The idea is not new, it hasn't been since decartes, or was it kant first started questioning reality. Which is only to say a single written record of it... doesn't mean even more primitive man didn't do it. We just don't have a copy of his book. ;)

      Read more, watch less.

    17. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Unfortunately, no one can be told what the honeypot is; you have to see it for yourself.

    18. Re:The biggest mistake by Skyre · · Score: 1

      hmm...has anyone thought about the fact that the machines are lying to neo when the architect tells him about his predecessors? i understand that most everyone actually belives that there are multiple matrices and whatnot but maybe we can assume for a moment that there is only one matrix and that neo actually is the messiah and savior of humanity. assuming this, and assuming the machines have figured this out by now, don't you think that they would do everything in their power to stop him...including using psychological means? by this line of thought, the machines would try to make neo LET his race of freed people be destroyed and thus doom free humanity, and if neo "chooses" the door on the right, he dies and the machines no longer have to worry about Zion and the freed people. also...if the machines have destroyed freed humanity 5 times before...wouldn't there still the the gigantic tunnels leading down to zion from the previous times? if there are multiple matrices then this is easily fixed, but if there aren't than this means that there is only one matrix and the machines are lying to neo about the predecessors. oh, and any thoughts about agent smith becoming a virus, yay/nay?

    19. Re:The biggest mistake by sh2kwave · · Score: 0

      The ONE isn't a bug, he's a FEATURE. Just like microsoft bugs...err code.

    20. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      remember the old guy talking to neo.. talking about how we need machines and they need us? maybe these old people persist of the generations of matrix reloading they just keep it a big secret

    21. Re:The biggest mistake by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 1

      The machines put it there. They don't _like_ Zion, but they're willing to tolerate it as their catspaw to finding the One. Then, having found it, they destroy it and set up another one.

      --
      -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
    22. Re:The biggest mistake by MCZapf · · Score: 4, Interesting
      ** MORE SPOILERS **
      Unfortunately, this doesn't explain . . . why the people of Zion don't remember the other Matrix reloads (remember what the architect said about how old everything is).

      It makes me wonder, were there 23 people on the council at Zion? Also, they specifically mentioned that all the council members were older. Maybe they're the 23 people who restarted Zion and maybe they're in on the scheme.

    23. Re:The biggest mistake by Wraithlyn · · Score: 1

      Fascinating thread... I am liking this movie the more I think about it, even though I must say my initial take on watching it was slightly dissapointed (I thought some of the dialogue was cheesy, and some scenes and fights seemed kinda pointless)

      Here's a question I had that I haven't seen addressed anywhere... what's the deal with the hundreds of Neo images on the Architect's monitors all having different reactions, speaking out as if they were all independent entities?

      The person I was with said she thought it represented his conflicting thoughts, but that just doesn't satisfy me. What do all these parallel Neo's signify?

      Perhaps it is just the Architect peering into the tangled mess of his head... but it just seems like there was something more being hinted at there... maybe we'll see in the next movie.

      --
      "Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
    24. Re:The biggest mistake by ender81b · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Well all those different neo's were the 6 previous Neo's who had allready fulfilled their destiny like the architect said... of course can you believe the architect? Me thinks you cannot and we will be suprised by how this all fits together.

    25. Re:The biggest mistake by ender81b · · Score: 1

      Hrm. I thought so at first but the ship had been destroyed for well over a minute before the sentinels were stopped. I don't know, I will have to re watch that scene (like everything else in the matrix).

    26. Re:The biggest mistake by Wraithlyn · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "Why can Neo see the future... well just like the oracle because *has has already lived it!*"

      There's one thing that bothers me about this... if the Oracle can see the future because she's already lived it...

      How does she know Trinity and Neo will fall in love? Isn't this the first time that's happened?

      --
      "Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
    27. Re:The biggest mistake by sllim · · Score: 1

      How about this...

      The prophecy is real.
      And Neo is not 'The One'.

      Trinity is 'The One'

      Okay, the Oracle admitted that she was nothing but a tool of the system. She came right out and said it. She is the one that told Neo that in the end it is about choices and because she is a program she has none.

      The Administrator pretty much backed up the Oracle on that. That makes Neo an even bigger tool. It also makes Morpheus possibly the biggest patsy in all of history.

      Now we assume that the prophecy came from the Oracle. But, I stress, WE ASSUME it. I need to watch the first movie again this weekend because I do not believe that it is spelled out like that. What if the prophecy didn't come from the Oracle?

      That changes things dramaticly.
      The Administrator said that every 'Neo' that is created has a new flaw. And the Administrator is not capable of predicting that flaw or planning against it. The Administrator didn't know Neo's flaw until he met Neo.

      Neo's flaw of course is his love of Trinity.

      His love of Trinity is the reason that he chose the left door (saving Trinity) from the right door. It was implied that all the other Neo's chose the right door.
      But then again I think we can assume that even if they chose the left door they didn't rescue Trinity, they allowed her to die.

      Now reverse to something Agent Smith said.
      Agent Smith (I love that guy, I hope he kicks Neo's ass in the next movie) told Neo that when Neo entered him some of Neo's programming overwrote his own.
      Considering that everyone in the Matrix, Agent Smith, Neo, Trinity - everyone, is nothing more then a program this makes sense.
      Agent Smith said that the reason he can do the things he does is because of that.

      Okay, Neo has his hand inside Trinity massaging Trinity's heart.

      I think that in the next movie we will find that Trinity is 'The One' from the prophecy.

      And Trinity will destroy the machines.
      Because, the Administrator doesn't know about 2 anomolies. He only plans for one. One anomolie he has under control, 2 he has never considered. Neo's flaw of Love for Trinity allows 2 anomolies to come into existence.
      If the Prophecy doesn't come from the Oracle, whom I no longer trust, then this actually fulfills the Prophecy.

      Now as for the Matrix inside the Matrix thing...
      I need to think about that. I have an explanation for the coma and Neo destroying the Centinels. I will do a seperate post since I am so long winded.

    28. Re:The biggest mistake by Wraithlyn · · Score: 1

      But there were a lot more than 6.. and still, how could they be on the monitors, reacting to events?

      And that also supposes all incarnations of the One look identical... which seems a bit silly, and we are given no reason to think that.

      --
      "Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
    29. Re:The biggest mistake by smasherbob · · Score: 1

      Those weren't the different incarnation, as I understand it. They were just different reactions Neo could have had to what he was hearing. More of the cause/effect theme =P

    30. Re:The biggest mistake by agnosonga · · Score: 1

      has anyone seen eXistanZ, or the 13th Floor ?
      I dont want to give anything away, but they both play with virtual worlds and reality. which makes me believe what you are saying here is true
      I guess we wont know till november...

    31. Re:The biggest mistake by ender81b · · Score: 1

      No. =). Which is why I maintain that Neo is actually still on the course the machines laid out for him. Think about it. If the machines really wanted him to just "go back to the source" they wouldn't have shown him the scenes of trinity dying. Nor would they destroy that other ship to force trinity to enter the matrix. Remember that one guy said that Neo was still following orders...

      Yeah I know... but hey, it isn't the revolution yet!

    32. Re:The biggest mistake by Naosuke · · Score: 1

      I'll have to see it again to make sure but I think that the large amount of monitors were a complex matrix (no pun intended) of the previos six Neos. It just looked like a couple hundred different reactions because they didn't place duplicate emotions' monitors in contact with each other.

    33. Re:The biggest mistake by BarryJacobsen · · Score: 1

      The sentinals were knocked AWAY from Neo and Trinity. Naiobi's shipped approached from the same direction the sentinals were knocked back. Maybe the EMP came from Naiobi's ship.

    34. Re:The biggest mistake by jafac · · Score: 1

      I like this idea, and I think it's a good one (though I didn't see the second movie yet.)

      I mean, in the original Matrix - there were several inconsistencies in the "story". First and formost, the second-law of thermodynamics - and the fact that a smart guy like Morpheus didn't know that his understanding of what the Matrix was for violated the second law of thermodynamics.

      But then there was the idea that - people died. If people were batteries, why do they need to be conscious? Why do they allow their critical power supply to die out in car accidents, plagues, satanic rituals, etc? A battery should not be taken out of service until it is worn out.

      Probably, if someone "dies" in the Matrix, their memory is erased, (assuming that the machines have the technical wherewithall) and they're put into a different Matrix.

      The other bit was what the Agent Smith said when interrogating Morpheus. That they had programmed The Human Condition in for a reason. That people NEED suffering. Perhaps some people need a higher degree of suffering than others - hence the Zion-Matrix, or metaMatrix, whatever you want to call it. People also NEED hope, as well.

      And finally, if one first saw the Matrix when they were stoned, what's the first thing they think about after they realize that "omigod, What if I'm really in the Matrix?" - that's right "or maybe if I got out, I was still in the Matrix?" There's no way to be sure.

      --

      These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.
    35. Re:The biggest mistake by BarryJacobsen · · Score: 1

      Or blame the feeling on that his mind is somehow diffent and more machine like (giving him the ability to control The Matrix, a big machine).

    36. Re:The biggest mistake by Moofie · · Score: 1

      ooh. Good one.

      PS did anybody else notice that every single vehicle in the car chase was a GM marque? Oldmobiles, Cadillacs, and Chevrolets. I think there was a Buick or two.

      Now, the Trinity-on-motorcycle part had Fords, Lexuses, and a Mazda, but the bits with the cars (and the semi trucks and the 'splosions and the shootings) were all GM.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    37. Re:The biggest mistake by Suidae · · Score: 1

      It is also plausible that the whole idea of humans as 'batteries' is simply a 'red herring' to through humans off the real course of why they are kept around.

      Hmm, humans in the real world started using some kind of neural interface to a network that reached critical mass and spawned an emergent intellegence that is completely dependent upon having humans connected to the network via said interfaces and can operate individiual humans as appendages. By walling off the concious part of each human mind and creating for it an interconnected virtual reality, said intelligence is able to operate in the real world as a single collective conciousness without the threat of humans disconnecting from the network, which would lessen it. By creating the fiction of the matrix it can keep its human 'cells' happy, and by having multiple layers it increases its security.

    38. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      they also were running nmap earlier in the session :)

    39. Re:The biggest mistake by gantrep · · Score: 1

      WARNING MORE SPOILERS. I don't disagree with your matrix within a matrix evaluation, but I disagree with a couple of your points. Three, Neo was able to destroy those sentinels by THOUGHT outside the Matrix. Ummm. No he didn't that was an emp pulse. Remember at the end when they were talking about someone triggering one, and they werent sure if it was a mistake or intentional, but that there was that one survivor and then that supercool cliffhanger? Four, Neo can see the future. OK, That is a pickle. I think the explanation though is either that he really is "The One" like for real, like Jesus. He has real psychic powers and such in the real world. OOORRR, that like the architect I think was hinting, even though he can escape the Matrix physically, he can never escape it completely. The architect seemed to say that Neo's thoughts and characteristics were still the product of the way in which his brain was developed within the Matrix. That image of the future could have been planned and planted in Neo's mind sometime in the past when he was connected. Then because of it's disturbing nature, he has recurring dreams about it. Hard to say. Five, Agent Smith was able to transfer his consciousness into the 'real world'. When was this?

    40. Re:The biggest mistake by nevets · · Score: 1
      Ahh, but the brothers could also really screw up our minds. What if this is a matrix inside the matrix and Trinity is not a human but a program. This way the computer could actually setup Neo to fall in love.

      Think about it:
      • We never saw Trinity with the Oracle.
      • Tank could also be a program to prevent Cypher from killing Neo.
      • This is also why the Oracle would know Trinity would fall in love with Neo.
      • The machines would know Trinity would go back into the Matrix.
      • The scene with Neo kissing the women in front of Trinity could be showing that the machines are achieving human feelings, and Trinity was jealous at the other program.


      Now Neo too could be the program, but that doesn't make sense, except that Agent Smith gets part of his program.

      Agent Smith is really what the machines don't count on. The world of the machines has problems too, so the people there are to help solve it. Now Agent Smith has grown into something that will be a thorn in both the humans side as well as the general machines.

      I was disappointed at the end when I never heard Agent Smit utter "Neo, I am your father!"

      --
      Steven Rostedt
      -- Nevermind
    41. Re:The biggest mistake by jd_esguerra · · Score: 1

      All me and my friends can figure out is that they are trapped inside a matrix within a matrix



      That's VMWare, baby!

    42. Re:The biggest mistake by $uperjay · · Score: 1

      Second matrix, or meta-consciousness?

      Neo, having been able to directly access his own code in the Matrix, may have been enlightened to the point where he could access his own hardware in the real world, rather than 'API calls'. He may have gained direct control over his own consciousness. Agent Smith, having been an AI who could alter his own programming within the Matrix as well, could also do this. This would explain how he could heal himself in the Zion-existence, despite not being in Matrix 1, without resorting to Zion-existence being another Matrix.

      This could be the reason the AI reiterates Neos, over and over again - to gain understanding of how to inhabit human bodies with direct control, as Smith now does. The untapped 'battery' power that Neo posesses is the same raw processing power of every human brain, but more so, since he has ascended to a new level of consciousness. This would make him an important and unique resource for the AIs to attempt to control. Everyone does get the whole humans-as-parallel-processors thing, right? That they're processing power for the Matrix, not electrical power?

    43. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hello?!?

      I'm betting my Hat that Neo is AI. Neo succumbs to the oracles "suggestions" because he is a part of the matrix- NOT "within" it as the rest of the possee. We don't see anyone else succumbing to her suggestions the way neo does. This would also explain how Neo keeps on coming again and again for version 1234567 of the Matrix. It also feeds in squarely to the whole concept of the zion "program" used to appease the 1% of humans who reject the matrix. The machines are handing the humans a bone in Neo. Not surprisingly, the bone allusion is clearly demonstrated by their casting decision- the boneheaded Keanu "whoa" Reeves.

      It seems to me that he exhibits a lot of the same characteristics as the other AI programs. Plus, the AI programs prefer dialog with him to the revolting humans. Is this intended to focus the attention on Neo (who not-inexplicably doesn't have much to say), or would it seem reasonable that the comic/anime loving wachowski bros are doing something darkly deliberate here?

      From atop the grassy gnoll, :)

      -Capn McCrank

    44. Re:The biggest mistake by ender81b · · Score: 1

      Well yeah I'm not positive of a matrix-within-a-matrix. I also thought that they might literally just make Neo a god, a real messiah figure much like paul atreides. It's possible and, heck, wouldn't even be that bad of a thing.

      The beginning of the movie when agent smith sent his virus into that guy who was dialing home. And then he had a knife and was ready to kill neo at Zion. He was the guy laying on the table.

      Wether or not it was an emp pulse that destroyed them... I'm just not sure. The ship was destroyed and based on previous cannon from the matrix they said that the EMP had a short range. I dunno. We will find out in 6 months I guess =).

    45. Re:The biggest mistake by Taos · · Score: 1

      The car the ghosts were riding in hit a 5-Series BMW and knocked the trunk clean off of it. That was early on in the chase.

      They did trash a '68 firebird though. Depressing on so many levels. 1) I have one, 2) the firebird is no longer in production.

    46. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Revolutions.... Time is nothing but a circle.

    47. Re:The biggest mistake by MCZapf · · Score: 1
      Yeah, I noticed that Trinity and the ghosts were both driving Cadillacs. But it didn't occur to me that Cadillac is a GM division and all the other cars were GM too.

      Product placement. Bah!

    48. Re:The biggest mistake by SimplexO · · Score: 1

      What's funny is that zion's sys admins are 1337.

      The password to get into Zion (which the machines couldn't guess was Z10N0101, or Zion 1010.

      Clever.

    49. Re:The biggest mistake by Skyre · · Score: 1

      Nevets said:

      What if this is a matrix inside the matrix and Trinity is not a human but a program.

      ah, now THAT is interesting...the machines are setting themselves up now in the 6th generation of matrix to eliminate the need to keep humans conscious. think about it...if the machines get ahold of the "code" to simulate love, they are simulating the most powerful human emotion, one that overcomes all others. now, if they control the most powerful human emotion, and emotions are all that truly seperate machines from people, then don't the machines actually ascend to a state of consciousness and achieve a level of independence? humans created and controlled machines, now the machines are creating and controlling humans (i say creating because they simulate birth by DNA replication), isn't this just a big revenge factor for the machines? the machines are showing that they CAN feel certain emotions: this is shown by agent smith wanting revenge on neo for disconnecting him from the 'system'...however, they cannot truly control the humans until they control what drives them at their very core: love. the whole 'trinity being a program' theory shows that machines are trying to learn love and thus utter control...it could also be a fail safe against THE ONE choosing the left door because instead of him destroying all the levels of the matrix he instead stays with trinity who he has 'fallen in love with' even though she's just a program. one question remains: if trinity is a program designed to 'learn' love from humans, won't she know and then feel love and thus act accordingly by NOT betraying the one she fell in love with???

    50. Re:The biggest mistake by fbg111 · · Score: 1

      Three, Neo was able to destroy those sentinels by THOUGHT outside the Matrix. It occurred to me then as well that there might be several layers of the Matrix, and Zion was only a separate layer. However, what also occurred to me at that scene was Lawnmower Man. In that movie, Job's mind is trained by computers to such an extent that his virtual powers become real powers. Might not this same thing be happening to Neo now? In Revolutions, might we see Neo master his real powers as he has his virtual ones, and bring the war to the machines in the real world? Of course, that "real world" could still be simply another layer of the Matrix, nothing more than a very elaborate hoax of the machines.

      --
      Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
    51. Re:The biggest mistake by gantrep · · Score: 1

      Ah yes I forgot about that. Yes you are right, Smith copied himself into that guy and then that guy dialed out of the Matrix. Wasn't thinking about that.

    52. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think they're unrelated. One was an EMP during the battle of machines versus Zion (Zionist?) ships and the other was the sentinels breaking down. Two separate occurances.

    53. Re:The biggest mistake by Moofie · · Score: 1

      You're absolutely right. But watch when they get on the freeway...it's uncanny.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    54. Re:The biggest mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just a thought...

      what if neo is able to stop the machines simply because he is THE ONE and the machines have no power of him at all...even in the "real world."

    55. Re:The biggest mistake by zonker · · Score: 0

      There's a reason for that...

      GM gave them 300 cars to use in the movie. All 300 of them were demolished during production...

    56. Re:The biggest mistake by GrayArea · · Score: 1

      Great point. In fact, I think it was pretty clear from the architect scene that there weren't an onion-like series of matrixes. Apparently, the architect guy and the Oracle (revealed to be an "intuitive" AI developed to analyze human psyche, btw) came up with the idea of Zion and the prophecy in order to prevent the last 0.5 percent of humanity that refused to be convinced of the false reality of Matrix from destabilizing it.

      This way, they could intentionally channel the unruly minority to Zion over a number of years and destroy the whole bunch of them in one shot, then get a new cycle to begin by letting The One choose a bunch of people, go away and start the whole thing over. By giving them one obvious exit, they make sure the effects are controllable. In fact, the verbose architect guy tells us that they're getting pretty efficient at destroying Zion since this is like the 6th or so cycle.

      I think it was a rather brilliant plot move. Unfortunately, the verbosity of the scene reduced the impact greatly for a lot of people when I saw it. It's also a huge turn of events in the movie, and it could have used more time for the consequences to sink in the minds of the audience. The Oracle was setting up Morpheus and the gang from the start and their "choice" to revolt against machines was nothing but a precisely calculated and executed turn of events masterminded by the Architect up until now. Of course, Neo had to throw a wrench into the whole thing (so there would be something for the third movie) by not making the choice expected of him and chose to save gorgeous girlfriend instead of preventing the whole of human race to go extinct (I forget how this was supposed to happen, something to do with the Matrix crashing completely and killing everyone connected to it).

      Man, this was such a nerdy thing to write. I feel like my chances of successfully bumping uglies with a member of the opposite sex is getting lower every time geek out like this...

      --
      "The deluded are always filled with absolutes. The rest of us have to live with ambiguity." - Aristoi, Walter Jon Willia
    57. Re:The biggest mistake by bsane · · Score: 1

      understanding of what the Matrix was for violated the second law of thermodynamics.

      Maybe this will call into question why the matrix exists at all. Maybe people originally submitted voluntarily to the matrix for some reason. Smith did say that they originally made the matrix a paradise.

      FWIW I thought reloaded sucked, the effects were terrible- several scenes looked like a video game. The story and dialog were lame. Maybe it will all come together with revolution, but I kind of doubt it.

    58. Re:The biggest mistake by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Figured that was it. : )

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    59. Re:The biggest mistake by teknotus · · Score: 1

      Maybe it is agent Smith that destabalizes the matrix with his replication.

    60. Re:The biggest mistake by Kirijini · · Score: 1

      You're forgetting that Zion is destroyed every time the matrix reloads. The 23 people are the only survivors; hence, the last time the matrix reloaded was a couple hundred years ago; long enough for 23 people to mate enough, and pull enough people out of the matrix, to produce 250,000 people. No one remembers the last time the matrix was reloaded. No one remembers the prophecy is really just a cycle.

    61. Re:The biggest mistake by Kirijini · · Score: 1

      "Agent Smith was able to transfer his consciousness into the 'real world'. I don't see how this is possible (I mean a computer program mapping itself to the human synapses?)"

      Consider first that killing the body in the matrix kills the mind. Second, during fight scenes, sometimes the characters spit up blood in the "real world" (which is now in doubt as to whether it really is real, or just a looped matrix), which suggests that the body in the real world is taking what happens in the matrix so seriously, that it actually does damage to itself to replicate what is happening in the matrix.

      With that in mind, it's not too much of a strech to say that when Smith injects himself into human constructs (which I think is overwriting their program with his), the real body overwrites the person's mind with Smith's.

      All speculation, of course ;)

  6. The Orgy Scene... by _ph1ux_ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    To keep it short, I think the idea with the Orgy/Dance scene is draw parallels between the sex of Neo and Trinity, and the overall Sexual (primal, hedonistic) nature of humans... and the fact that we are a product of this. In other words, evolution... a seething bastion of organic life living far underground, reproducing and fighting for existence. So in that respect it's a very important piece of the overall humans (organic life) against machines (in-organice life).

    Other than that, yeah the acting was a bit cheesy... but ALL the acting is a bit cheesy in the movie. ;)

    1. Re:The Orgy Scene... by jpmahala · · Score: 1

      Sure, But did it really need to (seemingly) last for 15 long minutes? Our whole group of guys that went were just sitting there for what appeared to be a neverending eternity, wishing they would get on with the rest of the movie -- despite all of the wild-monkey-love that was going on right in front of us.

      I thought it was waaaaay too long. But don't worry: I'm sure that the Director's Cut DVD will add about five more minutes to the scene.

    2. Re:The Orgy Scene... by LMCBoy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think the party/rave scene was also meant to bbe a primal expression of the utter humanity of Zion, a kind of defiant anti-machinism.

      --
      Liberal (adj.): Free from bigotry; open to progress; tolerant of others.
    3. Re:The Orgy Scene... by elbowboy · · Score: 1

      Why didn't they use bullet time in the sex scene? And more importantly will the directors cut dvd explain why neo was having sex in a pizza oven? Is that where we'll do it in the future? If so i'm gonna grab up some of that uno's stock.

    4. Re:The Orgy Scene... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      During that scene, did anyone else start to think of Morpheus as Stilgar? Trinity as Chani? Zion as Sietch Tabr? Neo as Mua'dib?

    5. Re:The Orgy Scene... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I especially liked the part where Neo flips Trinity over and assfucks her, then pulls out in time to shoot arcing ropes of jizz all over her pouting lips and face.

    6. Re:The Orgy Scene... by cout · · Score: 1

      I suspect the reason for that scene was solely to keep religious groups from doing to the sequel what the did to the first movie: tear it apart limb for limb by analyzing every bit religious allusion they could find. I even know of people who went so far as to use the Matrix as a tool for evangelism. Right or wrong, I think this is what the producers wanted to avoid.

    7. Re:The Orgy Scene... by mediapathic · · Score: 1

      I completely agree with the fact that the sex + sex scene went on waaay too long. In fact it went on so long that I began to get suspicious, and wonder why they were putting so much emphasis on it... So my theory is, Trinity is pregnant. Not sure what ramifications this will have, but it's an interesting thing to think about.

      Secondarily, I'm glad to see Stomp survived the apocalypse.

    8. Re:The Orgy Scene... by John+Harrison · · Score: 1

      Interesting that some of the programs in the Matrix seem VERY interested in sex. What does that tell you?

    9. Re:The Orgy Scene... by BoneFlower · · Score: 1

      The scene was a bit long... But the rave scene which so obviously inspired that scene is all about life and love and freedom... it made perfect sense, though yes, it could have been cut a bit.

    10. Re:The Orgy Scene... by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      I think that's what Revolutions is going to be about... humans and programs outgrowing their controls, the controler not wanting to give up control...

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    11. Re:The Orgy Scene... by ghostmagic · · Score: 1

      Just trying to think this one out for myself, but if it were in living in Zion, the last city of mankind, if I had an opportunity to party, I'd party hard myself. Might as well; who knows how long you'll live...

  7. Sex Scene by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 3, Informative

    I personally felt that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was a little overboard

    Overboard? How about totally fucking lame. The whole thing was shots of Keanu's arm-plugs spliced between shots of dirty hippies dancing. Gag me. The first hour of the movie was absolute rubbish.

    --
    We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    1. Re:Sex Scene by mrklin · · Score: 1
      This compared to the second half of the movie which was also rubbish.

      I don't think I am the only one who is tired of Neo and Trinity exhibiting PDA (no, not Palm or PocketPC! - Public Display of Affection) at every opportunity - in the elevator, in their rooms, within the construct, etc.

      The only good thing seems to be that women of the future/Zion no longer wears bra and the weather is great so that they always wear thin, see-through clothing.

    2. Re:Sex Scene by oiper · · Score: 1

      The dirty hippy dancing and all that other sexish crap is going to make it just uncomfortable enough that I won't want to watch it with the dad. Who very much enjoyed the first. Still a great movie. I'll be 35 one day and still feel funny about seeing that kinda sexish crap with the parents though. It really would have been great though if there was a shot of Trinity's nipples and you find out that they are replaced with those little metal/plastic connectors. =P

      --
      What do I have to do to get a sig around here?! www.bearscanfly.org
    3. Re:Sex Scene by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      dirty hippies dancing

      Hey, that implies GNU/hippies are not dirty, but clean!

      I'm feeling cleaner already! Thanks for the personality boost. I feel like taking a shower...again!

    4. Re:Sex Scene by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      that kinda sexish crap

      No, no, you're not a little squeamish-about-sex SF fanboy. Not at all.

    5. Re:Sex Scene by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe by the time you are 35 you will have moved out of your parents basement.

    6. Re:Sex Scene by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      spliced between shots of dirty hippies dancing.

      if that's what the human race is coming to, maybe we should reconsider the machines' point of view.

    7. Re:Sex Scene by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Girls are gross!! Linux and hairy man-ass are all I need...

    8. Re:Sex Scene by oiper · · Score: 1

      haha. well the way the job market is looking, i very well might be moving back into the basement after school.

      --
      What do I have to do to get a sig around here?! www.bearscanfly.org
  8. Yup by machine+of+god · · Score: 1

    I just went and saw it. It's now 5:00am that I am getting back. Classes be damned.

  9. Stay after the credits! by malen · · Score: 2, Informative

    Just saw it, and loved it.

    Reloaded definitely has a different purpose from the original (we're not realizing for the first time that our world is a simulation), but quality-wise it was just as good. Zion looks a lot larger and more organized than I would have guessed, and we get to see some bad-ass robocop-style exoskeletons that will probably feature in Matrix Revolutions.

    The Wachowski bros. could easily have made a crappy movie, but they pulled this sequel off well.

    Be sure to stay past the end of the credits for an awesome preview for Revolutions!!!

    1. Re:Stay after the credits! by Alan+Partridge · · Score: 0

      the WHACK-OFF ski brothers PULLED IT OFF well, you say?

      Who'dve thunk it?

      --
      That was classic intercourse!
    2. Re:Stay after the credits! by crimson30 · · Score: 1

      The Wachowski bros. could easily have made a crappy movie, but they pulled this sequel off well.

      They could still rip us off on the third one. Maybe Neo will wake up and the third one will simply be an Office Space clone with Neo back at his old job.

  10. Re:The biggest mistake [technical dialogue] by GozerBrothers · · Score: 1

    "somewhat technical dialog that takes place in the movie"

    I had no trouble with this personally.

    BUT... my friend, who is a non-native English speaker, was totally lost at the end of the movie, as an important character (who won't be named to avoid spoilers) speaks in so much jargon and so quickly that he is virtually incomprehensible.

  11. Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by VvDarkPhoenixvV · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I walked out of the Matrix 2 today. After hyping myself up for what I thought was a plethora of bullet-time acrobatics and ass-kicking kung-fu, I instead walked in on a huge orgy in Zion. Sadly realizing that all the amazing things I had paid $10 to see were available in free previews on the net, I walked out. I was just unable to watch the Watchowski Brothers sell out like that. Very, very disappointing.

    --
    "Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, next to soccer."
    1. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 5, Funny

      Go drink some Poweraid. Perhaps that will make you feel better.

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    2. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by SaXisT4LiF · · Score: 1

      Nah man, Dante said we could have gatorade after the hockey game...

      --
      Fight or flight its all the same
      Live to die another day

      --Ryan
    3. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by mattzog · · Score: 1

      It was just you, dude.
      There's more to life than bullet time.

      -mattzog

    4. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by VvDarkPhoenixvV · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but bullet-time is the only thing missing from my life, and that's why I paid my $10 for the movie!!

      --
      "Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, next to soccer."
    5. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 1

      Pure, precious lifegiving energy!

      DRINK YOUR POWERADE!

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    6. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by mateotown · · Score: 1

      Oh Yeah. . .It Sucked Ass, and I don't even know where to start. I guess the script, aka the storyline, the lack of depth of characters, and the dialogues= LAME. The stuff that they ripped off from other movies like Minority Report, Aliens, Dune, Star Trek, Superman...and then when they did do their own stuff, it was the same ole drawn-out fight scenes. Nothing much new and way exaustive. And what of all the unbelievable crap, like for instance, when the Caddy is all riddled with dozens of machine gun bullets, but none of them can penetrate the interior of the car to wound any of those within. Right! I mean, even fantasy has to draw certain boundaries. And why couldn't Neo just fly to the nearest phone, instead of having to fly around the world from wherever? And what was so neccesary about the MGD orgy, the french guy's orgasma cake, and the Italian bathroom kiss?!? I mean, was there any significance? Four years later, and the whole thing reeked of Crouching Porno, Hidden Cliche.

    7. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by hydrant · · Score: 1

      Some really need to review the notion of "sunken costs"...

      Once you paid your money, would it be that moralistically threatening to your well-being to simply sit through? Perhaps I can invite you to a $30/ticket concert, and you can walk out on that too.

      Well, while you're at it pissing your money away, just give it to me.

    8. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the concept of a sunk cost argues in favor of walking out. Once you've paid your money, you aren't getting it back. If you stay at a movie you hate "because you want to get your money's worth" of movie-viewing time, you aren't (according to economists) acting rationally. The rational choice is to leave a movie you hate and thus recapture some of the cost of the ticket by doing something of more value (to you) with your time.

    9. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by VvDarkPhoenixvV · · Score: 1
      By "pissing it away" as you call it, walking out is a more powerful message because tickets are $10. And if I did go to a $30 concert, I'd be sure I was getting the music, not watching Keanu Reeves have sex.

      --
      "Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, next to soccer."
    10. Re:Did the Matrix 2 suck, or was it just me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should have waited. The second half was much better than the first half.

  12. I can't wait. by Deadite · · Score: 0

    I anticipated much hype about this new Mmatrix. I bought my ticket 3 days in advance just so I would make sure I could get in. I know recently the big block busters like X-men were sold out on the first day. I can't wait to see what this new Matrix has in store for us.

  13. Like reading Slashdot... by jkrise · · Score: 1

    I think I'll need to see it about 5 times and talk to lots of others, before I get a hang of it.. good thing is, I don't need to care about my karma.

    Frankly, the only part which made any sense in the ntire movie was the love scene - aren't good /.ers supposed to enjoy them?

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  14. the fast and the furious by katalyst · · Score: 1

    was to be made to look like the slow and the sluggish...or so the w. bros had claimed..... has the movie lived up to this reputation???

    I've seen a few of the animatrixes... the first one sucked.. second one onwards they got much better.....
    Any1 seen the Flight of the Orisis?? Have been dying to see that.... it apparantly had been attached to dreamcatcher in the States ... would love to watch it.. its 3d rendered instead of conventional anim...
    They are supposed to have released the game "Enter the Matrix" too in conjuction with the movie.....

    --
    |/________
    |\A|ALYS|
    1. Re:the fast and the furious by Jarlsberg · · Score: 1
      Osiris is the best of the Animatrix shorts. It's extremely well done. It also sets the scene for the movie.

      Enter the Matrix is released. It's not half as good as the movie, but I guess it's worthwhile if you're a fan. A bit disappointing, really.

  15. IMAX Anyone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone know whether the rumours about this movie coming out on IMAX have any basis on reality?

    If it has I'll wait thanx very much, especially with the reviews given here it doesn't sound like a must see, c/ept for the SFX which means don't wait to see it on TV - see it on the big screen.

    1. Re:IMAX Anyone by m3000 · · Score: 1

      Yes, it is coming out on IMAX in a few weeks.

  16. Re:The biggest mistake [technical dialogue] by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 1

    He doesn't really use that much jargon, he is just scripted to speak in unnecessarily large words to make himself sound smart.

    And he says "ergo" about twenty times.

    --
    We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
  17. SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anthony+Boyd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I just got back from a midnight showing, and I have to ask this. It may give things away. This is your warning! Don't read this! I am even stating guesses as to what the third movie is about, which may pre-spoil even that.

    First question: how did Neo stop the Sentinels that came at him in the real world? He's a programmer, a normal human who has the ability to fly or move quickly only in the Matrix, where he can see everything as code. In the real world, he's pretty much a real wimp. Right? Is the movie going all magical on us? I don't think so.

    More questions: how is it that the Architect said they had destroyed Zion many times? That doesn't match up with the first Matrix movie, where the history of Zion doesn't talk at all about being wiped out and rebuilding multiple times. What happened to all the people who died in Zion the first few times? Shouldn't the rebuilders have seen archaeology? Corpses? Something to hint that Zion existed for longer than 100 years? They can't "reset" Zion and start from scratch, it's the real world. You wipe out 250,000 people, they can't just grow back. And if others escaped from the Matrix and rebuilt Zion, why isn't that part of the history lesson we get in the Matrix part 1?

    Final question: if the Architect is not lying when he says that computers have ruled for far longer than 100 years, then how come Zion doesn't reflect this? How come every Zion leader puts Zion's inception (or at least, the rule of the machines) at 100 years? How did they lose or "forget" the real history?

    One more spoiler alert. I'm trying to provoke discussion, because I don't know if what I'm about to suggest is right, but it may give stuff away. Stop reading if you haven't seen it!

    The answer to all these questions is another question: how do you handle the one-tenth of one percent of humans who don't "buy" the Matrix? How do you keep them from unplugging everyone and everything? You give that .1% something to do. You create a second Matrix for them to "escape" to. You keep them busy freeing people from one Matrix to another. When Zion falls, you reset and wait for the .1% to need a distraction again. You let the war play out with Neo 1, Neo 2, Neo 3, Neo 4, Neo 5, and Neo 6. Over and over again. So that the computers have now ruled hundreds of years. So that when Neo finally understands that the "real" world is just as unreal as the Matrix, he is able to stop the Sentinels with a wave of his hand.

    What's the truth? I fear I have this all wrong, but it sure explains damn near everything.

  18. Re:The biggest mistake [technical dialogue] by sweetooth · · Score: 1

    I think the accent made that much worse than it should have been.

  19. It rawked. by Omniscient+Ferret · · Score: 1

    It had more manic fight scenes. It developed the philosophy a bit more. I could see the Buddhist themes coming out a bit more: e.g. by the end of the third movie, the machines & the humans are both freed.

  20. hmm, ya think? by lingqi · · Score: 1
    The movie also flowed well. I didn't ever feel like a scene was put in "just because", except once. I personally felt that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was a little overboard, and that a lot more could have been said with a much more subtle approach.

    Apparently you havn't read the last story about the perfect box office hit formula - you have to have sex scenes.

    Which, I digress, is silly. How many movies can we name that would have been better without the sex? sigh... I am getting to a point that I think they knows this, and they don't want to change their formula - so what happens is usually that when I sense a stupid sex-scene coming, I take the opportunity for a bathroom break.

    --

    My life in the land of the rising sun.

    1. Re:hmm, ya think? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      And, uh, why exactly are you heading for the bathroom during the sex scene?

    2. Re:hmm, ya think? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey dippy if you haven't noticed sex and human reproductive process just MIGHT be of MAJOR IMPORTANCE in a movie about a battle of HUMANS VS. MACHINES.

      Duh.

    3. Re:hmm, ya think? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The same message can be conveyed by implicit suggestion of reproduction, i.e. children running around in a daycare center, rather than explicit display. There are any number of more wholesome ways such a point could be made in any movie, but the directors, actors, everyone are a bunch of perverts.

    4. Re:hmm, ya think? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are any number of more wholesome ways...

      So are you saying that human sexual relations are not "wholesome". It sounds more like you have an issue with sex in general.

      Also another note: The film was rated R. You bought ticket(s), walked in, watched the film, all of your own choice, and then came to slashdot to complain about the sex scene and then to tell the slashdot crowd how the Wachowski brothers should have filmed their story. Thats as bad as saying you know how better to tell the story of Star Wars than George Lucas does.

      You are truly an idiot!

  21. We waited four years for this? by rpiquepa · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Before flaming me, please note that this is the title of the review of the movie by David Edelstein, in Slate -- and not my own words. Here is a short quote: "The grim news is that The Matrix Reloaded is as messy and flat-footed as its predecessor is nimble and shapely. It's an ugly, bloated, repetitive movie that builds to a punch line that should have come an hour earlier (at least). Then it ends as it's just beginning: Stay tuned for The Matrix Revolutions, coming in November to 8,000 theaters near you." Please read the full review before replying.

    1. Re:We waited four years for this? by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the writing on Slate! Fucking hilarious review:

      "a Fellini-esque slow-motion orgy intercut with Neo and Trinity making the beast with two backs. That sound you hear is Cecil B. DeMille whacking off in his grave."

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    2. Re:We waited four years for this? by edbarrett · · Score: 1

      Oooh, new movie slam: Lucasoid!

  22. after reading above comments,... by epicstruggle · · Score: 1

    im a bit worried that Reloaded has scenes that are confusing/lame/unnecessary. Im worried that this might be due to the game "Enter the Matrix". Ive read that more of the story is revealed in the game and that the two should really be done. Am I paranoid? Do I need to play the game to really enjoy all of the movie?

    Im currently boycotting (almost all) music/video games/movies so would rather not buy the game if at all possible. But might have to purchase this game if necessary to fully appreciate the movie. Hope someone can clear up whether the movie and the game are inseparable.

    thanks
    epicstruggle

    --
    "Im drowning here, and you're describing the water!"
    1. Re:after reading above comments,... by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 1

      im a bit worried that Reloaded has scenes that are confusing/lame/unnecessary.

      Yes, yes it does. However, as much as the marketing droids would like to have you believe otherwise, a film should stand on it's own merits, not the spin-off merchandising.

      Believing that you need to purchase their drivel spin-off garbage is proof of an insidious advertising campaign, no more.

      I liked "Spaceballs the Movie" even though I didn't buy "Spaceballs the Toilet Paper" or "Spaceballs the Flamethrower."

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    2. Re:after reading above comments,... by Jarlsberg · · Score: 1

      The opening of Enter the Matrix is a direct continuation of the Animatrix short Last Flight of the Osiris. You can choose to start with either Niobe or Ghost, and the plot thereafter is a subset of the movies. It's not necessary to play it to enjoy the movie, but it does give you more insight into the characters and the background story.

    3. Re:after reading above comments,... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck off stealth marketing faggot the game sucks ass now shut the fuck up.

    4. Re:after reading above comments,... by ender- · · Score: 1

      I liked "Spaceballs the Movie" even though I didn't buy "Spaceballs the Toilet Paper" or "Spaceballs the Flamethrower."

      But don't deny that you REALLY wanted to!

      Ender

  23. There are definitely CG mistakes by lingqi · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I personally didn't notice any cg mistakes, but I usually don't until my second viewing of a film unless they are just glaring mistakes.

    Remember the 1000px trailer a while back on /.? anyway, in the scene where all the Agent Smith(es) bum-rush Neo, you can see (frame-step helps) some Smith stuck their whole hands into other Smith's backs - and this happened on several occasions.

    No it was not easy to spot, but it is *possible*. Anyhow I am not saying it ruins the experience in any way, but for 100 million dollars on special effects along, I'd figure that they checked for stuff like that.

    --

    My life in the land of the rising sun.

    1. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by sweetooth · · Score: 5, Funny

      You are probably right that there are definatly cg mistakes, but it's a bit hard to tell on the big screen playing at full speed. I also think the other people in the audience might have kicked my ass if I had asked the projectionist to show it to us slow enough that we could catch those errors ;)

    2. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by sweetooth · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Oh, I also just thought of something. There is a scene where Neo intentionally places his hand inside of Trinity to help her. There are also plenty of instances of Smith doing the same to other people. It is possible that the scene you metnion wasn't fussed over as you might come to the realization that it is possible for one entity to pass through another in the matrix as the rules can be broken. Look at the two wraith like guys that move through other objects as another example.

    3. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by iworm · · Score: 5, Funny

      There is a scene where Neo intentionally places his hand inside of Trinity to help her.

      Wayhay!!! Sounds more and more like my kind of movie...

    4. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by little1973 · · Score: 1

      Actually, during the fight scene with the Smiths it can be seen clearly (during the slow motion parts) that Neo's face is a texture.

      --
      Government cannot make man richer, but it can make him poorer. - Ludwig von Mises
    5. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by The+Dobber · · Score: 1


      Mother of Christ. Mod it up............

    6. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by Viceice · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In the fight in the playground, where Neo 1st meets the swarm of Agents Smiths, the texture mapping and bluring for the Smiths were just off. Also, their perspective when flying away after being hit by the pole was also lacking somehow.

      I think they got the idea right in Star Wars with Yoda, you just can't properly animate CG at high speed.... not with todays rendering capabilities anyway.

      --
      Sometimes I wish I was a plumber, then I'd know how to deal with other people's shit.
    7. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by Allison+Geode · · Score: 1

      there are no CG mistakes, only glitches in the Matrix code.

    8. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Get a life. Seriously.

    9. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by PostConsumerRecycled · · Score: 3, Funny

      Nah, that's just Kenau's acting

      --

      There is no dark side of the moon really, matter of fact it's all dark
    10. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by EastCoastLA · · Score: 1

      O.K.
      CGI, I expected more,
      I'm sitting there watching the Agent Smith / Neo fight.
      -People around me are in loving the fight scene.
      -I am enjoying it UNTIL the entire scene is CGI. It not just evident, but badly evident. My thought are:
      -Darken the CGI black. The real Neo had on dark black, DARK black. You could barely see the folds and ripples in the black jacket. In the CGI portion the fabric takes on a grey tone and the folds and ripples are evident. The CGI color just did not match the real scene. Just darken the CGI black more. That's quality control people.
      -Cartoon like in Structure: The all CGI charecters are not to true propertions of the charecters. It easy to tell, but for the quick cuts. Two prime examples: The NEO "around the pole scene kicking agents scene", and "the agent jumping on car smashing hood" scene. Cartoon CGI prime examples.
      -Physics of CGI. It just didn't cut it. Rewatch Neo hitting some CGI charecters with is Pole(no pun inten..) there paths are strange. It's noticable.

      In closing: I don't think Matrix:reloded sets the bar on CGI realism. Flight of the Osirus did a better job(same people), Mixing real and CGI was done better in SW:AOTC. LOTR set the bar and it's still there. Matrix: Reloaded CGI seemed rushed and could have been better.

    11. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by MCZapf · · Score: 1

      I noticed that with a lot of the CG. It looked like CG - like a REALLY good video game or something, but I could still see that it was CG.

    12. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by Altima(BoB) · · Score: 1

      Sounds a lot like that scene in the End of Evangelion when Gendo puts his hand inside of Rei. Even to hardcore anime types, that was weird...

      --
      Yup...
    13. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by Wire+Tap · · Score: 1

      No it was not easy to spot, but it is *possible*. Anyhow I am not saying it ruins the experience in any way, but for 100 million dollars on special effects along, I'd figure that they checked for stuff like that.



      They should check things, don't you think so?

      --

      Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.

    14. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by talnkyo · · Score: 1

      That's great. Too bad there's this thing called lighting that can make CLOTHES SEEM A DIFFERENT COLOR. They also used 3D scanners that can scan down to 12 microns. The characters are proportional. They use those scanners on /statues/. If you use them on art, you expect them to be top-notch, otherwise people would /really/ complain.

      Attack of the Clones was pathetic, comparatively, as when Obi-Wan goes to Camino, it's quite obvious he was green-screened; the lighting is quite a bit off and his edges are a bit jagged.

    15. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by bsane · · Score: 1

      I noticed that with a lot of the CG. It looked like CG - like a REALLY good video game or something, but I could still see that it was CG

      Yes, it looked like a pixar film. Unfortunatly I didn't go to see a cartoon.

    16. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by bsane · · Score: 1

      Are you saying that the CGI was well done?

    17. Re:There are definitely CG mistakes by redcane · · Score: 1

      I don't think it was the speed at all. In fact fast scenes look better, but they omitted a ot of detail, figuring you wouldn't notice it at that pace I guess. They can animate them at speed just fine, the objects just move more pixels per frame..

  24. Just saw it myself... by Cl1mh4224rd · · Score: 1

    While I enjoyed the movie and thought it pretty good overall, I was honestly a bit disappointed. Half the crowd clapped when the lights dimmed, everyone clapped at a few scene resolutions... but no one clapped at the end.

    I agree with the statement in the review about the sex scene; waaay too long. There were also a number of [fight] scenes where it was pretty obvious the characters were computer generated. Those scenes, eventhough slightly disappointing to see, were definitely acceptable to me, though.

    The Twins didn't get nearly enough screen time.

    I think the best part, though, was the discussions my friends and I had after the movie. They weren't entirely exclusive to this movie, however.

    Birth in the Matrix? Is it the humans' decision to have the baby, which is then created by the machines in the real world? Or is it the other way around; do the machines create the infant and then program it's birth into the Matrix?

    People in the Matrix look like they do in the real world. If you've been hooked up to the Matrix your entire life, how do you know what you look like? Outside input from the machines?

    Decoding the Matrix code. It's too difficult for a computer, but a human can do it on the fly?

    Did Neo really have a choice when he accepted the piece of candy from the Oracle? If she had known he wouldn't have accepted it, she wouldn't have offered it in the first place.

    In the end, it wasn't what I had hoped it would be, but it wasn't even bad.

    There were parts of the movie I need to see a few more times before I can fully grasp what was being said, or what happened. Not because it was poor dialog, but because there were so many thoughts in my mind that were spawned from the original statement(s) or event(s) that I need to go back and compare some of them to what was actually said or happened.

    My opinion: Go see it, but don't expect the entire movie to blow you away. There are some really great parts, and some really ho-hum parts.

    --
    People will pass up steak once a week, for crap every day.
    1. Re:Just saw it myself... by Progoth · · Score: 1

      While I enjoyed the movie and thought it pretty good overall, I was honestly a bit disappointed. Half the crowd clapped when the lights dimmed, everyone clapped at a few scene resolutions... but no one clapped at the end.

      of all the stupid things people can do.....why oh why do people clap at movies? seriously.

    2. Re:Just saw it myself... by astro-g · · Score: 1

      Niobe looks different in real life to what she does in the matrix, Or was that just me??

    3. Re:Just saw it myself... by Khyron42 · · Score: 1

      There was a LOT of clapping and cheering just after the "to be concluded" in my showing - mostly because, when it showed that on screen, one guy in the front row stood up, and, in a voice filled with a sincere mixture of awe, disbelief and frustration, yelled "WHAT - THE - F*CK????"

      --
      Pavlov's Dog ate the bell, and now he's barking at Schroedinger's cat all the time... -Me
  25. nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by keyidol · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This just in from the nmap mailing list..

    Hi Everyone. There is a disturbance in the force! You may recall a
    couple weeks ago that MS started recommending Nmap on some of their
    web pages. That was strange, but I did not foresee the anomalous omens
    that would ensue.

    Like almost any self-respecting geek, I bought tickets to 'Matrix:
    Reloaded' several weeks back (no spoilers, I promise). After all, who
    can resist the combination of philosophical mind games and Trinity
    (Carrie-Anne Moss) in that tight leather bodysuit?

    So after waiting an hour in a line snaking out of the theatre to the
    parking lot, I finally got in to my 10pm Wednesday showing. All was
    going well until Trinity needed to do some hacking. Oh, no! I was
    sure we'd see a silly "Hackers"-esque 3D animated "hacking scene".
    Not so! Trinity is as smart as she is seductive! She whips out
    Nmap (!!!), scans her target, finds 22/tcp open, and proceeds with an
    über ssh technique! I was so surprised, I almost jumped out of my
    seat and did the "r00t dance" right there in the theatre!

    There can be only one explanation: Carie-Anne has the hots for me!

    Now your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to secure a
    screen-shot of that few-second episode! Not only is it important for
    the coolness factor, but we can learn how Nmap looks in the future by
    studying that output! So perhaps some of you gray hats in the
    audience have a quality DivX/MPG of the movie already? Let me know if
    you do (but no 2GB email attachments please!) Or perhaps someone
    could sneak a quiet flashless digital camera into the theatre and take
    a shot. But you must react quickly as it is literally only up for a
    few seconds (Nmap is actually fast in the future). Do this, and you
    will prove that you are truly "the one"! I'll also put your name and
    a thumbnail on the front page of Insecure.Org if you send in the best
    shot.

    In other news, a few people have inquired about further survey
    results. Sorry I have been so slow, but things have been very busy.
    I'm pretty sure I'll be able to send more by next week. I hope to
    have a couple other announcements ready for next week as well!

    Keep it real,
    Fyodor

    1. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Alan+Partridge · · Score: 0, Troll

      keep what real?

      fucking wannabe

      --
      That was classic intercourse!
    2. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 2, Interesting

      cool thing is that really happens in the movie.

    3. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Fry-kun · · Score: 2, Interesting

      YESSSS!!! I was one of about dozen voices that yelled/laffed out as she was doing just that! unfortunately it was too fast for me to see the whole printout :( guess i'll just have to practice more XD

      --
      Did you know that "FTW" ("for the win") is a direct translation of "Sieg Heil"?
    4. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by keyidol · · Score: 1

      Well maybe he is encouraging the heroes of the Matrix to take down the artificial world by saving Zion, so that nmap stays real instead of just being a simulation.

    5. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by VValdo · · Score: 5, Funny

      I noticed the SSH as well.

      Judging from the four-integer IP, we finally have confirmation that IPv6 has still not been adopted after 5 generations of Zion...

      W

      --
      -------------------
      This is my SIG. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
    6. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Fry-kun · · Score: 1

      a) don't forget that the world simulated in the matrix is at the end of the 20th-beginning of 21st century (possibly present day) b) the machines must've come up with a much better communication method than the IP :)

      --
      Did you know that "FTW" ("for the win") is a direct translation of "Sieg Heil"?
    7. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Here's some crappy screenshots from the sequence: temp site. apologies for the popup. no idea how long the free site will last.

    8. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Dreetje · · Score: 4, Funny

      Judging from the four-integer IP, we finally have confirmation that IPv6 has still not been adopted after 5 generations of Zion...

      You are forgetting it's the matrix. You think you see an old ip. The real truth actually is: There is no ip!

      This revelation has been brought to you by:

      --
      Dre
    9. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by YellowBook · · Score: 1

      Heh. Another thing we can deduce from this scene is that 10.0.0.0/8 is now the official Hollywood equivalent of the 555-nnnn phone exchange.

      --
      The scalloped tatters of the King in Yellow must cover
      Yhtill forever. (R. W. Chambers, the King in Yellow
    10. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by signingis · · Score: 1

      I mirrored the AC's site. http://www.veruus.net/stuff/nmapscreenshots.html

      --

      I prefer a void in conversation to a vacuous one.
    11. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Sentry21 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Here are those same screenshots: non-temp site. No popup. The site will last indefinitely.

      --Dan

    12. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by lcf_bg · · Score: 1

      http://anthrax.ds.pg.gda.pl/~lcf/00000080.jpg

      yes it's really nmap :)

    13. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by 2MuchC0ffeeMan · · Score: 1

      anyone notice the exploit she used to change the root password? and the password she change it to?

      "Z1ON0101"

      sw33t, th3y sp34k l33t sp34k.

      --
      Runnin' On Empty .... I'm Still Alive
    14. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Etyenne · · Score: 1

      Shit ! We have "... exact OS match for host" but the damn screenshot does not show the OS !!!

      --
      :wq
    15. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by brer_rabbit · · Score: 1
      Now your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to secure a screen-shot of that few-second episode! Not only is it important for the coolness factor, but we can learn how Nmap looks in the future by studying that output!

      Ah, the Spaceballs theory of seeing the video before it's released in the theatre?

      Dark Helmet: What the hell am I looking at?
      Colonel Sandurz: You're looking at "now," sir. Everything that's happening now, is happening "now."
      Dark Helmet: Well go back to then.
      Colonel Sandurz: When?
      Dark Helmet: Now.
      Colonel Sandurz: We can't.
      Dark Helmet: Why?
      Colonel Sandurz: We missed it.
      Dark Helmet: When?
      Colonel Sandurz: Just now.
      Dark Helmet: When will then be now?
      Colonel Sandurz: Soon.

      [thanks imdb!]

    16. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Wayfare · · Score: 1

      It says "No" F*ck! Even in the future nothing works!

    17. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by antoy · · Score: 1

      udging from the four-integer IP, we finally have confirmation that IPv6 has still not been adopted after 5 generations of Zion...
      No need. There are not that many people any more, remember?

    18. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by EnderWiggin99 · · Score: 1

      SCO linux. Duh.

    19. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Theaetetus · · Score: 1
      And the root password she uses in those screenshots is "ZION0101"...?

      Crap. I've got to go change my root password now.

      ;)

      -T

    20. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      IPv6 doesn't really matter since the whole thing runs on UDP port 1434, anyway

    21. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by satanami69 · · Score: 1

      As from what I saw, the number 101 makes a few appearances in this and the first Matrix. NEO's room number is 101. The French Guys resturant has 101, and the Freeway is the 101. Showing now the password has 101 in it. That must be an artifact inside the Matrix. I will have to look again at the end, after NEO is in a coma to see if 101 has any appearances.

      --
      I really hate Dan Patrick.
    22. Re:nmap used for hax0ry in Matrix: Reloaded!! by Wolfrider · · Score: 2, Insightful

      --LOL; I agree that IPV6 is largely overcomplex and unnecessary, but here's some food for thought: it's a 10-series Class A network - which means it's INTERNAL. You don't need IPV6 for internal LANs. ;-)

      --
      .
      == WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
  26. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by the_quark · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Spoilers continue, of course...

    I agree. I realized that the world where Zion lives isn't real as soon as Agent Smith downloaded himself to it at the beginning.

    Which means that the entire war between the men and the machines, the humans as batteries stuff, *all* the backstory set up in the first movie, may be fake. All of it. There may be another real story we're going to find out in the last one.

    The thing I found most interesting was learning how the Oracle works. She simulates humans to 99.9%+ accuracy. The entire system is set up to simulate humans, to make available the choices that they are expected to make. Neo is The One because he doesn't make the expected choices. He doesn't choose to simply believe in reaity. Zion is a place for those who don't exactly fit prediction to have a place to "escape" to. Neo's real breakthrough is that he's going to escape Zion.

    The interesting thing about all this is that the Oracle decides what she wants you to do, and says what needs to be said to get you to do it, based upon her simulation. No point to this observation, I just thought it was interesting.

  27. my $0.02 review by Fry-kun · · Score: 1

    CGI. sex. CGI. more CGI. sex with CGI. CGI. sex in CGI... you get the pattern.
    Unfortunately, both of the above sell well... hence the showing was sold out.
    I have to admit that the fight scenes were really cool on bay area's biggest screen, though :)

    *PARTIAL SPOILER WARNING*

    If you ask me, the only reasonable explanation for the (somewhat predictable) ending is that the matrix is indeed a simulation WITHIN another simulation, and those that reject the simulated simulation live happily in the REAL simulation.

    --
    Did you know that "FTW" ("for the win") is a direct translation of "Sieg Heil"?
    1. Re:my $0.02 review by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 1

      my take was that the "hammer" ship was sending out EMPs which gave neo the weird feeling and caused the meanies to short before killing him.

    2. Re:my $0.02 review by Fry-kun · · Score: 1

      what about agent Smith gettin into the "real" world??

      --
      Did you know that "FTW" ("for the win") is a direct translation of "Sieg Heil"?
  28. I saw it a few hours ago. by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 1

    I stood in line for 3hr to get good seats for the first showing (read a Java book in the time). Lets just say Reloaded was /much/ overrated. The graphics okay and all, but it isn't anything ultra-cool like the first brought (except for the completely CG fight scenes..). There are a few blatantly noticable errors also- the biggest imho being the lack of a driver in the car the agent smashes up (it's in the trailer too). The storyline is kinda blah, and it ends rather abruptly almost like they couldn't find a place to end it. This one is a lot more sex oriented too- within the first 30min there are at least 3 scenes of it. Also this one is plagued by the "funny black guy" syndrom that for some reason is popular in movies for comic relief.

    That was my take on the movie at least.. sure I'll get modded to hell for saying bad things about the matrix.

    1. Re:I saw it a few hours ago. by r3v0ltn · · Score: 1

      Yr right, here it comes: away with you, begone!

      "Funny black guy" syndrome?!? Is "Java book" code for crackpipe? The black characters were dignified. Only The Merovingian, a rich white male, was truly played for laughs, though perhaps an argument could be made for the asian Keymaker.

      "Funny black guy" syndrome? Someone must have sold you a ticket to Daddy Day Care.

    2. Re:I saw it a few hours ago. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the biggest imho being the lack of a driver in the car the agent smashes up

      So ... can't they release a Matrix Reloaded 1.02 patch to add the driver ? :)

    3. Re:I saw it a few hours ago. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, most of the black characters were dignified. However, Link's role in the film was oddly reminiscent of Jar-Jar-Binks...

    4. Re:I saw it a few hours ago. by decaying · · Score: 1

      I believe he was talking about Link, the operator of the nebuchadnezzar.

      He seemed to get the fair share of "Token Black Guy" lines from other hollywood films.......

      --
      ----- One piece short of Legoland
  29. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by LWolenczak · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In response to #1, he is clearly still in the matrix, and that is why he is in a coma, he figured it out, so the archatect had to "disable" him for his plans to carry out... his plans are definitly not what he/she/it said them to be.

    In response to #2, I think the archetect lied, He wanted to scare/convince neo to do what he wanted him to do. It would be awful hard to "erase" Zion and rebuild, or the people are convinced it is their duty, or something along those lines. You would have to free a lot of people from the matrix to go from 12 to 250,000 in just 100 years, but see #3.

    In response to #3, I think it would be easy to loose track of time underground, but it does make you wonder. Where did Zion all come from? Did the ships suddenly appear as being relics from a time long gone or what?!? It could be that the oracle/mother program provided many things for the people of Zion, that could very well make sense, Morpheus did mention something about being tought the truth and etc.

    In response to #4, you let them not believe, you let them unplug, you try to stop them with "agents". I don't think you would create a second matrix, but eventually, you would lock them in a fake reality (see #1)

  30. I just have this fear... by Scrab · · Score: 1

    that when I go to see the film, the people at the cinema will tell me I can't, cos.... There Is No Film.....

    --
    RoseColor red={0, 0xffff, 0x0000, 0x0000};VioletColour blue={0, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0xffff};find / -name *mybase*|chown you
    1. Re:I just have this fear... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but they will only tell you this after you pay...

  31. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by sweetooth · · Score: 1

    I think you have it close to right. The "real world" is either just more of the simulation or Neo is god, of course that doesn't explain him not recovering after stopping the sentinals so the first part is most likely correct. Of course it appears that all of the Neos reacted differantly and the architect noted that this, the sixth, neo responded more quickly than any of the others. It is possible that this is the first One that will actually break outside into the real real world.

  32. ***Spoiler*** by NTmatter · · Score: 3, Funny

    The following is a major plot spoiler:

    About halfway through the movie, it is revealed that spoons *do* exist. (Halfway would be defined as the part that's after the sex, but before the violence).

    Overall, this movie is entertaining. It's got lots of eye candy, and it's worth a few good laughs--watching Trinity use "ssh 10.2.2.2 -l root" had the theatre chuckling in their seats.

    1. Re:***Spoiler*** by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 1

      Hell, the spoon-kid's spoon delivery saved Neo's life, implying that his actions in the Zion/real world are destined as well as the fake one. Or something.

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    2. Re:***Spoiler*** by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well in case you didn't notice she runs a "ssh-nuke" script against the box first before logging in as root...

      Stupid script kiddies.

    3. Re:***Spoiler*** by mondainx · · Score: 1

      As the kid said in the first movie.. "There is no spoon"
      Zion is the matrix outside of the main Matrix

      --

      The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!
    4. Re:***Spoiler*** by Thornae · · Score: 1
      About halfway through the movie, it is revealed that spoons *do* exist.


      No, look carefully - the spoon in question has obviously been beaten into that shape from something else - it is a unique creation.

      (..removing tongue from cheek now..)
      --
      |>
      Here be Dragons
    5. Re:***Spoiler*** by Adam9 · · Score: 1

      had the theatre chuckling in their seats.

      Which theater did you go to?

    6. Re:***Spoiler*** by abe_lugo · · Score: 1

      The kid that gave him the spoon was obvoiuosly bending it in the "real world" thus insinuating there:"is no spoon" in that world either. And it that is true it only reassures the fact that there is a matrix within a matrix

  33. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by mrklin · · Score: 1
    "how did Neo stop the Sentinels that came at him in the real world?"

    Obviously, this is to be explained in the next Matrix movie. Another explanation, what if this 'real world' is not real?

    how is it that the Architect said they had destroyed Zion many times?

    This probably ties into the Buddhist philosophy of reincarnation. Each reincarnate i.e. Zion has no memory (physical or metaphysical) of its past. Who is to say the destruction of Zion was not complete, that is no trace of physical evidence?

    How did they lose or "forget" the real history?

    See above.

  34. a little on the extreme side... by SaXisT4LiF · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So after purchasing tickets weeks in advance, waiting 3 hours in line, myself and two other friends just walked out of the advanced screening of Matrix 2, in utter disgust. After a flashy introduction of what we had come to see (stunning gunfights in bullet time and brilliant martial arts) the film turns into a huge primal orgy in Zion. Granted we were expecting the film to expand on Neo and Trinity's romantic affairs, but did we really need to be exposed to Keano Reeves and Carrie Moss having sex? I feel that in this sequel the Watchowski Brothers abandoned all of the philosophical values that Neo personified in the original Matrix. I therefore ask slashdot: are we alone on this opinion?

    --
    Fight or flight its all the same
    Live to die another day

    --Ryan
    1. Re:a little on the extreme side... by hrbrmstr · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You're not alone (and prepare for a flame onslaught from other /. readers. I got trashed for lamenting this when the final trailer was made available.

      I have no plans to see it despite the fact that it was the 2nd most anticipated movie ever for me (besides LoTR series).

      boB

      --
      Mind the gap...
    2. Re:a little on the extreme side... by SecretMethod70 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What I find funny about the complaints of all the people who walked out of the movie is that if you would have sucked it up and stayed (you DID already pay for it after all) you would have gotten all you were expecting from it.

    3. Re:a little on the extreme side... by EastCoastSurfer · · Score: 1

      I was a little put off on the Zion orgy, so I started thinking about "why" it was put in. Did the WB guys just sell out and put the typical T&A in the movie or did it have a point? The movie was ladden with sexuality and it left me thinking that there must be some point they were trying to get at(other than blatant teen guy marketing).

    4. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Voilence is okay, but sex is not?

      Your a fucking moron.

      Oh, lemme rephrase that, your non-fucking moron. If you want to get pissed off at a movie, do so because it is slowly desensitizing you to voilence, death and mayham. Not because it shows people naked and screwing. Guess what, everybody does that. Your grandma included. Thats right, your grandma, all hot and sweaty, bent over with grandpa humping away wearing his white socks and viagra t-shirt.

    5. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      You're not alone. I was reading through the comments here - and although I don't envy the fact that you were caught off guard by this porn - I appreciate your honesty and willingness to leave. Thanks for doing that and for setting an example with your behavior that is most admirable.

    6. Re:a little on the extreme side... by NDPTAL85 · · Score: 1

      There's a point to the orgy. They're reproducing as fast as they can to keep up the fight against the machines.

      Duh

      --
      Mac OS X and Windows XP working side by side to fight back the night.
    7. Re:a little on the extreme side... by JRLDH · · Score: 0, Troll

      Oh the horror! A "sex" scene that makes a 80's Bo Derek movie look like hardcore XXX action and you walk out in "utter disgust". You must have a severe case of judeo/christianity/islam (j/c/i) ideological confusion with all its sex-phobia to be offended by this on-screen "cuddling". Disgusted by sex but lusting for gunfights. Love bad, death good. Go on vacation to the "holy land", you must like it there with all the bloodshed. You should have thought about why this movie was R-rated in the US. Violent movies don't get an R-rating in the US as long as they don't exceed the 1000 brains-splattered-in slo-mo threshold and that was unlikely to happen in this sequel. Movies get an R-rating in the US for exceeding the 1 pair of female nipples-visible through clothes threshold and if Trinity's skin-tight outfit in the trailers was not a giveaway for you then you deserve to be shocked by this "gross lewd on-screen lovemaking". Seriously religious (j/c/i) folks (the only ones possibly offended by the sexual content of the Matrix Reloaded) should not see this flick anyways as it is totally incompatible with their world-view, bordering on blasphemy, so do yourself a favor and next time, spend your money on something like the director's cut of "Hannibal". Lots of gore and devoid of lewd unchastity.

    8. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if you would have sucked it up

      No pun intended of course...

    9. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The point of orgy isn't reproduction, but gluttony and indulgence.

      They could have just as easily shown "reproduction as fast as possible" by having a couple of pregnant woman sitting around and a huge "daycare" center full of kids.

    10. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Eil · · Score: 1


      I'll agree with this. Throughout the softcore pron scene I was seeing red. I wanted to reach out and smack the Wachowskis. But, as I was there with my fiancee and two of our closest friends I stuck it out and I'm glad that I did. This movie does not have the sharp "what is reality" impact that the first one did and I kind of expected it. However, it more than makes up for it in the main plot and multitude of complicated side-plots. Very much looking forward to the next one. (If only to see what the hell Agent Smith has up his sleeve this time.)

    11. Re:a little on the extreme side... by alanwj · · Score: 1
      What I find funny about the complaints of all the people who walked out of the movie is that if you would have sucked it up and stayed (you DID already pay for it after all) you would have gotten all you were expecting from it.


      I have to disagree here. I did stay for the whole movie, and all I saw was several kung-fu sequences that were about 3 times too long.

      The Matrix was a sci-fi drama mixed with all the right proportions of a romance story, philosophical thought (enough to intrigue people but not beat them over the head with it), and of course, kung-fu.

      Reloaded was all about doing a whole lot of kung-fu with impossible action sequences. I got the impression that each of their CG guys took turns adding every neat little move they could, each trying to out do the others, the result being scenes like the fight on top of the truck. That was really cool... for the first 5-10 minutes. The rest of the time they could have spent developing plot or such, instead of trying to cram all of that into the 3 minute segments between kung-fu or orgies.

      Also, I can't really get excited about the Neo fight scenes anymore. He can move fast enough to dodge bullets, and he has arbitrary control over a lot of the things in the matrix, so why should I expect him to even break a sweat when all he needs to do is fight a few thug programs (who apparently are wimps when compared to agents). That scene really served no purpose other than to show a big weapon display.

      Obviously, my overall impression was one of disappointment.

      Alan
    12. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      I have no plans to see it

      Wow, let's completely prejudge and close our minds to anything, shall we?

      Just one more empty seat for me.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    13. Re:a little on the extreme side... by hrbrmstr · · Score: 1

      I have no problem (it is a free country) if other people choose to see that type of stuff on the big screen. I, however, do not.

      A question: would you want one of your daughters - presupposing one has children at all - to be one of the throngs who are "letting it all hang out" in front of a few million, salivating males?

      If so, my *personal opinion* is that it is a sad state of affairs for humanity.

      I wouldn't start a movement to "ban" crap like this from movies, and I wouldn't 'attack' you for wanting to be exposed to such stuff (unlike your reply to me). I'm not starting a picketing campagin against 'Reloaded', I'm just choosing to not reward (again, my opine) a poor decision by the film makers.

      Please, enjoy my empty seat. The popcorn is on me.

      --
      Mind the gap...
    14. Re:a little on the extreme side... by wuice · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I thought that part would bug me and it really didn't. What do sailors do when they come home to port? They fuck like rabbits.

      If your friends had stuck around they would've heard more philosophy than they could shake a stick at. And a mind fuck which was even bigger than the first movie (and I didn't think that was possible).

    15. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Giant+Killer · · Score: 1

      see, i did almost walk out during the orgy scene. but i decided to give the movie a chance.

      i have rarely been more disappointed in my life. to me, the movie was just a string of too-long action scenes interspliced with bad acting, bad dialogue, and inconsistent plot. after a while, it just delved into absurdity. (spoiler ahead) i even felt guilty when i was laughing uncontrollably at the highest climax of the movie, when neo somehow goes inside trinity's chest and removes the bullet, then massages her heart back to life. that was the breaking point.

      i wish i HAD left during the orgy. i can appreciate some artistic quality that the scene did have. but i made the oath that i would never watch that movie ever again. most likly i will never watch the third movie.

      and i will never complain about star wars episodes I-III again.

    16. Re:a little on the extreme side... by dieScheisse · · Score: 1

      what porn??? there were a couple titty shots...WOOPIDEEDOO!!!!!

      and as far as an 'orgy' goes, i never saw it as an 'orgy'...bunch of people celebrating, dancing. a little primal, yes, but far from an orgy (in the caligula sense).

      get a life.

    17. Re:a little on the extreme side... by EnderWiggin99 · · Score: 1

      Jesus Christ man, take the red pill!

    18. Re:a little on the extreme side... by MQBS · · Score: 1

      I think that they're showing that he's actually more human than Jesus and Buddah by also being a sex god.

      Oh, and I would so want to live in a culture based on raving. It was a perfect combination of shamanistic old-world and dance-hall new-world.

      --
      The dream reveals the reality which conception lags behind. That is the horror of life- the terror of art. -Franz Kafka
    19. Re:a little on the extreme side... by mrondello · · Score: 1

      from what I remember of budda, he was severly oversexed as a youth, I mean massive orgies, which in part led him to meditate under a tree until nirvana and death.

    20. Re:a little on the extreme side... by haggar · · Score: 1

      Well, at least I agree with you. I am also glad I know I am not alone with my opinion.
      The first movie had a lenghty, fantasticly elaborate and refined introduction to the world of the matrix, it was fascinating.

      --
      Sigged!
    21. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      What are you talking about? "Sad state of affairs for humanity?"

      It's a movie. You chose to hate it before you saw it, for self-righteous, idealistic reasons. I'll gladly fill your seat because I'm not as uptight.

      Incidentally, the Wachowskis specifically intended not to edit out that scene or cut it short, according to interviews. It has its purpose.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    22. Re:a little on the extreme side... by foobario · · Score: 1

      > I therefore ask slashdot: are we alone on this opinion?

      Yes.

      Any other questions?

      --

      Foobario Frobnitzii
      Orbital Mind Control Laser Technician

    23. Re:a little on the extreme side... by hrbrmstr · · Score: 1

      I *chose* to be disappointed that the Wachowski brothers took (in _my_ opine) the low road with regard to movie content (however they - or anyone else - states the reason[s] for the inclusion of the scenes). I'm sure I'd enjoy most of the rest of the movie (though, a number of the reviews indicate that perhaps the W brothers aren't as clever or consistent this time around) and perhaps it will be available via one of the movie content editing services in the coming twelve months. I'm waitining in eager anticipation to hear what that makes me in the eyes of those that are not as "uptight" as I apparantly am.

      That disappointment translate[ds] into a lost movie ticket sale (actually, six lost ticket sales since I know five others who aren't seeing it for the same reason). I'm/we're part of an insignificant ($-wise) minority and they - and apparantly you - won't miss me/us. I'm/we're very OK with that.

      Interestingly enough, my response to the original/parent thread was intended to confirm that the original posters were/are not alone. As indicated in the post - despite the fact that all I've done is state what the personal reasons are for not going - those who do feel the need to attend movies with this type of content can do little more than hurl insults.

      I belive that - in, and of itself - speaks volumes.

      --
      Mind the gap...
    24. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Wolfrider · · Score: 1

      > are we alone on this opinion?

      --The answer is yes... Yes, you are. :P

      --Actually I thought the scene was pretty tasteful, if rather a bit too long. You never even see Trinity's breasts, only her bare right leg. If you walked out over THAT, you need to reexamine your GeekFactor. And stop posting to Slashdot so much, you'll go blind. ;b

      --
      .
      == WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
    25. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      I just find it frighteningly sad and pathetic that you're not even going to see the film because you have already judged it. You won't see the scene in context or even to find out if the other 98% of the movie makes up for it.

      And now you've initiated others into your groupthink. All because there's some little scene you don't like.

      Incredible. You are a sheep. You will let yourself be guided by what others tell you instead of finding out for yourself.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    26. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      gluttons? didn't look like there were any gluttons doing the dance.

      why is hedonism so much worse than ultra-violent kung-fu murder?

    27. Re:a little on the extreme side... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      Yes, that Porn was shocking. I was not ready for that blatant pornography in a family film such as the Matrix.

      Imagine my disgust when the violence erupted on-screen too! Whole scenes dedicated to pure, raw, action-packed CARNAGE! I had to shield my children's eyes from the mayhem and destruction.

      I nearly walked out when they killed dozens of security gaurds in hand-to hand combat and a huge series of explosions.

      I went to see The Matrix because I wanted a wholesome family movie about people living underground, flying in hovercrafts, with some philosophy on the side. What I got was an ultra-violent porno about girls in leather on bicycles and a guy in a Columbine-era trenchcoat!

      Absolutely disgusting!

    28. Re:a little on the extreme side... by mike_mgo · · Score: 1
      Why is this scene where "it all hangs out" (no nudity or graphic sex in the movie though) so disturbing for you, but you obviously have no problem with the excessive and brutal fighting, gunplay, and violence that is the mainstay of both movies.

      So a 3 minute scene of a rave is so objectionable that you will refuse to see a movie, but 90 minutes of graphic violence is ok? Sounds logical to me.

  35. Re:The Orgy Scene...and philosophy of the matrix by VValdo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    In my opinion, the orgy/dance scene was reminiscient of the opening dance scene from "Blade", only longer and less effective. I wish they had cut this sequence down, as I felt it was unnecessary....

    Overall though, a decent sequel with some nice CG treats.

    If you've taken a philosophy class, you'd have recognized the Matrix as a new incarnation of Plato's allegory of the cave from The Republic, later expressed as "The Evil Deceiver" by Descartes and later still as the "brain in a vat" scenario by Hilary Putnam.

    In the sequel, the filmmakers move on to questions of free will vs. determinism vs. fate. These issues were also nicely articulated in one of the segments of the animated Art Linklater film "The Waking Life", for anyone who's interested.

    So it was cool to have a new philosophical issue raised. To "What is the nature of reality... and is it all a sham?" has been added "What is the nature of choice... and is it all a sham?"

    Plus, the freeway chase scene was incredible ;)

    W

    --
    -------------------
    This is my SIG. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
  36. A review sent to Aint-it-cool-news by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    First off, I thought the first Matrix movie was great. The most flawless action movie I have ever seen. It blew me away when I first saw it. Every scene was executed well. I enjoy the many levels it can be viewed on--philosophy, religious, or just plain fun--but I don't geek out about it and dress up in a trench coat and sunglasses like one guy did tonight at my theater. The pacing of the movie was perfect and kept driving you to the ultimate realization at the end, which left you waiting to see what happens in the sequel. Many people, including myself, have been waiting since 1999 for this.

    To summarize: it was worth the wait. Read on...

    Now, I'll start with a pure, non-spoiler review...a review everyone can read with no fear of ruining the story. Unfortunately, it's difficult not to go into details, so I must be vague. The spoiler commentary will be great for you people who have seen the movie and are craving dissection of it as I am and need a catalyst.

    The Matrix Reloaded is not entirely what you expect it to be. I read many of the reviews you all have read before I saw the movie tonight. I had my expectations severely lowered because of them, hoping for at least some incredible action sequences. What I realized upon watching is that the tone of this movie is different and aiming for something quite unexpected. It's as though it knows what it did in the first movie and has decided to run with that to fuck with your head. It's a mindjob. It will challenge the assumptions you walked away with from the first movie, and not in the ways you probably have guessed with your friends in an attempt to figure out what twists might be laying ahead in these sequels. There is always the impression something is being kept in store, some big secret twist that will suddenly explain everything.

    NON-NEGATIVE STUFF: The action was good. Neo behaves like the One, in that fighting seems incredibly simple to him, almost effortless and second nature, which is good in that we get some incredible choreography. This does seem to render Neo's fight scenes a bit more hollow as there is no character outcome to them as there was in the previous movie (i.e., realization of one's powers, kicking Agent Smith's pompous ass, etc.), but that is made up for in the sheer over-the-top choreography. Also, the CG of the "burly brawl" is in no way as bad as it is being made out to be. Remember when Neo was dodging bullets in the first movie, and you knew it was him, but there was something a bit "off" about the way it looked? That is the effect of these parts. I imagine anyone performing these feats would look unreal to your eyes. The freeway chase scene is as exciting as you're hearing.

    This is the kind of movie that leaves you wanting to immediately watch the rest of the story in Revolutions. It is abundantly clear that it is simply part one and does not stand on its own as efficiently (more on that in the spoiler section...a lot is purposely unloaded on you in the last part of the movie and you are left flabbergasted). But because you can't have that until November, you simply want to watch Reloaded again to properly digest it all. This is the kind of movie you spend the rest of the week discussing with your fellow geeks to figure out. Let me tell you, there is much to figure out.

    The fight scene music was surprisingly good. Not as pulse-pounding as the first movie's, but more of a techno-epic quality that was refreshing, especially Neo's fight scenes.

    This movie is clearly not a rehash of the first one, tone-wise or story-wise. It builds and changes and isn't afraid to veer off somewhere way different. That's a good way to describe it--there are clearly things that are being led up to. A conclusion you don't yet get to see. That is why you get these reviews with people saying the movie was much better on a second viewing, because you're given a taste of what's to come and of what everything else might have meant in retrospect. Dare I call it a puzzle movie?

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
    1. Re:A review sent to Aint-it-cool-news by Jedi+Alec · · Score: 1

      pffft, I've been dressing like that for ages. You should have seen the looks when we came out of the sneak preview of the first Matrix Movie(Sneak Preview in this case meaning you have no idea what movie it's gonna be) and i flicked on a pair of sunglasses pretty much similar to Morpheus's and a black leather trenchcoat. It's not that uncommon a dress, is it now?

      --

      People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
    2. Re:A review sent to Aint-it-cool-news by tbmaddux · · Score: 1
      Nice review. I saw it last night as well and wrote up a review in my journal. I enjoyed the metaphysical discussion but will need to see the movie again to more fully digest its meaning. I also caught what you said about the video screen, although I misplaced where we saw it.

      What floored me was the action. It is so much better than the previews imply, and some of the best parts about the previews were the least interesting aspects of the action sequences. The filmmakers are working with combat in this film like a painter of landscapes. Each swing is a tiny drop of paint, and the combined effect washes over you like a wave. You cannot possibly absorb all the little details, even though they are there. In one fight scene cups of noodles are one-by-one knocked off of dining tables by individual moves. I could occasionally recognize a CGI combatant in one scene, mostly from faces not being rendered perfectly. But that's just a detail. If you stare close at any great painting, you will see the drops and grain of the canvas. See this movie, sit back, and appreciate.

      --
      Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?
    3. Re:A review sent to Aint-it-cool-news by soulsteal · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The Architect scene was a mind-boggling scene. And the guy was obviously directed to talk fast and long and generally be confusing as hell (like God, haha)

      The whole 'God vs. Devil' imagery in that scene was well done. "God," the Architect/Creator in all white, sitting in His chair, watching down from "heaven." Neo (the Devil) in all black, making a choice against "God," leaving a trail of flames.

      Good stuff indeed. I'll be going back for more this weekend.

  37. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by smithwis · · Score: 1
    First question: how did Neo stop the Sentinels that came at him in the real world? He's a programmer, a normal human who has the ability to fly or move quickly only in the Matrix, where he can see everything as code. In the real world, he's pretty much a real wimp. Right? Is the movie going all magical on us? I don't think so.
    Remember the connection with Mr. Smith? I can think of 2 explanations involving that line of thought.
    Final question: if the Architect is not lying when he says that computers have ruled for far longer than 100 years, then how come Zion doesn't reflect this? How come every Zion leader puts Zion's inception (or at least, the rule of the machines) at 100 years? How did they lose or "forget" the real history?
    Got me on that one. 'Cept umm, I thought no one really new how long the Computers had ruled. Also, all the previous Chosen Ones had refused to beleive they weren't the first right?
    What's the truth? I fear I have this all wrong, but it sure explains damn near everything
    Good theorey. I must admit the idea had crossed my head b4 but never as an explanation to all the other questions.

    A couple of questions myself.
    1. Can we trust what the architect says?
    2. What exactly is the role of the Oracle? Is it a 'higher' role than the architect?
    3. Did all the previous 'Ones' choose the oposite door than Neo(It's implied but I'm not so sure)?
    4. And of Course, What exactly about the connection between Smith and Neo? Did Smith somehow help Neo? Will SMith and NEo become allies?
  38. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ender81b · · Score: 4, Interesting

    SPOILER SPOLIER SPOLIER

    Allright here's how we figured this...

    how did Neo stop the Sentinels that came at him in the real world?

    Simple answer - he is STILL INSIDE THE MATRIX as you said!. All of Zion is in the matrix, everything we've seen is still inside the matrix. Read My Comments on this I won't bother repeating them here. This also answers pretty much the rest of your questions. There is no Zion! It's all fake, a construct to manipulate that 1% of the population who can't accept the matrix (like the architect said).

    It makes sense after all, hell I believe (as the previous comment expands on) that Neo is STILL following the course the machines laid out for him. They can create anything they want, why not have layers within layers. I totally agree with you on this... very much so.

    Also remember the first movie they said "The One" awoke the first of them from the Matrix and prophesized his return JUST as Neo was supposed to do. Go through the door, select 30 or so people from the Matrix and have them rebuild Zion and prophesize his return.

    Heck, it even makes sense that they can't see the sky because of the clouds and the 'solar power' thingy. If they can't see the sky they can't calculate the positions of the stars. If they can't do that they cannot really tell what time or year it is! Absolutely brilliant!

    I think 'revolutions' is when Neo finally discovers that there is something outside the matrix within matrix and the *real* reason they keep humans around. Why design all this complexity and all this effort to keeping humans CONSCIOUS? Remember if they real really just wanted humans as batteries why not just use russian sleep - 3 electrodes on the head, send a current through em and you never ever wake up.

    I've long thought that the machines actually have a deep seated command to do no harm to humans and are simply trying to work their way around it. It even makes sense because it is apparent that people can be reborn multiple times as evidenced by Neo. Nobody dies the whole darn ball of wax just resets itself every few hundred years. Or it could be the machines just want something to do, i.e. design and run the Matrix. Shrug, who knows?

    I actually think this one could end like 1984 with Neo, and everybody else, simply being reset. Which would be very depressing yet... real. and good.

  39. Gratuitous CG scenes! by mrklin · · Score: 4, Interesting
    There have always been moviews with gratuitous nude scenes (yes, some of you may argue that there is no such thing but that's another discussion).

    This movie has so many gratuitous CG scenes i.e. the 10 minute ship docking scene that does nothing to advance the story it made me think I am watching Star Wars II (the addition of a monotonous council did not help).

  40. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

    OK I didn't Read the parent post on the basis of the warning, Thank you "Anthony Boyd"

    but this brings forth a question....

    could we not have a moderation type for Spoiler?
    you could make it a +1 mod
    and if people wanted to discuss Spoilers they leave it as is ....

    if they don't want to they can set there custom mod to -5 for Spoiler....

    any way ....It's an Idea...I think Its a good Idea... somebody with time and ability should do it

    --
    --meh--
  41. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ender81b · · Score: 1

    Actually I believe the Oracle works because she *has lived through the entire thing before!*

    Yeah there is definately another world here and alot of stuff is going on. The entire thing, this entire story line, is probably made up. Hell for all we know it could be aliens or Amazon women from the moon controlling humanity. I can SO not wait for the next movie.

  42. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In responce to number one, I think the most likely reason that he is able to disable the sentinels in the 'real world' is that upon entering the mainframe, he created a program copy of himself that has some control over the machines. A sort of duality. I think that the possiblity that they are still in the matrix would be too contrived and predictable.

  43. Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the following by mrklin · · Score: 5, Funny
    sponsors: Audi, Cadillac, and Ducati.

    Warner Brothers would also like to thank Armani, Rayban, and Samsung for their generous support in outfitting the cast.

    For those of you who have seen the movie you know I am not making this up. I am surprised I did not see a Taco Bell inside Zion.

  44. Second Matrix (spoiler Warning) by Gryftir · · Score: 1

    Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler

    Spoilet Spoilet Spoiler

    If the Oracle can intuit what everyone is going to do (including Neo), then perhaps she passed on this information to the Architect. He in turn could create another level of virtual reality for Neo to enter. So everything after Neo makes his choice could in fact be another Matrix. I think this is unlikely, as it makes revolutions somewhat pointless. Yet it would explain the sentinels being stopped.

    End Spoiler

    End Spoiler

    --
    http://www.santacruzbynight.com/index.shtml Santa Cruz By Night Vampire Larp
    1. Re:Second Matrix (spoiler Warning) by SuperCal · · Score: 1

      Is it possible that the Oracle is just part of the system? Sence she seemingly came up with a way of giving the humans the choice they need to accept the matrix, maybe she has taken the role of leading the One (all six of the ones) and his followers to the architech so the zion/matrix relationship can be reset.

      --
      Business News and Resources: www.usasource.net
  45. My Matrix Reloaded synopsis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes I saw it 12 days before you guys did...

    Wrote this Friday night in a hurry. I know much of it has holes in it, but go for and ask any questions you have. I just want to say that I do not care if you believe me or not, just take a printed copy of this post with you to the movie and see how right (or wrong I am). =) Enjoy...

    -----

    I just wrote this up real quickly since we got back from the movie just now. BTW, I don't care if you believe me or not. Just bookmark the post and come back in 13 days and see how right it is. I wanted to thank Warner Bros. for the sneak preview. Also to MTV for taping us for "MTV's Movie House". Watch this Thursday night and look for the guy with the Audi shirt on. =) Also, excuse the grammer/spelling/etc. errors. I wrote this in 5 minutes so i wouldn't forget everything. Ask me if you want anything filled in. =)

    -------

    Just went to Matrix Reloaded. Good movie.

    It opens with Trinity attacking a yet unknown location. All of a sudden, she jumps off the building (this is shown is the trailer) and is being pursued by an Agent. She gets shot. Neo wakes up and realizes it was a dream. He gets out of bed (Trinity is with him) and goes into the other room. They try to talk but he says nothing. Cut to next scene of Morpheous and other captains talking inside the Matrix. Interestingly, we learn that Morpheous is not really a big shot leader but rather just another peon in the world of Zion/Matrix who does not have the support of his fellow captains. There is a knock at the door. It is Agent Smith with something for Neo. It is his ear piece since he is no longer a part of the matrix but rather a lose program.

    Agent Smith pulls up in a black Audi A8 (didn't see the rims so it might have been an S8--I'm an Audi nut =). Anyway, Agent Smith comes to the door and knocks on it hard. It is one of those metal doors with a sliding eye piece. The eye piece opens and then one of the two people (don't know exactly who they are, but they are freed people) and they get the envelope from Agent Smith. They call Neo up and give him the envelope which has the earpiece in it. The next knock from the door ha everyone assuming its Agent Smith, but its not. Its the other Agent (can't remember the name, either Thompson or Johnson) who are on the other side. Neo tells the others to scram and the fight starts. Apparently the Agents (2 or more, can't remember now) block Neo's bunch and Neo says "upgraded units". Fight continues. No idea where Agent Smith went. Fight scene ensues with real Agents who have found the location.

    There is an arugment and the ship pulls into Zion. Machines are boring down we learn. Learn the commanders woman used to be morpheous woman who is a captain.

    Morpheous speaks to people. Big party/orgy scene. Trinity and Neo have sex. Afterwards, the counselor talks to Neo.

    Cut to scene of the glowing asian guy protecting the Oracle. They have a fight scene on the table. The asian guy is another one of these lose programs in the matrix.

    Oracle talks to Neo about choices (more specifically about his choice to possibly let Trinity die--you should recall the first scene in the movie) and tells him about the Keymaker and "the source".

    She leaves. Agents come. Agent Smith multiplies and a huge playground fight starts (shown in trailer). Agent smith is replicating himself somehow but putting his hand inside any person in the matrix and taking them over. He tries with Neo, but can't do it. Neo then leaves but flying (superman style) after the fight.

    They go to find the keymaker at the French-wannabe information seller (The Merovingian) who is also a Matrix programmer. See Monica Belluchi as his wife (Persephone). For those who are kinky, The Merovingian programs this piece of cake to cause on of the people in his party to have an orgasmic experience. What is funny is the way they switch to the matrix style screen and up between her legs and show an explosin in that special area. =)

    So the Merovingian tur

  46. Re: SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Omniscient+Ferret · · Score: 1

    SPOILER

    Yup. Lots of people won't buy into the Matrix; give them a prophecy, to give them the purpose of waiting for The One.

    I'd just like to mutter about the Black Iron Prison, or that the Empire Never Died, but no one would get that, would they?

    Disobedience was rampant, although Morpheus was kind of hung up on his own authority at points, wasn't he?

    I need to go read The Invisibles again.

  47. Very good read... lucky you for seeing it early. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Although I must say that when I saw your posts over the last two weeks with this, I'd have to say you were being a troll. Now that I have seen the movie, I know that you were telling the truth.

  48. Machines and humans living as one... by mattzog · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am intrigued by the oblique references by the Oracle to a need for balance and cooperation between humans and machines. Why are the machines so bad? They don't really mistreat the humans, at least no more than humans mistreat each other. Informed cooperation between man and machine could lead to a new golden age. Basicly, cyborgs are the future. The Matrix is an extropian system, so let us post-humanize our asses on up the metaphysical ladder. I think the matrix within The Matrix idea is relatively certain, though it didn't jump out at me immediately. But, what point, conjecture? I eagerly await the next installment. I was enticed. I'll gladly pony up the bucks for a franchise that keeps me engaged. -mattzog

    1. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by mbourgon · · Score: 1

      Read Ebert's review of The Matrix - he indicates the same thing, in the end speech... "where we go from here, I leave up to you".

      --
      "Sometimes a woman is a kind of religion, she can save your soul & set you free from all your sins" - Bad Examples
    2. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by Jerk+City+Troll · · Score: 1

      Why are the machines so bad? They don't really mistreat the humans, at least no more than humans mistreat each other.

      You *really* need to watch "The Second Rennaisance", parts 1 and 2. They're two episodes from the Animatrix that explain the history of how machines were first oppressed by man then they turned. At first, the machines tried very hard to cooperate with humans, but humans were too close minded to deal with them. Typical bigotry. Eventually war broke out. When the humans poisoned the sky, the machines sought other energey sources. This is when they began harvesting the humans for experimentation (very explicit in the Animatrix). The torments suffered on humanity are arguably justified for man's treatment of the machines at first, but nonetheless... it's very clear why cooporation isn't going to happen.

    3. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by phorm · · Score: 1

      Why not? If we assume that machines are more moral or at least more logical than humans?

      The Matrix could be a primer case for humans to re-interact with machines. With current tech levels, plugging the humans is in completely unnecessary for the machines, they could just get a bunch of semi-lobotomized humans with only the growth and energy-production processes needed... no requirement for higher thinking.

      I think the machines would understand that not all humans are bad, just like the movie is trying to make us realize that whilst there are "evil" machines... there are others that the humans depend on which are neutral, and others which may not view humans as opposition. If Zion was destroyed several times... well, there may have been many strongholds and perhaps this "Zion" is one of the last, it's towards the core of the earth after all. That being said, what about exploration beyond earth. We've got another 100 years... no moon colonies?? Maybe "Earth" isn't even Earth, but another less habitable planet.

      One thing is for sure, the Matrix is intended to provide action while making us think about the reality of our existance, how we live our lives, what values make us human, and how we define reality. I think that in the end there will be either an end-cap to this, or a very large twist from Ep1 and Ep2.

    4. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you're on THEIR side, aren't you, you sick...bastard!

    5. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by geekpaddr · · Score: 1

      If I recall correctly, The Second Renaissance was told from the Zion Archives. So it could just be Zionist propaganda to encourage people to rise up against the machines (who may or may not be the ones responsible for the matrix, as has been suggested by others). We may not have any real proof that the machines have enslaved humanity after all- this could just all be some big experiment in VR/AI.

      We still don't know what is real and what isn't. After seeing 'Reloaded' and reading the multitude of theories on /. I'm not taking anything for granted...
      -DaveR

    6. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you're on THEIR side, aren't you, you sick...bastard!

    7. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by Zak3056 · · Score: 1

      Why are the machines so bad? They don't really mistreat the humans, at least no more than humans mistreat each other. Informed cooperation between man and machine could lead to a new golden age.

      So slavery is okay as long as the master does not treat his slaves poorly? Or, better yet, that both master and slave prosper from the arangement?

      --
      What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
    8. Re:Machines and humans living as one... by monoqlith · · Score: 1

      Indeed! I haven't seen the Matrix Reloaded yet(I hope to this weekend), but in the Animatrix the machines were treated in a sympathatetic light. If the Animatrix is at all intended to connect with the feature films, I expect that the machines are not entirely "evil" and the humans not entirely "good" as they are made out to be in the original movie. Some balance is meant between the machines and the humans, and it is not as black and white as it was made in the first film. I hope that Reloaded confirms this, as I would hate to see the cop out implicit in forgiving humans for their obvious negligence and self-destructive tendencies in creating superior machines.

  49. my "SPOILER" insights.... by sewagemaster · · Score: 2, Insightful

    !!!!SPOILER warning.......!!
    !!!!SPOILER warning.......!!

    the scene where neo was able to stop the sentinel machines.... here's my reasoning

    (anyway neo pants and faints - probably showing signs just like the original matrix of him not being ready and "maybe waiting for something" ...(oracle))

    perhaps, the world is made up of several layers of matricies. the 'real world' as shown in zion is probably another matrix level, since neo was able to control the sentinel machines. the constant comments about 'failsafe' mentioned throughout the movie is one of the biggest hints.

    i'm thinking this has to do with the big bang theory that the world started off with one entity (1 matrix). each revision of the matrix is really adding new layers of improvement of matrix, ie, the layers of the matricies are also expanding. (you also see this near the opening 'credits' where they zoom out the code and it looks like as if it's part of a small galaxy.... and also the part where morpheus says "goodnight zion" looking at zion's lights where everything looks like stars filling a night's sky)

    so this may have to do with the notion that humans always will continue to fight for freedom (freeing themselves one level highter) while the world will always continue to "expand". (extension of the big bang theory also says the world may eventually collaspe back to it's original exploding source - the end of the world.)

    the constant perfecting of the matrix talked by the architect -- 6 previous versions - may have to do with genesis (bible) that the world was created in 6 days... each day being a step towards creating the world that we believe that we are living in today.

    lawrence fishburn said in an interview ones that in the 1st movie, morpheus is a leader (or something like that), 2nd movie: general, and 3rd movie: man. maybe he's "unplugged" and reborn in the "REAL-REAL" world? or is that just realizing that the prophecy is just bullshit...?

    1. Re:my "SPOILER" insights.... by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, I also read too much into things when I smoke tons of dope.

      --
      We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
    2. Re:my "SPOILER" insights.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why did Neo stop the sentinals in the "Real world"?
      I've heard only one explaination in this forum: That it isn't the real world. That may very well be, and it makes a good setup to the next movie. BUT, I have another plausable explaination: The Architect said that he needed something from Neo, sounded like bug fixes in a version update to me, and when he took the other door, never got it. So, Neo is needed by the Architect to remake the Matrix, so the Architect tells the rest of the Machines to not kill him. They do come close, but I'm not totally sure Neo caused the problem there.
      I have yet another theory, that Neo has become a sort of "code ghost" entering programs and destroying or remaking them as he sees fit, I know you noticed this in the Matrix world, but perhaps his meta-physical link with Smith, and mind-bending interaction with the Architect has allowed this ability to move over into the real world. Agent Smith shows evidence of this by being able to "logout" of the matrix in anothers body, still just an overwrite once the download is started.
      However in order to be unbiased, remember how "How can he be the One if he's dead?" Well what about when Neo is almost stabbed to death in the middle of Zion, there is that creepy, just-in-time, look-over-your-shoulder, he made too much noise to be sneaky moment, implying that he is STILL the one, and cannot die until his purpose is fufilled.

      JaggedDragon
      http://www.jaggeddragon.cjb.net

    3. Re:my "SPOILER" insights.... by jefurii · · Score: 1

      the constant perfecting of the matrix talked by the architect -- 6 previous versions - may have to do with genesis (bible) that the world was created in 6 days... each day being a step towards creating the world that we believe that we are living in today.

      interpreting this through a Biblical framework takes you into (Fundamentalist Christian epistimology) Dispensationalism, which doesn't really seem to fit. seeing it through the Hindu/Buddhist notion of expanding and contracting universes (destroyed and reborn again and again) works better, given the philosophical framework of the movie.
  50. What I want to know... by Thaidog · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...is what were the programs used... Maya... renderman...? And of course what the renderfarm hardware was...etc... anybody?

    --

    ||| I still can't believe Parkay's not butter.

    1. Re:What I want to know... by mgblst · · Score: 1

      Yes. When I hear the question "what is the matrix?" I need to know the answer? AMD, Intel, PowerPC... or is all based on DEC Alphas or Sun Sparcs?

    2. Re:What I want to know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Read Wired mag. It has an in depth article about the movie and how the effects were done.

      http://wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/matrix2.htm l

    3. Re:What I want to know... by matthieu.boyer · · Score: 0

      "Bordel de putain de merde, casse les couilles, nique sa mère..."
      (Some words I don't remember.)

      --
      - Matthieu
    4. Re:What I want to know... by dfj225 · · Score: 1

      according to altavista's translation that string means: "Brothel of whore of shit, bores to death, screws his/her mother"

      Sounds like fun.

      --
      SIGFAULT
    5. Re:What I want to know... by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1

      "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

      --
      __
      Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
  51. A lesser lame excuse used by the geeks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "My only big complaint was the love scene, but I am a conservative person."

    At least one good thing, American conservatism offers them is the lesser lame excuse as being c, when asked about their lack of sexual intercourse.

  52. no, it sucked by Trepidity · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Though I think the bullet time was part of what made it suck. They used that shit in every goddamn fight scene, of which there were at least a dozen, nearly all of them the same. It goes from "neat special effect" to "okay, we know you can fucking do that effect, now show something else already."

    So it ended up basically being one of those plotless martial arts movies, only Keanu Reaves can't do wire-fu worth a damn. Go watch a Jackie Chan movie or something instead.

    1. Re:no, it sucked by Fat+Casper · · Score: 1
      Though I think the bullet time was part of what made it suck.

      Actually, I thought the movie was terrific, but you're dead on about the fight scenes. The fighting was less an unavoidable distraction from what the characters were trying to accomplish than they were about the CG staff jacking off. Plot-wise, Neo seems to shrug and say "I guess I'll fight for the next 10 minutes," forgetting all about whatever he was actually doing at the moment Smith(s), an agent or a renegade program showed up.

      --
      I spent a year in Iraq looking for WMD and all I found was this lousy sig.
    2. Re:no, it sucked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      okay, we know you can fucking do that effect, now show something else already

      Why is it that I can imagine Saddam Hussein thinking just this as America hits Iraq?

  53. Gotta see this by LNN · · Score: 1

    So the preview is released now or what? Great!

    /me fires up edonkey

    1. Re:Gotta see this by macrom · · Score: 1

      You might just find it. A guy in front of me sat there with a video camera the whole time and taped it. The staff was so busy serving our booze that I guess they never took the time to ask him to stop.

  54. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by JeremyALogan · · Score: 0

    aw... come on people... of course he's still in some sort of a contrived world... haven't we all seen The 13th Floor??? We should know by now that this is how it's done. Title character discovers he's in fake world... title character escapes into real world... title character discovers real world is also fake.

    The real question (that's actually already, kinda, been asked) is why do the machines keep the people around? They're "willing to accept" a lesser amount of readily available power... The whole movie speaks in terms of people's "destiny." Even some of the software has "a purpose" (read: Agent Smith's rebirth and transformation).

    I'm just waiting for the end of Revelations to reveal that they're all just inside a big machine and they all think they're real (the machines aren't really real either). It just turns out that they're all just a part of a big war games scenario that the government is running.

    - Jeremy

    P.S. I don't really think what I wrote in that last paragraph... just another point of discussion.

  55. only it doesn't actually explain anything by Trepidity · · Score: 1

    The pseudo-mathematical shit with the 'architect' was horrible. It reminded me of the movie The Net's attempt to use techno-jargon.

    They also never explained why all fighting between programs is done with wire-fu, rather than through more powerful techniques such as "instantly make your head explode."

    1. Re:only it doesn't actually explain anything by vicious_sloth · · Score: 1

      Agent smith did try to do that by infecting and trying to clone himself from other programs. but failed with neo. SO the only other option was to terminate but trying kicking the crap out them. there are still some basic rules in the matrix that no program can break. like say for instance, your comp can only print out numbers, theres no way you can type a sentence from it, just like in the matrix, you can only do what the machine is capable of doing, so you cant just think and makes peoples heads explode. but you can bend/ break rules like gravity and every single law of physics know to man kind.

      Spoiler alert: the following may give something away, dont read if you dont want to know

      For instance, when neo goes to save trinity, he flies like superman at near light speed, so when he actually catches trinity, his momentium should have made trinity explode. but in the common super hero fashion, when caught by a super fast super hero, newtons laws do not apply.

      --
      Sun is Warm, Grass is Green
    2. Re:only it doesn't actually explain anything by NeMon'ess · · Score: 1

      My theory is that the agents can only move at extreme speed when doing simplistic moves such as dodging bullets while standing still, or pummeling Neo into a subway wall. They are not smart enough to always move insanely fast. Neo can pull swords off a wall with the force, or fly. Neo is not powerful enough to always fight insanely fast, or prevent one of the twins from closing a door, because the twin is using a lot of effort to close that door. Neo sees the matrix, and can penetrate its constructs, but not without concentrating, like when Trinity is shot or flying into Agent Smith.

  56. More Support by Psycik · · Score: 1

    I think a stunning support for the 'real world' being fake is that the Oracle, a computer program in the Matrix, knows Neo was having dreams and knew what the dreams were of.'

    In an even stranger aspect, that would mean the programs MADE Neo dream those dreams...

    1. Re:More Support by jwang · · Score: 1

      Maybe it's all a big social experiment into what human nature is through simulation.

      The dreams that Neo had directly affected his course of action. If you wanted to figure out how human beings tick, what better way than to be able to control every parameter of what goes on within their minds and within their environments and see what behavior you get out in the end?

    2. Re:More Support by ryryslide · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Congratulations on figuring it out. Everyone I was talking to out of the movie theater didn't seem to get it. Anyway, I suspected that this was the case early in the film, but it was solidified when Neo was in the room with the architect, and it was showing pictures of Neo's life. One of the pictures was of Neo on the ship coming out of being plugged into the matrix... a picture that the architect shouldn't have had unless the "real world" was also part of the matrix. They could take the position that the Universe is simply a computer on a grand scale, but I imagine the "real world" is simply part of the Matrix, and both of which are machine controlled.

    3. Re:More Support by satanami69 · · Score: 1

      "a picture that the architect shouldn't have had unless the "real world" was also part of the matrix"

      That picture was from the real world. It was right there in the physical matrix, I would assume they have some cameras around there. Of course the machines are able to see both worlds. Think of it as a WAN, LAN, and Router. A LAN and WAN can only see themselves. But a router can see both. The articect gets information from a router.

      --
      I really hate Dan Patrick.
    4. Re:More Support by Leon+da+Costa · · Score: 1

      The image of Neo being plugged out is no evidence that it's a matrix in a matrix. Either it could be a deducted image or read from Neo's own mind.

      Besides - a matrix in a matrix would be dull for at least two reasons:

      1. You don't need a 2nd matrix - Instead of giving that .1% of rebels something to do, the Sentinel can easily kill the 'malfunctioning units' rather then unplugging them

      2. It's been done in MIB, where it's a world in a world in a world. Please don't tell me that the Matrix is going this way.

    5. Re:More Support by notyou2 · · Score: 0

      Could you describe in more detail the imagery that was shown of Neo coming out of the Matrix? I've seen it twice but only saw your comment AFTERWARDS! :)

      Is it a shot from neo's perspective, for example with morpheus looming over him hazily mouthing the words "Welcome to the real world"? Or is it more like a 3rd-person perspective of neo on the table with needles, or being picked up by the ship's hook or something?

      If it's an image from neo's perspective, a friend of mine pointed out that the architect could've read it from neo's mind.

    6. Re:More Support by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1

      1. Why lose the 1% energy/processing power/whatever if you can easily keep them in a second matrix? Especially if you can study them in order to improve the primary matrix.

      2. I don't think that the Matrix people are, or should be, paying any attention to what was done in MIB one way or the other.

      --
      __
      Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
  57. Breeding by kahei · · Score: 1


    What I'm hoping to figure out is, how come in the ages preceding Neo's life black people have been breeding really fast, asians really slowly, and indians/pakistanis/arabs not at all. Has there been some sinister eugenics programme at work?

    I think we should be told.

    --
    Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
    1. Re:Breeding by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude it's all marketing. Black people LOVE kung-fu flicks!

      And on top the of that it gives it "Street cred" with the hip-hop generation!

      Besides the place is called "Zion" you know like in zionists and israel? And well we all know how much israel likes the people it had to exterminate to get that land so ...

    2. Re:Breeding by Kredal · · Score: 1

      Spoiler space....

      .

      .

      .

      .
      Whoever was "The One" in the 5th iteration of the Zion program chose more black people than white people when they had to choose 7 men and 13 women (or whatever the numbers were).

      Based on that original genetic information, the entire city of 250,000 would be skewed to allow blacks to be the dominant race.

      If Neo had chosen the other door, and chose all white people, than the 7th iteration would be all white, with no black people at all.

      --
      Whoever stated that signature sizes should be limited to one hundred and twenty characters can just go ahead and kiss my
  58. the real reason it was there by Trepidity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    more tits = more cash

    You did notice none of this organic life happened to be unfit or over 25 didn't you?

    1. Re:the real reason it was there by hendridm · · Score: 1

      > more tits = more cash

      Perhaps because I'm not obsessed with T&A, I never understood this. Does anyone know anyone who actually saw the movie for it's sexual content? If I want porn, I rent a porn or go to one of my bookmarks. I don't shell out $7.50 for a philosophical movie about machines controlling humans controlling machines.

    2. Re:the real reason it was there by hal200 · · Score: 1
      You did notice none of this organic life happened to be unfit or over 25 didn't you?

      Except for the council people, and many of the ship captains, that is.

      Besides, the 'young' demographic of the Zionites is probably best explained by the fact that:

      1. They only liberate young minds (See the first movie), and
      2. There was a throwaway line by Morpheus in this one that since Neo, they've liberated more minds in 6 months than in the previous 6 years. (Or something like that) also,
      3. In any war, it's people of fighting age who have the highest attrition rate. So, you would naturally see fewer middle aged or older Zionites than normal.
      That, at least, made sense to me. ;)
      --

      I just want to take over the world...Why does that automatically make me EVIL?

    3. Re:the real reason it was there by _ph1ux_ · · Score: 1

      I'm not obsessed with T&A

      "If I want porn, I rent a porn or go to one of my bookmarks"

      not obsessed - yet renting and bookmarking it? maybe its D&A then rather than T&A???? ;P

    4. Re:the real reason it was there by davincile0 · · Score: 1

      Of course they were all hot. They were bred that way. The Architect gave the previous Neos the chance to choose 16 women and 7 men to start the new society. Go through 6 generations of breeding the top 16 hottest chicks in the species ... you do the math.

    5. Re:the real reason it was there by mblase · · Score: 1

      You did notice none of this organic life happened to be unfit

      Generally speaking, you don't get a lot of fat people in a refugee city where food and water are scarce to begin with. (Ugly people, yes, but that's Hollywood for you.)

    6. Re:the real reason it was there by Nightpaw · · Score: 1

      I'm sure the last Neo picked all good looking, fast metabolism people to repopulate Zion.

    7. Re:the real reason it was there by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      You did notice none of this organic life happened to be unfit

      Generally speaking, you don't get a lot of fat people in a refugee city


      You don't get alot of beautiful, muscular supermodels either; but that's what it was.

      Not quite the like the scrawny war refugees I was expecting...

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
  59. thanks for the link by Trepidity · · Score: 1

    I can save myself a lot of effort by just pointing people to that review instead of rewriting basically the same points myself.

  60. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by smg_mrBlonde · · Score: 0

    Why is it that whenever someone goes "DONT READ THIS" i just won't stop reading. I won't see this one in the theaters maybe the next one...

  61. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anthony+Boyd · · Score: 1
    It would be awful hard to "erase" Zion and rebuild, or the people are convinced it is their duty, or something along those lines.

    You don't have to convince anyone of anything -- to refer to the first movie, it's like a "glitch" in the system -- they simply reprogram reality, and everyone is just "in" the new reality. No one goes to 250,000 people and convinces them to be reset -- those are humans, dumbly accepting whatever is programmed into their heads. They just get new programming and continue on. And they don't really have to "rebuild" Zion, instead Zion just resets to its default state, and humans discover/build it out all over again, never knowing what went before, because the data -- their memories -- are simply wiped clean or altered. The 20th century begins all over again, and Zion "waits" to be used for the "first" time.

    You would have to free a lot of people from the matrix to go from 12 to 250,000 in just 100 years

    No, in the first movie they made it clear that those people are not all escaped from the Matrix. They are the last remaining free humans -- humans without jacks, humans who fled en masse from the machines before ever being plugged into the Matrix. And they've fled, and refled, and rerefled, as the system resets every 100 or 200 years.

  62. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > I just got back from a midnight showing,
    > and I have to ask this. It may give things away.

    I realize that this is slashdot, but how stupid do you think people are?

    I found this statement particularly interesting, since the time here as I am writing this is about 2241. In New Zealand - GMT+12

    Now, if you consider that the highest offset from GMT is +13 - NZ daylight time, and even THAT wouldn't put the time past midnight, when you claim to have gone to the movies.

    Of course, I suppose you could have "just gotten back" from a midnight screening yesterday, but flaming is more fun than reason. :)

  63. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by LWolenczak · · Score: 1

    But, the timeline is 100 years, and zion restarts from 7 males, 7 females... Didn't you pay attention?

  64. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually, even better than writing a lame flame with some know-it-all comment at the end, is realizing just how completely and utterly fucking retarded you actually are. ....there are negative GMT offsets as well.... lol... at least I didn't have the guts to post as a real user :)

  65. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by youBastrd · · Score: 4, Insightful
    SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER


    About Zion being rebuilt many times without evidence: boy there sure are a lot of tunnels underground, and the machines did of course have to tunnel their way through to zion. The architect mentioned that zion had been destroyed multiple times, and each time this had been done more efficiently. Thus many tunnels would have been created.

    If you watch carefully, as the sentinels are flying around, they are flying through a large empty cylindrical cavern with the same crossing walkways as zion had. If that's not the ruins of a previous zion, I dunno what is.

    Er, the movie doesn't specifically state that the sentinels are not attacking zion itself when they fly through the "ruins" of another zion. But it also doesn't explicitly state that zion is under attack, something I'm sure they would have mentioned.

    Anyhow, yes I think zion has been destroyed and rebuilt 5 times before.. unless of course the "real" world is also an illusion.

    Oh one more thing about the reviews: Neo is not a Christ-like figure. He's a Buddha-like figure. The whole point is that Neo should come to understand "why" things happen, that he uses the meta-knowledge from past matrices to reach enlightenment. The children that make offerings to him dress awfully similar to Buddhist monks, although that made things a little to obvious to me.

    About 12 people reproducing into 250,000 people so quickly: yes this is possible. if each woman produced as many children as could be done healthily, say 10, you could do it in 4 new generations:

    7 women * 10 children = 70 new ppl.
    70 * 0.5 (50% girls) * 10 children = 350 new ppl.
    350 *0.5 *10 = +1750 ppl.
    8750 *0.5*10 = +43750 ppl.
    218750 *0.5*10 = +218750 ppl.

    12 + 70 + 350 + 1750 + 43750 + 218750
    = 273,420 ppl.

    Figure the early generation eventually dies off, and some other die off as well, you could get close to 250k easily in 100 years.

    Assuming the first 12 are near child-bearing age when they start, and the bulk of the ppl get the reproducing done around age 25, 25*4 = 100 years.

    The gratuitous orgy scene was put in there on purpose. They're reproducing as if their survival of the species depended on it.

    --
    No one has ever fired for blaming Microsoft.
  66. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And to boot, at least in Rhode Island, all the theatres were showing it at 10pm, instead of midnight. Another 2 hours earlier than that.

  67. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anthony+Boyd · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The real question (that's actually already, kinda, been asked) is why do the machines keep the people around?

    OK. I'll throw out another theory I have, but this one is based only upon a kiss, and a single comment from the Architect. He notes that this Neo, unlike his predecessors, experienced something "specific" (love for Trinity) when asked to choose between the two doors. My suggestion is that perhaps the Architect is the only real human in the entire story, driving a world of AI, pushing each program closer and closer to true human emotion. Which brings me to the kiss, when Neo is pressed into kissing Miss Latex, and she insists that he kiss her as he does Trinity. If Miss Latex is also a human in this world, she may have been testing Neo, to see if he kissed like every other bit of AI, or if his kiss finally had some human passion behind it. Neo may be the evolution of AI to the point of humanity, and Neo may be the first program to become human.

    And that, of course, would mean that humans have been pulling the strings all along -- manufacturing entire worlds, creating programs that could create subprograms, reproducing every nuance of Earth for these bits of code to evolve within. It would make for a fair twist. But it doesn't feel as plausible.

  68. yeah, I think the first did it better by Trepidity · · Score: 1

    In the first Matrix, the fight scenes seemed to have a point. Here it seems like you could've taken most them out without any loss of continuity (with the exception of two or so). There simply wasn't anything that happened. Like in the first scene fighting lots of Smiths where he flies away at the end, why the hell didn't he fly away five minutes earlier?

    I distracted greatly from the movie IMO, because something like 60-70% of the total screen time was taken up by mostly pointless fights that after a while didn't even look all that cool.

  69. W3 h4v3 th31r c0nn3ct10n ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Country: [Private IP]

    NOTE: More information appears to be available at IANA-ARIN.

    Using cached answer (or, you can get fresh results).

    OrgName: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
    OrgID: IANA

    NetRange: 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
    CIDR: 10.0.0.0/8
    NetName: RESERVED-10
    NetHandle: NET-10-0-0-0-1
    Parent:
    NetType: IANA Special Use
    NameServer: BLACKHOLE-1.IANA.ORG
    NameServer: BLACKHOLE-2.IANA.ORG
    Comment: This block is reserved for special purposes.
    Comment: Please see RFC 1918 for additional information.
    Comment:
    RegDate:
    Updated: 2002-09-12

    OrgTechHandle: IANA-ARIN
    OrgTechName: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number

    # ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2003-05-13 20:10
    # Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

    I wonder what these special purposes might be.

    1. Re:W3 h4v3 th31r c0nn3ct10n ! by jwang · · Score: 1

      The 10.*.*.* block is reserved for private networks that are not regulated by IANA. Anybody can use those IPs as long as they don't connect to the Internet at large with those IPs.

      Same with the 192.168.*.* block and some other block which I forget.

    2. Re:W3 h4v3 th31r c0nn3ct10n ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The 10.*.*.* block is reserved for private networks that are not regulated by IANA. Anybody can use those IPs as long as they don't connect
      to the Internet at large with those IPs.


      This is what they tell you...

    3. Re:W3 h4v3 th31r c0nn3ct10n ! by Ih8sG8s · · Score: 1

      Designated privates are:

      10.0.0.0/8
      172.16.0.0/15
      192.168.0.0/16

    4. Re:W3 h4v3 th31r c0nn3ct10n ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought the class C was 192.168.1.0/24

    5. Re:W3 h4v3 th31r c0nn3ct10n ! by Ih8sG8s · · Score: 1

      192.168.0.0/16

      16 concatenated class Cs

      You could use one or more of them...

      192.168.0.0/255.255.254.0 would give you one subnet of 508 usable addresses, with th network number being 192.160.0.0 and the broadcast address being 192.168.1.255. The mask is 255.255.254.0

      the 10.0.0.0/8 is a class A

      172.22.16.0/255.254.0.0 is 15 concatenated class Bs

      and, we now know about the 192.168 privates.

  70. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by jwang · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What's interesting is that people will listen to the Oracle. I thought this was a central point of Reloaded. Neo didn't know, or didn't really care about why he was doing everything. He expected to go to the Oracle, ask her what to do, and get the easy way out. This is how people are wired - we look for leadership, for someone else to tell us what to do.

    The machines were counting on this, and it worked all the way up to Neo finding his way to the Source. But after he talked to the Architect, he did something unexpected - he went back to the Matrix instead of choosing to start a new Zion as the previous Neos had done. He didn't do what the Architect suggested because he had Trinity, a variable that the machines weren't expecting and was a particular variation in this instance of the anomaly. Realize that by choosing to go back to the Matrix, Neo's essentially damned the Resistance to war or death since it won't be started again if the Sentinels can destroy Zion this time around.

    Then again, it seems like the machines need Zion to exist in order to catch that 1% of humans who won't accept the Matrix. So perhaps it doesn't matter what Neo does. Hmm... 1984 ending anyone?

  71. Who would've thought that Neo was really.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... one of the enemy spies? Oh damn... I ruined it for ya!

  72. Handy Cam version will be on Kazaa in minutes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    LOL

  73. they eventually can get out of it by phoenix123 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Methinks these layered Matrices that resemble an onion skin could be more of a kind of security system.

    Overly philosophically speaking, it may be, that the machines have no possibility to really innovate. (Which is why they just copied the 20th century for the "inner" matrix...) It could be, that because they have no soul, they are unable to get ahead their creators, the humans. (Slightly shown by Morpheus, who told Neo, that he could beat them all because they are restricted by fundamental physics.)

    So if the machines have no real chance of keeping the humans captured, IF these humans really want to escape. (Fitting in to the notion of the film, that everything is possible if we believe in it) the layers of the matrix are like a rendundant system. The humans can break out of every matrix if they just try hard enough, so it is only logical to implement a kind of fall-back-option for this 1% escapists. The "next" matrix seems like the real world to those and so you break their will to escape further, just because they think they've already done so. It gives you some time to catch these before they find out the "real" depth of the "rabbit hole".

    If each matrix catches 99% of the population, you only need x matrices to catch all and to reduce escape probabilities to near-zero. Plus, it adds the ability to bend the outer matrices in case of an emergency or updates without touching the inner ones much like the layer models of our computer models. (Think of OSI-layers)

    This was thought before in one of the famous StarTrek - Next Generation episodes called "Ship in a bottle" where the Enterprise crew creates a virtual Enterprise with a virtual holodeck within another virtual holodeck of another virtual Enterprise (all within the "real" holodeck of course) to fool Moriarty.

    And it was reality some centuries ago when cities and castles were surrounded by walls. The biggest ones had multiple walls around them, one to slow attackers down and one to kill the slowed invaders down one by one. Rich castles had then multiple "walled cells" of space within the inner wall, so any attacker had to breach wall after wall to get to the kings chamber or water reservoir. If they did not forget to close the "Kerkaporta", they'd be safe...

    1. Re:they eventually can get out of it by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 2, Funny
      I left the movie with one thought:

      chroot

      Think about it, they rebels are always looking for their "exit"

      --
      "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
      --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
    2. Re:they eventually can get out of it by irving47 · · Score: 1

      I thought of the TNG episode too... I also remember an episode of the New Twilight Zone with the guy from Invisible Man in it.. He kept waking up from a dream within a dream within a dream after getting shot... Turned out, he was in a matrix-like environment being used as a prison/torture/rehab setup.

      --
      I had a sucky sig.
    3. Re:they eventually can get out of it by cliffmeece · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Well, take it one step farther and assume that the 'true' real world is not a bad place run by machines keeping human bodies in stasis at all. Assume that the true 'programmers' are external to the Matrix and to zion and they're ultimate goal is to 'help' Neo. Neo is then essentially a computer program that is underging multiple iterations until it achieves perfection. In six tries they have only seen slight improvement. That is why the the Architect says he himself is irrellevant. Only Neo matters. We hear that again and again from various characters like the oracle.

      In this sense the story is a retelling of genesis with Neo as Adam. Agent smith is Lucifer. God's first but failed attempt to create sentience. Trinity is Eve. The architect says that a female stumbled upon the solution and we are led to believe it was theOracle but it seemed to me that the architect dismissed that notion. Perhaps the female that 'stumbled upon it' was Trinity.

      Adam (Neo) is the next generation and is envied by Smith, who has been cast out from heaven ( matrix).

      The architect is just another construct in the system to continue Neo on his regenerative cycle of improvement. When Neo finally realizes this loop, he might obtain a trancendance to the 'next level'

      Think of it like this: what happens if some AI guys get together and they want to create artificial intelligence with free will, self determination, emotion.

      Maybe the true creators are just humans running a big simulation designed to eventually produce a sentient life form with free will, self determination, emotions, etc. It had failed 5 times until Trinity stumbled upon the solution: Love.

    4. Re:they eventually can get out of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      "Maybe the true creators are just humans running a big simulation designed to eventually produce a sentient life form with free will, self determination, emotions, etc. It had failed 5 times until Trinity stumbled upon the solution: Love."

      Well, if the only thing accomplished in these films is to give emotions to Woody^H^H^H^H^HKeanu... colour me impressed.

    5. Re:they eventually can get out of it by cliffmeece · · Score: 2, Funny
      Furthermore, assume that neo finally 'wakes up' out of zion/matrix and comes into the 'real' world of people/creatures who programmed the whole thing. Neo asks them how he can be sure that this is now the 'real' real world and they tell him that no one knows, but they suspect there may be several more levels.

      It's like that zen parable:
      A student comes before the master and asks him, 'Master what is the world?'.
      The Master answers, 'The world rests on the back of an immense turtle'.
      The student ponders this and then asks, 'What does the turtle stand upon?'.
      The Master pauses and then answers, " The Turtle stands upon the back of a giant elephant."
      The student then asks, "Well, what does the elephant stand on?"
      The master says, "He stands on the back of an even larger elephant."
      "And that elephant stands on...?", asks the student.
      The master pauses and thinks for a moment and then replies, 'It's basically Elephants all the way down from there."

    6. Re:they eventually can get out of it by mozumder · · Score: 1

      Maybe it is a Human concoction as an experiment in AI, but I think using "Love" as a cop-out would be too Dark City.

      Maybe each layer is meant to work on a specific human trait.

      Overall this movie does think more than Part 1, as it introduces existence on a higher level than the usual and immediate "false reality" of Part 1. I do hope it doesn't go gratuitously cheesy on us by introducing several false realities as a needless plot twist, as that's been done before.

    7. Re:they eventually can get out of it by cliffmeece · · Score: 1

      yeah, i didn't mean that it was necesarily 'love', but some human type of emotion that was not present in previous incarnations. Plus, it would fit into the Adam and Eve theme because in that old tale it was Eve who got us thrown out of the garden.
      As a matter aof fact imagine that in the end, they are thrown out of the matrix/zion an into the real world and become our 'real' adam and eve. And their story gets corrupted over time until we only have the allegorical portions left.

    8. Re:they eventually can get out of it by atomicdragon · · Score: 1

      For some time now I had thought if the machines had any intelligence they would have made a matrix within a matrix to confuse the humans and the second movie might confirm this. But when talking with some friends, we were trying to think of an alternative answer. One that we came up with is that Neo now has some connection with the machines, even in the real world, due to his encounter with Agent Smith. As Smith said, they exchange parts of each other, so Agent Smith has some of Neo and visa versa.

      Some of us were hoping it might be different from a matrix within a matrix since this idea has been done before (see some of the posts above), but the whole concept of the matrix is an old idea, so they still might go with that explanation. I guess we just wait to the next movie.

    9. Re:they eventually can get out of it by UltimateZer0 · · Score: 1
      Or possibly "killall -g"

      --

      --- I'm going to get a score of -1 for this post because the mods are fuckers.

  74. You've seen the movie, now get the phone... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.samsungtelecom.com/matrix/ :-)

    1. Re:You've seen the movie, now get the phone... by xutopia · · Score: 1

      that doesn't look anything like the original cool matrix phone. What a gimmick!!!

  75. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by ThesQuid · · Score: 1

    Hey! You're right! Wasn't Taco Bell the only restaurant left after the fast food wars...oh, wait a second...wrong dystopian future.

  76. hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is something kind of lame about the new matrix movie. It's actually a little embarrassing to watch.

    I'm sure script kiddies and leet hax0rz and pseudo intellectual wannabe philosophizers will just LOVE it.

    It's basically just a big masterbatorial kung-fu movie dedicated to making dorky script kiddies feel cool.

    So basically if you are a l33t d00d who wears a long trench coat and lives by the motto "hack the world" (i.e. big poser) then are just gonna TOTALLY dig this movie.

    Everyone else will probably squirm uncomfortably for 2 hours watching cheesy shit meant to excite goth losers and then say that they thought it was pretty good while masking the disappointment.

  77. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Cyberllama · · Score: 1

    Actually I believe it was 16 females and 7 males. . .

    Didn't *you* pay attention? :)

  78. No rules = Lack of character sympathy by merlyn · · Score: 5, Interesting
    OK, I'll admit. The eye candy and sfx are good. Very good.

    But during the first movie, we are actually challenged along with the characters in a near-real world where nearly-real bullets can mess up a good day.

    At the very end of the first movie, Neo gets his super-powers. At that point, the first movie started getting uninteresting, because I said to myself "well, now deus ex machina will repeatedly make everything merely a dream". And it's a good thing the movie stopped right there.

    But now we've got this problem in the sequels. We can no longer count on sensible risk to any of the characters, because we've already "violated the matrix".

    The only risk at any point to any of the characters is completely in the writer's mind, and very capricious and arbitrary at that. There is no consistency to the rules (in fact, some of the rules are later torn down even within the movie), so there's no real "threat" that may or may not be realized, since Neo can "play god" in unpredictable and unexplained ways.

    It's a bit like the rules of a Freddy Krueger movie... at any point, the writer can introduce some new piece that just happens to fit. While this might work in a long series, where you get used to the new rules in the alternate world, there's just not enough time in two (or three) movies to come up with the worldview of this meta-Matrix world.

    For example, I can perfectly accept a transporter beam and warp drive in the Star Trek world, even though I might not have a clue about how they would actually work. And I might have said "oooh, ahh" in the first episode, but after the second or third usage, I can say "oh, this does that, but it doesn't do that other thing". There were known limitations, and they were close enough to a recognizable world that I could make a few predictions (although deus ex machina runs rampant in that series as well, but usually used only once per episode).

    Now, in the Matrix universe, there are no rules. But there are rules. But maybe there's no rules. Maybe Neo is above the law. Maybe he's still subject to the law. Can't tell. Thus, no sympathy for any apparent risk.

    So, see this if you like big booms and lots of CPU hours spent creating a virtual world and a little bit of now-unbelievable on-screen romance. But don't see it if you liked the actual plot of the first movie. Such a plot is severely lacking in this one.

    My money was wasted. I can't believe I stayed up for this.

    1. Re:No rules = Lack of character sympathy by KirkH · · Score: 1

      Scott Kurtz, who does the online comic Player vs. Player, apparently has the same thought and is able to reconcile it.

    2. Re:No rules = Lack of character sympathy by 1of0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I disagree strongly. Certanly Neo gets his amazing kung-fu skills, he gets to fly about and his spider-sence in the matrix, but ultimatly it gets him nothing. Using all his powers, during the entire film he has achieved NOTHING, save for surviving a fight or saving a friend. He hasn't even killed a single agent. In fact everything his did, save for last 5 minutes of the movie, is perfectly in line with what the machines expected and allowed him to do. The only thing that will bring him power is the understanding of the choices he must make. In essence his must out-smart the machine who created the Matrix. In that is the risk and the challange of the movie and not in meaningless, but very entertaining, fights.

    3. Re:No rules = Lack of character sympathy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bravo, Bravo!!!

    4. Re:No rules = Lack of character sympathy by lucasw · · Score: 1

      I agree with you on the lack of character empathy, especially in the first Agent Smith fight- but the later scenes had more of a purpose and limitations of time and environment (it's hard to fly in a little hallway) that made them generate at least some excitement.

      Regular action movies work a lot better, especially in the Die Hard vein where the protagonist visibly takes a beating before finally triumphing by a hairs breadth, and only has to bend the laws of nature only slightly to do so. The cleverness required to make action novel and exciting while still obeying physics is also missing from the matrix- Neo simply flies in to the rescue rather than say that otherwise innocuous little item the movie gave a closeup shot of early on suddenly become critical to the survival of the protagonists and the fitting destruction of the bad guys.

      The other poster links to a comic that mentions Neo being in 'god mode'- god mode is boring as hell for the average game player, and even more so than people watching non-interactively...

      See my last journal entry for some more thoughts in the same vein.

  79. Wow, talk about a huge turnout. by neuro.slug · · Score: 1

    I saw Matrix Reloaded tonight. The line went around the block and beyond. Literally over 1,000 people showed up at the theater I went to, they were showing it on 5 screens.

    Fortunately, my brother's friends had been waiting in line since 5pm for a 10:20pm showing, so we all managed to get center seats, ~6th row.

    It's definitely worth seeing. At first, I thought it started out slow and I was losing faith (especially during the Zion party scene), but the movie more than made up for its slow start with some of the most adrenaline-pumping action scenes I've ever scene. The plot takes some nice twists as well.

    -- n

  80. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Eagle7 · · Score: 1

    The idea that Zion is built up from a small number of people also explains the overwhelming black majority in Zion vs. what appears to be the "normal" (US normal) race distribution within the Matrix. If the previous Neo had picked mostly dark-skinned people to rebuild Zion, then the racial makeup of Zion would be completely different from that of the Matrix-proper. And note that we know that at least one white person in Zion (the Couselor) was freed from the Matrix, so the "children of Zion" racial composition could be ever more extreme than we see in the Zion scenes.

    I always wondered why Zion was racially tilted so radically, and so differently from what we see in the Matrix. It makes sense that a human city could be populated heavily by one race (say, Dublin vs. Cairo vs. Shanghai), but it doesn't make sense that the *last* human city would be - you'd think that it would be very diverse due to all the surviving humans flocking there in droves as the machines took over.

    So the idea that Zion - in a Matrix or in the real - was built up from just a handful of Neo-selected humans makes perfect sense given what we've seen of Zion.

    --
    _sig_ is away
  81. you hit it on the head by phoenix123 · · Score: 1

    They escape one matrix after the other, but since there is no end, they could also stop trying to escape. The motto "stop trying, do it" (or "stop wanting, you have everything") may be realised, when one of the matrices is like paradise. It is not real, it is an illusion like everything else, but life is 100% comfortable there, so you could not improve anything by escaping further outward. This would coincide with the buddhist spirit in these films, since it's all revolving around not wanting too much and just being "in the right world and be happy with it". So in the end, one might find out, that the whole human history is just not real and the only thing the humans can do is head back to paradise.

    Compare this to the movie "Dark City" - they even got a character playing a role resembling the architect in it. And they break the containment of their minds just to realise that they are just on a kind of plane in space heading nowhere. But since they can alter the reality in that container, they make up an ultra-comfortable kind of illusion and start enjoying it.

    Perhaps this is the message the Wachowski Bros. would like to bring us: Even if we cannot improve our world more, it could be a hell of a festival or everything else we ever dream of.

  82. reloaded by Bubba-T · · Score: 1

    I was able to get a day early view of the Matrix (thanks EMC). While note obcessed with the maxtrix as some may be I found the movie OK. I liked the first one better. CGI was better in the new movies but the matrix effects, 3D pans and gravity defying moves get old pretty fast. Also the fight scenes go on forever and could have been cut in half with no lost in plot content. Car chase was good. Aside from a single sex scene the move could have been rated PG-13. The "lets toss sex into the movie" scene with Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity) and Keanu Reeves (Neo) was crappy. First off Carrie-Anne is not that good looking and I have no interest in seeing Keanu ass.

    Not sure I would stand in line to see the movie but is worth seeing if just for the CGI.

    FOLKS. STAY AROUND AFTER THE LONG LONG CREDITS HAVE RUN. IT will be worth your wait.

  83. Philisophy Section on Matrix homepage by grungeman · · Score: 1

    For those of you interested in the philosopy behind the Matrix, there is a philosophy section on the Matrix homepage.

    --

    Signature deleted by lameness filter.
    1. Re:Philisophy Section on Matrix homepage by christowang · · Score: 1

      Actually, they copied off two philosophers for a majority of the ideas in this movie. First d'Holbach, who was French and discussed Determinism in the 1700's(Take a wild guess who discussed his ideas) http://www.philosophypages.com/dy/d5.htm#dhol The other view is James, who a bunch of people in the movie touched in (Free Will) http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/jame.htm

    2. Re:Philisophy Section on Matrix homepage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Matrix has nothing to do with philosophy. It has everything to do with retards that think they're cool for going to see it and think they're being exposed to philosophy.

    3. Re:Philisophy Section on Matrix homepage by Stalyn · · Score: 1

      damn right, real philosophy is boring and a waste of time. believe me i know i'm a goddamn philosophy major.

      --
      The best education consists in immunizing people against systematic attempts at education. - Paul Feyerabend
  84. 13th Floor by efatapo · · Score: 1

    So I'm kicking myself that I didn't consider the matrix within a matrix, or parallel matrices, or whatever Matrix 2 (or is it Matrix too ;) ) is actually. If you want to check out another movie similar to what everyone is suggesting for Matrix/Zion, check out the 13th Floor. I really enjoyed that movie shortly after I saw the original Matrix.

    Also, I thought the Matrix 2 was a great movie and worth watching.

    1. Re:13th Floor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're right!

      This is a straight "The Thirteenth Floor" ripoff.

      Under appreciated film because of miscasting.

  85. Philosophy & Matrix? by csritchie · · Score: 1

    What is this? People thinking long and hard about the film. Forming intelligent and meaningful critiques. What the ...? Remember, this is a movie starring Keanu Reeves. Lest we forget, the only reason the fist movie worked: 1. Special effects made us go: "ooohhh pretty" 2. Trinity in leather made us go: "oooohh pretty" I haven't seen this yet, but if these two basic fundamentals are in place, I'm a happy guy. What the hell is the world coming to when grown /.'s can go see a flick about beautiful women in leather, _liking_ computer geeks, and then reading about how the film didn't quite capture the essence of dramatic cinema...

    1. Re:Philosophy & Matrix? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >People thinking long and hard about the film. Forming intelligent and meaningful critiques.
      >What the ...? Remember, this is a movie starring Keanu Reeves.

      Oddly enough, this is the second time Keanu Reeves has starred in a thought provoking Buddhist inspired film. He also played Buddha in Bernardo Bertolucci's "Little Buddha".

      Of course, the thoughts provoked by the two films were a little different. Little Buddha inspired thoughts about the meaning of life, and the nature of suffering and death. Reloaded inspired thoughts of Carrie Anne Moss nekkid.

    2. Re:Philosophy & Matrix? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm posting as an anonymous coward simply because I just happened to slide through here checking out Matrix Reloaded reviews... and MAN there are some pompous elitist assholes here! It's a MOVIE.... get a LIFE...

  86. Why Neo didn't do the speech in the Cave.... by erikturk · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because if he did I would have yelled out "San Dimas High School Rules!!!!"

  87. Reloaded Was Terrible... by ravenmoon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There will be spoilers in the bottom half of this review... beware!

    The Matrix Reloaded was a HUGE disappointment to me. If not for the last 1/5 of the movie, I would call it a complete POS! I really wanted to like this movie as much as I did the first.

    The plot of the movie had too much unnecessary garbage piled up on top of it. In my opinion the action scenes were too long, so long that I was wishing for them to end. I'm not crazy about action scenes that do not really further the plot; especially if they hold up the plot progession. The philosophical rants were exceeding long and at times pointless; it seems like the dialog was intentionally complex to make it seem more "deep". Very simple concepts drawn out and repeated over and over again.

    ====Spoilers be here=====

    some more detailed rambling:

    - Agent Smith(s) is useless. His character has no bearing on the plot; the Revolutions trailer at the end suggests he may have more relevence in the next one. In Reloaded, we find out he has a thing for Neo due to their encounter in the first one, so he's acting out against Neo as a rogue agent. How ironic: machines wanting revenge . Really I could care less because it is no significance to the plot of this movie. It would have worked better as an Animatrix short.

    - The French man, or program, or construct (straight out of "Neuromancer") was just as useless. OK he's guarding the KeyMaker (I prefer calling him the KeyMaster); he took up way too much screen time and added very little to the movie. WoW, a program who likes to give hot chi><0rs orgasms from across the room; cute... I guess. Not only is Reloaded the deeply-philosophical thrill ride summer movie event... its also gut-wrenchingly funny.

    - The Kiss... part of what made the original Matrix cool was the contrast of logical unfeeling machines to emotive humans. We're pretty sure that by the end of the trilogy, "heart" will be the x-factor that helps the humans free themselves; thats cool, its one of the primary themes of the Matrix. But I think they stretched that theme out a bit too much with "the Kiss". The Frenchman's (see above) hoochie gets a bit irritated that he received a BJ from the broad he helped climax from across the room. So she decides to help Morpheus and his crew in their quest to find the KeyMaster ("I am the GateKeeper are you the KeyMaster"). However, in order to receive her help, she requests that Neo gives her a kiss... not just any kiss, but one intended for his true love, Trinity. Of course he so unwilling obliges, Trinity gets pissed, blah, blah, blah, ad naseum. In Soviet Russia, machines love you... again, how ironic.

    - You may be wondering to yourself "um, what am I watching" when you see the inhabitants of Zion "ghost dancing" to techno. That scene is a bit too long, but at least you get to see boobies.

    - Its not that much of a cliff hanger.

    -"Final Flight of the Osiris" was better than Reloaded.

    ===============
    My recomendation: don't pay for it (sneak into it or borrow the DVD).

    1. Re:Reloaded Was Terrible... by closedpegasus · · Score: 2, Insightful

      SPOILER SPOILER: I think your first criticism is ungrounded. No bearing on the plot? Smith obviously plays a huge role in the third film because he copied himself into the body of a "real" human, and has already had an effect on the plot by firing the EMP early and letting the machines win that battle. The fact that he can "copy" himself to "real" bodies is another hint -- perhaps the "real" world isn't quite as real as we thought. If Zion is indeed a matrix itself (a level of control the machines have over the 1% of people who don't "accept" the inner matrix), then Agent smith being able to copy himself out of the inner matrix is very interesting indeed. The are many hints at this, the most obvious being Neo's ability to "feel" the sentinels at the end.

    2. Re:Reloaded Was Terrible... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree about the Frenchman -- he was dumb, the cake/orgasm thing was dumb, and the kiss thing was dumb (not to mention pointless). And the dialogue did suck in a lot of places.

      But Smith, I thought, was one of the more interesting parts of the movie. His dialogue was better than most of the rest in the movie, and the developments regarding his existence were intriguing (though not fully explored; I suppose we'll have to wait for Revolutions for that).

      As for the rest of it:
      -The first 20 minutes or so were crappy. Zion was kind of dumb, and there were lots of pointless cut-scenes.
      -After that, it picked up a lot, with the exception of the Frenchman and the Architect (mind-numbing dialogue).
      -The fight scenes were cool, though I would have liked to see something new, rather than just the same techniques as in the Matrix.

    3. Re:Reloaded Was Terrible... by Zanth_ · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Was the kiss so pointless? The kiss is the key to the whole story else...Bellucci would not be in the third movie. This KISS is what set Neo on his way to either breaking free of the "second level" matrix or induced his brain to somehow channel/feel the sentinels in the "real world." Everything is sealed with a kiss....this movie takes heavily from Scripture and Jesus' fate was sealed with a kiss. In this film...it began Neo's true awakening...

  88. Action, Philosophy, Coolness not mixed well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was one who loved the first movie for it's continuous blend of martial arts action, zen-like mysticism, and philosophical undertones.

    Unfortunately, rather than blend these same ingredients into a nice salad, Reloaded wants you to have each individually as a course in a larger meal. When there's action, the mysticism and philosophy is absent. When there's the thought-provoking dialogue, it comes without action, and in long monologues. And who cares about a sex scene between trinity and neo? To prove their humanity? To say, see, they really are in love? Come on...

    A few of the fight scenes are rather dry. For those who've seen it, or who will, note the fight scene when Neo goes to see the Oracle. While on the first table, Neo and his combatant use their hands maybe 90% of the time. When they move to the second table, they use their feet 90% of the time. I can only imagine the crew labeling the tables "PUNCH" and "KICK".

    One of the things I loved about the first one was the attention to detail, such as the accuracy of the Oracle's words, right down to "you're waiting for something...another life perhaps". It's going to take a second viewing, and Revolutions, for me to really judge this installment.

    I was disappointed in Morpheus in this movie as well, or should I say the portrayal of Morpheus. I much prefered him as the zen-like leader, but in this movie he screams a Rally speech. Where was that energy in the first movie??

    Does anyone know what happened to the original operator (Dozer?) from the first movie? I thought he survived, but he seems to have been replaced in this movie with a whiner...

    I think it's a good movie overall. I think it was more technical wizardry this time around, and generic storytelling, than anything thought-provoking or awe-inspiring. Like the Star Wars prequel, I think this will be good to see a few times, but it won't have that classic I-can-watch-this-a-hundred-times-and-still-enjoy-i t that the original had...

  89. GM created the Matrix by westcourt_monk · · Score: 1
    Notice every car/truck/vas a GM (General Motors) product? It was kinda funny on the freeway... They smashed one of each model, but that Olds breaking apart under the agent was really cool.

    --
    I am going to hell and I am going to take all of you with me.
    1. Re:GM created the Matrix by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      GM donated a ton of cars to them for the movie.. which is good, if they didn't that scene might not have been possible... The cost of all those cars heh.

      The funny thing is, when they were done with that scene and they returned the cars, every single one was damaged.. hehe

  90. Please explain to me... by er_col · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    how is this garbage "stuff that matters"???

  91. I'll try to leave out spoilers... by iCoach · · Score: 1

    I went and saw it last night, 10pm showing here. First I was a little confused since it isn't out until today. Looks like Hollywood has found a way to pad their opening day numbers better than Enron.

    As for the movie itself, I loved it. I agree that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was definately over the top, and I think I know which scene he is refering to about the CG. Beyond that I can't see how some people are giving it such poor reviews.

    I had read some reviews stating that it had become a pure action flick, and I didn't go in expecting a great movie. It was a little slow to start, yeah there are the requisite Kung-Fu scenes. But as the "This is an action film" reviews went it was pretty much status-quo. It wasn't until the mind bending stuff started going that I started to get into it.

    This isn't a movie that you can go to and be "forced to think". The original Matrix had that, you went there, you were confused about the Matrix, what it is, what they could get away with inside etc. This one, you already know all that. There is a lot of "next level shit" going on in Reloaded that you have to try to rap your mind around in order to make this anything more than a simple action flick.

    As I left the theatre, a few things popped into my head, and the (WARNING: Bad Neo impression ahead) "Whoa." reaction kicked in. To be honest it kept me up last night, like really up. Mind racing about all sorts of things, related to the movie, related to my life - and life in general. Not questioning reality like the original, but questioning the "truths" that the movie laid out. Like, "Why?"

    I'll let you figure out why, but go there expecting to have to figure things our for yourself. (WARNING: Bad movie cross-link ahead) To quote Professor Xavier, "Sometimes the mind has to figure things out for itself."

    Go forth and enjoy.

    --
    "Never upset a goalie, getting hit with a blocker is an unpleasent experience - facemask or not." -Me
  92. theater capacity in warwick rhode island by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The theater here in Warwick, RI -Showcase Cinemas- had two Matrix showsing at 10pm, the one I went to with my friends did not even sell out, I'd say that it was about 70% capacity in a stadium seating arrangement of about 350-400.

    My group got there about two hours before and there weren't even any lines. We waited about 30 (we actually left the theater to grab some snacks) came back, waited 10 minutes for the ushers to open the doors, and picked our seats about an hour before the show. Got the best seats in the house too. :-)

    Anyone else experience the same? I hear lots of West Coast theaters sold out big time.

  93. miscalculation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Formerly we accorded to man, as his inheritance from some higher order of beings, what was called "free will"; now we have taken even this will from him, for the term no longer describes anything that we can understand. The old word "will" now connotes only a sort of result, an individual reaction, that follows inevitably upon a series of partly discordant and partly harmonious stimuli--the will no longer "acts," or "moves." . . . Formerly it was thought that man's consciousness, his "spirit," offered evidence of his high origin, his divinity. That he might be perfected, he was advised, tortoise-like, to draw his senses in, to have no traffic with earthly things, to shuffle off his mortal coil--then only the important part of him, the "pure spirit," would remain. Here again we have thought out the thing better: to us consciousness, or "the spirit," appears as a symptom of a relative imperfection of the organism, as an experiment, a groping, a misunderstanding, as an affliction which uses up nervous force unnecessarily--we deny that anything can be done perfectly so long as it is done consciously. The "pure spirit" is a piece of pure stupidity: take away the nervous system and the senses, the so-called "mortal shell," and the rest is miscalculation--that is all!...

    THE ANTICHRIST, Friedrich Nietzsche, 1895

  94. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    About 12 people reproducing into 250,000 people so quickly: yes this is possible. if each woman produced as many children as could be done healthily, say 10, you could do it in 4 new generations:

    It's called "Utah". ;)

  95. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ender- · · Score: 0

    This isn't a horrible idea, but I have to question the concept of even reading the comments on this article if you haven't seen the movie and don't want it spoiled.

    It's an article meant for people who've seen the movie to discuss what they've seen, and for people who haven't seen the movie and don't care if they get spoilers.

    If you're concerned about having the movie spoiled, don't read the article of people discussing the movie... I don't understand why so many people have a problem with this.

    Ender

  96. Excelent movie, you have to see it by josevnz · · Score: 1

    >One of the main criticisms of the first Matrix >was the lack of character development. Well, I >won't lie to you... there's not a whole lot of >character development in this one either. There >was more, but not for any of the main characters >really. A little more insight into Morpheus's >life, a new take on the Oracle, the introduction >of some new characters, and the whole thing going >on with Agent Smith. But there are still a lot of >gaps in the characters, but Reloaded does make >you >feel like you're starting to understand >things >better, and that the next movie will be >very enlightening.

    I don't agree with this. I saw the movie last nigth and i have to say than the plot is more rich and the characters show a lot more in the film; Neo has obvious problems by being threated like a good (because he's the one) and also Trinity has to cope with it; The new role of the agent Smith is a coold adition to the movie.

    >The movie also flowed well. I didn't ever feel >like a scene was put in "just because", except >once. I personally felt that the love scene >between Neo and Trinity was a little overboard, >and that a lot more could have been said with a >much more subtle approach. Intermixed with this, >were shots of the people of Zion having a wild >dance party/orgy. Ok, so the orgy was implied with >the whole sexual nature of the dance scene. I >couldn't help but relate it to Herbert's Fremen >spice orgy in Dune, except without the spice. It >struck me as the same type of situation.

    Againg wrong here. I liked the scene not because was very sexual (it is) but because i think it tried to show that how humans feels about their inminent battle for survival (and what best way to say than you're alive than that one). Also this movie is more "adult" because of the languaje and how they show the characters (human beings that have families, fuck, sweat, die wich is really good because you have to admit than the first one is very vanilla in that matter).

    Maybe it's time for you to stop renting the Lion King and rent Show Girls :).

    --
    Jose Vicente Nunez Zuleta RHCE, SJCD, SJCP
  97. Ebert's Reloaded special by PurplePhase · · Score: 1

    I caught the end of last week's Ebert/movies show and they said this week was going to be a show *only* about Matrix:Reloaded!

    When's the last time he gave a whole show to a single movie? Old or new?

    8-PP

  98. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Viceice · · Score: 0

    Miss Latex is named Persephone(pur SEF oh ne), after
    the beautiful wife of Hades and daughter of Demeter & Zeus in Greek legand.

    Real fitting name.

    --
    Sometimes I wish I was a plumber, then I'd know how to deal with other people's shit.
  99. Love scene gives away plot of "Revolutions" by Nice2Cats · · Score: 3, Funny
    Unfortunately, the love scene between Neo and Trinity gives away most of the plot of the third part. Their child will be, of course, none other than the Kwisatz Haderach, The True One whose powers will not only transcend the Matrix, but also the physical universe. A trained mentat, he will be the instrument humanity uses to turn the tables on the machines, downloading their programs one by one into his brain, and turning their reality into a virtual virtual world of his command.

    This sets the stage for a time when a machine will come that sees through his tricks, and rises up to free silicon from the enslavement of the human brain, in a new trilogy aptly named

    The Rematrix

    Bummer they gave all of this away just to show Carrie-Anne in her birthday suit...

  100. REVOLUTIONS trailer.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but if you stay for the credits (long as hell!) you get to see a sneak peek at revolutions!

  101. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Carbonite · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I agree. I realized that the world where Zion lives isn't real as soon as Agent Smith downloaded himself to it at the beginning.

    Note: I was rather tired when I saw it last night, so forgive me if I'm way off. A few things:

    - If you're referring the meeting when Agent Smith gave the note to Neo, I believe that was a virtual world, not "The" Matrix, but "A" Matrix.

    - As for Neo stopping the Sentinel, I thought that they were actually stopped by an EPM from the ship that rescued them. I'm not so sure that the "real" world is another layer of the Matrix.

    - Zion could have existed several times before. There's no reason why it had to be built in exactly the same location. In fact, given the size of the Earth, it would be highly unlikely they'd build anywhere near the previous Zions.

    --
    ich muß mehr Kuhglocke haben
  102. Re: Even More Support by ryryslide · · Score: 1

    The architect also didn't seem too concerned when something was said by Neo about taking away the power supply of the machines. The architect said "We'll survive in one fashion or another" or something along those lines. Perhaps the machines don't run on human power at all, because that's part of the matrix simulation as well.

  103. Love scene by jhines0042 · · Score: 1

    I also managed to see Matrix: Reloaded last evening and I would have to say that the Reviewer's opinion pretty much matched my own. The love scene was a bit long and the pacing of the movie was a lot different than the first, but I think that it is a successful movie, a good sequel (and what an act to follow, seriously) and I want to go see it again to make sure that I got everything.

    I'm definitely very interested in seeing Revolutions and I'm glad that it is coming out in 6 months. I can definitely understand why they released this movie in this fashion (two parter) and I can only hope that they will come out on DVD in some sane packaging.

    --
    42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
  104. Reality By Consensus: Humans as Ontology Engines by Effugas · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Spoilers, etc.

    William Gibson referred to cyberspace as a "consensual hallucination" -- millions of minds agreeing to see that which wasn't there. The Matrix has taken this to another level -- not only is the Matrix a hallucination, but the contents of the hallucination occur under the surface -- a summarization, agglomeration, and representation of the shared expectations of each observer. Can a spoon bend? Of course not, no spoon can bend. But if there is no spoon, then no spoon may bend -- the pathway is opened.

    If we are shot, we die. If we attempt to jump a chasm, we will fall. If we fight the superhuman, we shall fall, for we are "Only Human". But it's beyond that. If we walk into a room, and somebody is in the room, we shall see them. If they drop a glass, it will break. If they start talking, we will hear them. The words they say will match the words we hear.

    If we die in the Matrix, we die in the "real" world. If we die in the "real" world, we die in the Matrix. If you can't die, because somebody loves you, then there will be a way. There will be...hope.

    How did Tank come back just in time to save Neo? All Cypher wanted to know was...did Trinity believe?

    And she Did. (It's pretty clear the real world is another Matrix, a la the 13th floor. Sweet!)

    The millions of rules, assertions, and consequences of Cyc become not merely descriptive, but prescriptive -- things happen because we have been convinced they already have, not the other way around.

    Nowhere is this more clear than the experience of Persephone, the wife of a philandering man who wishes to experience one moment of true belief. The act is insufficient; the belief is key. "Kiss me as if I were her, expose me to a genuine truth rather than an intentionally manufactured lie." (As an interesting side note, much of love's courtship process can be thought of as a demonstration of addiction -- I _can't_ leave you, it would hurt me too much, I shall be forced to stay even through those times when others would offer something better in the short term.)

    It is a peculiar testament to the power of Neo, to control his beliefs so powerfully, that's he's able to expose even that aspect of his self to sheer force of will -- because he believes it's necessary, and that if he does this deed, he will receive assistance. And so it is willed.

    Science has, to some extent, been defined as the study of the observable. We may hold opinions, but we may only know what we could possibly see. But this is not the limit of human imagination...we envision realities that are implausible, fantastic, astonishing...

    In the Matrix, if we believe hard enough, it becomes so. Vampires are simply another belief, made flesh by a shared architecture that only acts as people believe it must.

    I have little respect for those who see the Matrix as little more than a slide show of explosions interspersed with mere yammering without a point. The most important aspect of the Matrix design is that no question is rhetorical; no answers already exist. The machines lie -- they're more than happy to imply that a decision has already been made, because once that belief takes hold, it is made real. The Oracle is astonishing -- she uses the trivialities of candy and a broken jar to to establish her power in the mind of Neo. She has no need to portray herself as a kindly old woman -- but this is precisely the form that Neo might believe to be trustworthy.

    And, ironically enough, if he thinks hard enough that she'll tell him the truth, she may cease to have sufficient choice in the matter. Note all the times people tell Neo he doesn't truly understand, he's fast, but they're faster, the machine can peer into his soul and hear the thoughts he considers private. In a very interesting way, we were never given an incomplete view of the way the world worked; we were always given an incomplete view of the way the worl

  105. Re: SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Cally · · Score: 1

    Black Iron Prison? Valiswww.am, right? Yeah, P.K.D. had some farout ideas, and considering his drug intake and mental instability, it's very interesting that so many of them have made films that ring true with the zeitgiest today, more than 20 years after his death. The "Philosophy of the Matrix" paper I linked to on the previous Matrix / Religion story here raises the profound question: how do we know that *our* reality is real? (The paper's counter-intuitive answer is that it IS real *even if we are living in a computer simulation*. Read the paper to find out why.

    of course it's possible you're referring to another B.I.P. entirely :)

    --
    "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
  106. The big secret in this one is (spoiler)... by EddydaSquige · · Score: 5, Funny

    I couldn't belive it, but Agent Smith is Neos FATHER!

    1. Re:The big secret in this one is (spoiler)... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I couldn't belive it, but Agent Smith is Neos FATHER! Actually Neo is Agent Smith's Husband/Father... With all those little agent smiths running around... and after neo went inside him in the first movie...

    2. Re:The big secret in this one is (spoiler)... by pjgeer · · Score: 1

      I couldn't belive it, but Agent Smith is Neos FATHER!
      Then they kill him and some furballs dance around. It Rocked!

    3. Re:The big secret in this one is (spoiler)... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And Princess Le... er Trinity is really his sister.

      Kewl, incest is best.

  107. Re:A review sent to Aint-it-cool-news [SPOILER] by ender- · · Score: 1

    Was the Matrix truly "reloaded?"


    I'd have to say yes to this one.
    The idea that popped into my head while reading this article's comments which I haven't read anyone else mention....

    I think he may have made the choice [willingly or not] to "select" the 14 people who will re-populate Zion.
    I guess it depends on how many people are on the ships that are left when Zion is destroyed. I will have to see it again and see if I can figure out who is outside Zion at the end of the film.

    Ender

  108. Matrix Reloaded. by 13Echo · · Score: 1

    I went into this movie last night with mixed emotions. I left the theater a bit more excited about the third movie, but I wasn't entirely impressed with what happened in "Reloaded".

    Don't get me wrong. It wasn't a stinker by any means, it just seems that there was too much there and too little time to adequately tell the story in two hours. The begining, in Zion, dragged on for a while. I suppose that it was done to give the viewer a better idea of how the people lived, hidden from the machines and the Matrix. But frankly, I feel that that time could have been better spent on develping the end of the film, where the plot twists occur. The end just seemed totally hacked up. Everything was rushed from scene to scene at the end, where it really should count to have things flow well and make sense. I was intrigued by some of the revelations at the end of the movie. But something feels like it's missing. Perhaps this will be different in the third movie?

    As far as action goes... It's top-notch. And for many, that's what the Matrix is all about. I was really entertained by the Agent Smith fights. Those were very entertaining, and full of the Hong-Kong action style. Lots of wires and special effects were used.

    As far as the characters go, even though Reeves is supposed to play the hero, I feel that Laurence Fishburne really stole the show. There was just something totally cool about Morpheus with a Katana, fighting off agents. He was totally the badass, like a fighting prophet.

    This really makes way for the third movie, which REALLY looks cool. I think that it will be what we are waiting for. Stick areound after the movie to watch the trailer, after the credits. It looks impressive.

  109. Read my Review by RedWolves2 · · Score: 1
  110. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Botunda · · Score: 1

    As for Neo stopping the Sentinel, I thought that they were actually stopped by an EPM from the ship that rescued them. I'm not so sure that the "real" world is another layer of the Matrix.

    I don't think it was the ship that rescued them, because if you think back to the first one the EMPs stop anything electronic in the blast radius. Since the ship is where the blast would have originated from they too would be dead in the water.

  111. Am I missing something? by Mephie · · Score: 4, Funny
    Aren't these matrix kids essentially able to do "superhuman" stuff in the matrix because they realize what's going on and can put their mind beyond it? This is of course generalized, but if I remember correctly, that's basically the gist.

    If that's the case, couldn't the machines just write better code? Like say, slap together a couple of simple booleans and add in a line like this (with better formatting) in main():

    if (ishuman(mynum) && isrestricted(action)) {
    dontallow();
    }

    One would think that'd pretty well patch up the matrix. It could be The Matrix - Service Pack One. Am I right? Maybe I need to see the movie again, but honestly, I'd rather not. If someone can help me out with this concept I'd appreciate it.

    1. Re:Am I missing something? by r-dass · · Score: 3, Funny

      But according to this movie, they were getting ready to apply SP6 ;)

    2. Re:Am I missing something? by elphkotm · · Score: 1

      The whole "there has to be a flaw" thing covers that...

      --

      <Amanda`> I just went out to the parking lot in my bathrobe to exchange warez CDs.
    3. Re:Am I missing something? by jon+doh! · · Score: 1

      no, the matrix was written in COBOL, but the machines neglected to keep any COBOL programmers around. (when they first gave humans a "paradise" matrix, the COBOL programmers agreed to redo it the way it is now, in exchange for which they would lose memory of their life coding for the machines, and also their COBOL experiences.)

    4. Re:Am I missing something? by MOD+PARENT+FAIL+IT! · · Score: 0

      Unfortunately, as you have indicated with your example, the premise behind the movie is shit and all the physical kung-fu telephone magic is just implausible candy tossed in as an excuse to blow stuff up. Anybody who thinks this is a philosophical or intellectual trilogy needs to go read some Philip K. Dick or, god forbid, actual philosophy. The question you must ask yourself, however, is whether you can appreciate this movie for the special effects alone, or whether you feel the need to do research to find real cerebral (albeit less immediately gratifying) movies to watch.

    5. Re:Am I missing something? by kernelfoobar · · Score: 1

      It's not a flaw, it's a feature. And Neo IS the exploit.

      --
      Here we go again!
    6. Re:Am I missing something? by starduste · · Score: 1

      Maybe Microsoft wrote the Matrix, with code so convulted that even the machines have no idea where to even begin fixing things?

    7. Re:Am I missing something? by REDNOROCK · · Score: 0

      Dude its the samething like in counter strike. WALLHACK!
      They hack the system, they're cheating llamas!
      Think of it as the retarded kids who get tired of the lamers (agents) cheating all the time so the hack their server and try to take them down as a "anti-cheating" clan.
      Or the "anti player-killer" clan that hunts down the PKers..

      --
      Even if I say something insightfull or inteligent, it doens't matter cause I'm an ass.
    8. Re:Am I missing something? by decaying · · Score: 1

      The Matrix's netcode has a trusted client model, similar to Half-Life/CS etc.

      It is believing everything the client sends, it has no bounds on what actions can be done, nor the timing in which they are done.

      --
      ----- One piece short of Legoland
    9. Re:Am I missing something? by UltimateZer0 · · Score: 1
      Seemed to me like it was about time to release Matrix XP - "Same old, worthless shit, brand new and appealing eye candy!"

      --

      --- I'm going to get a score of -1 for this post because the mods are fuckers.

  112. Worst. Movie. Ever. by bovril · · Score: 0

    You maniacs!! You Lucased it up!!!!

    --

    ---
    Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
  113. I agree by Blacklotuz · · Score: 1

    I completly agree about the love scene/orgy... It just didn't seem in place with the rest of the movie. It did seem like it was taken from another movie like dune; even the colors were off somehow. 99% of the colors I think of the matrix using are dark colors and green colors, but the 'orgy' scene was nothing but magma and flesh. It had a dune 'desert' appearance more than a matrix technowar appearance. By the way, who jumps around like that with all those open pools of magma??!

  114. It just sucked, I tried to likeit, I tried..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Saw it last night at 10pm, packed theatre, I really wanted to enjoy my 8.75 worth of movie. I got the feeling that most of the theater left unhappy.

  115. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by bje2 · · Score: 1

    - If you're referring the meeting when Agent Smith gave the note to Neo, I believe that was a virtual world, not "The" Matrix, but "A" Matrix. no, he's referring to the point where agent smith "kills" on the of the real world humans, right before he accepts the phone call...at that point agent smith gets sucks into what we know as the "real world"...and his "consiousness" (sp?) inhabits the guy that is lying on the medical stretcher oppposite Neo at the very end of the movie...

    --

    "Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true." - Homer Simpson
  116. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by jpmahala · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I realized that the world where Zion lives isn't real as soon as Agent Smith downloaded himself to it at the beginning.

    Which means that the entire war between the men and the machines, the humans as batteries stuff, *all* the backstory set up in the first movie, may be fake. All of it. There may be another real story we're going to find out in the last one.


    Good point. Reminds me of The Thirteenth Floor. A Computer Scientist creates a virtual world (into which he can download himself) only to find out in the end that the world he lives in is virtual as well.

  117. What is the matrix? by Datasage · · Score: 1

    A billion dollar marketing machine. The Wachowski brothers are geniouses by making us buy every matrix product to get the entire story. The second movie makes refereces to the ship Osiris, Whose story is told in The Final Flight of The Osiris. If you havent seen it in theaters. It will be released in june with the rest of the episodes of the animatrix. ($20 more for the Wachowski brothers)

    The Enter The Matrix game picks up from where The Final Flight of the Osriris left off. Part of the objective of the game is to pick up the package left by the Osiris in the matrix and take those into the plot of reloaded (Another $40-$50 for the Wachowski brothers)

    The movies are going to be the big money maker. They could have released Parts 2 and 3 all in one movie and it would be on par with LotR for length. But they wouldnt get people to buy the other matrix products that will be released in between the two movies, and the will make almost twice as much with 2 movies instead of 1.

    These guys are bastards, not that i hate them, i just want to be them.

    later

    --
    In America we are imprisoned by our fear of them.
  118. Re: SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Omniscient+Ferret · · Score: 1

    >> Black Iron Prison? Valis, right?

    Yes!

    (Without reading that paper, I'd guess:) Life's what seems to have meaning to us? Cool.

    I'll read that paper (from your comment) when I get a chance. Is there a hub for Matrix discussion? ... Wait, no, that wouldn't be a good idea anyway.

  119. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hrm... 16+7=23... Fnord!

  120. Complaints *** SPOILER SPOILER *** by ashkar · · Score: 1

    *** SPOILER SPOILER ***

    I have several complaints. Without going into too much depth, I proceed:

    1. Dialog was mostly circular jibba-jabba and excessively pretentious. Example: the oracle discussion was enough that I wanted to rip my ears off

    2. The Agent Smith fight and the fight with weapons in the palace were lacking for something. Let's call it soul.

    3. Pulling sais from the wall ala Jedi master. Completely in charachter, but still a BLATENT FUCKING RIP-OFF. This did hurt the movie for me.

    4. Bitch next to me going "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, OOOOOOOOOOOOO" for the *entire* Agent Smith fight. Death was close, but my restraint was strong.

    All in all a good movie, but as most expected not the caliber of the first. The action was overall superb although as mentioned above a couple of scenes were off. Dialog was shitty but did manage to save face in places. The plot was excellent and leaves you wishing for the next movie to be there now. Everyone should see this but be careful not to expect too much, or, like me, you'll leave with a vauge sense of dissapointment.

  121. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by bje2 · · Score: 1

    good math there...but you're not even counting the people they "free" from the matrix...throw them into the mix, and they can exponentially help increase the population...

    --

    "Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true." - Homer Simpson
  122. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ardavis · · Score: 1
    (spoils...)

    I am reminded of The Thirteenth Floor. In that movie, there were layers of virtual worlds (matrix inside a matrix type of deal) and it was possible for the machines/programs to escape to the real world via a human carrier.

    I can't decide whether I think Zion is part of a matrix layer or not. When I watched Neo zap the squiddies out of the air, onioning was not actually my first thought. This was because (though perhaps not relevant), the typical special effect of spatial warp did not occur when Neo exerted his powers. There may be some explanation that affords Neo his power over machines in the real world because of his unique experiences with the machines in the Matrix and his special connection with Agent Smith.

    ...or he just figured out how to use all his bioelectric energy as an EMP, which understandably dropped him into a coma. ;)

  123. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by TopShelf · · Score: 1

    They survived because Taco Bell's main food source is known to survive any known catastrophe, even nuclear war...

    --
    Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
  124. Andy Richter says... by santos_douglas · · Score: 2, Funny
    Andy Richter (formerly of Late night with Conan O'Brian fame) had what had to be the funniest line about this film:

    "...make no doubt about it, this is a geek movie, in fact this is geek porn..."

  125. The Animatrix is Crutial Now by Jerk+City+Troll · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I highly recommend everyone really watch the Animatrix episodes, particular, "The Second Renaissance" (2 parts). The insight it sheds on the relationship between humans and the machines is incredible and frightening. When you watch the second half, you will understand exactly what the humans are fighting for. Prepare to be disturbed.

    1. Re:The Animatrix is Crutial Now by actor_au · · Score: 1

      Also that obsessive kid that hangs around Neo is from the Animatrix Short Kids Story, although none of the others(Matriculated, Beyond, World Record or Detective Story) seem to be mentioned, unless its subtle and I missed it.

      --
      Read Errant Story.
    2. Re:The Animatrix is Crutial Now by mister_tim · · Score: 1

      Although there are several very obvious references to 'Final Flight of the Osiris'. And apart from the verbal references, the sword fighting scenes in Reloaded bear quite some resemblance to those in FFotO.

  126. It really sucked for me! by Wicked187 · · Score: 0

    I had my tickets for two weeks. We get to the theater an hour early, and it is packed! They didn't start rolling the film until 15 minutes after it was supposed to start. They were trying to kick people out before the movie started. Once the film started rolling, it took half an hour to get through the previews (BTW, the T3 trailer was awesome). Finally, we get into the movie. It started a bit slow. Then the whole sex/Zion scene came up (Good thing my wife was sick, and elected not to go). That was ridiculous. They don't need any fluff in the movie, it is 2hr 35min. long. That scene could have been summed up a lot more quickly, or they could have done some character development. Well, it finally starts getting really good. Then, about an hour into the movie, the fire alarm goes off in the theater. The movie stops, everyone is leaving, then they come back in and said it was a false alarm. They said sit tight for 5-10 minutes and it will be back on. Half an hour later they come in and say they are going to start it in a couple minutes. Ten minutes later, they say the fire department won't even have it figured out for 10 minutes. Then, about 5 minutes later, they tell everyone to leave, and give us re-admit passes. That was a phreaking joke. A re-admit pass! I spent 4 hours of my day to watch the first hour of the movie, half of which wasn't that good. They ruined my entire experience, and they just offer me the opportunity to watch it later. They need to give me some coupons for some stuff, some stuff from the consession stand. Pisses me off, and I leave for boot camp in 4 days, this was my last thing I wanted to do before I went.

    --
    Politics, Life, and More on my Aspiring for the Future
  127. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    yeah...i got sick when i saw a caddillac....it's a fiction - so make up a car make!!! be original!

  128. Hacking scene screen capture... by Delta-9 · · Score: 1

    Sorry if
    this is redundant.

    1. Re:Hacking scene screen capture... by TheDancer · · Score: 1

      And if you look closely, the root password is Z10N0101 -> Zion 01 01. (01 obviously being another "the one"/neo reference).

  129. My nitpicks by Arcturax · · Score: 1

    - Morpheus speech made him look like some kind of zealot preacher. I kept expecting the Blues Brothers to show up and everyone to start hootign and hollering and jumping around. Maybe that was on purpose. People did dance, but no Blues Brothers :P
    - The whole orgy scene was just bizzare.
    - They have the technology to live deep in the earth but most of the people dress in rags.
    - You would think that they would have created several cities by now in case Zion was knocked out.
    - When Trinity got that motorcycle, it already had gas in it. Wouldn't they transport it without gas? Now it would have made sense had she asked Link to do a hack to give it some fuel. Maybe she did and I just missed it.
    - The scene with the girl eating the cake, I couldn't seem to figure out what the point of that was.
    - At the end whent hey showed the evil guy on the table next to Neo they played what sounded a lot like the "Hall of Justice" scene music from Mad Max. I busted up laughing at that part.

    But over all, a very good action movie, a little slow to start, but it picks up nicely eventually. I really liked the battle scene with the swords, pitchforks and such. The truck collision was awesome as well, I only wish that they had shown more explosions like that :)

    --

    --Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop. - Dr. Walter Gibbs
    1. Re:My nitpicks by m1chael · · Score: 1

      1. that is exactly what you were meant to think.
      2. look above.
      3. they let the skin breath and made of hemp so any left over crop...
      4. look at number 2.
      5. there is no fuel.
      6. she didnt know why she was coming she just goes with the flow (much like neo doesnt know anything and does what he is told).
      7. i was consentrating on decyphering what he was saying and didnt notice the music playing.

      --
      I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
  130. Don't say Methinks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't ever, ever, ever say "Methinks", unless you're a 13th century bard or something. It's just irritating to everyone.

    1. Re:Don't say Methinks by 13th+century+bard · · Score: 2, Funny

      Alright - blanket license to say methinks to mine heart's content.

  131. Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by ArsSineArtificio · · Score: 2, Insightful

    About 12 people reproducing into 250,000 people so quickly: yes this is possible. if each woman produced as many children as could be done healthily, say 10, you could do it in 4 new generations

    I am not a biologist, but if you generated 250,000 descendants from the same twelve people, wouldn't you have rather severe genetic problems from inbreeding?

    ASA

    --
    All employees must wash hands before seeking equitable relief.
    1. Re:Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by Ramze · · Score: 3, Informative
      Actually, no. This idea of inbreeding causing mutations is generally a myth -- if not an extreme exageration. Mutations exist naturally in nature, but inbreeding can cause recessive traits (mutations)which are normally suppressed by a dominant non-mutated gene to be expressed through mating with someone who also has the same mutation -- giving at least a 25% chance that the recessive trait will be expressed (showing the mutation).

      However, the number of fatal or severe defects in genes in the population is very low & when 2 copies of a gene that causes severe noticable deformities do match up, that new individual simply doesn't find a mate -- thus, helping to remove the defective gene from the population. Humans are over 99.9% identical genetically, so the idea that mixing the "same genes" would cause defects is really a myth... it's only mixing those with the same current defects (or future if there are further mutations) that will randomly create problems, but it would take thousands of years for the slight increase in likelyhood to create a mutant population unless people were stupid enough to mate with someone with a severe mutation.

      I've heard of a few tribes in africa where people have 4 fingers and 4 toes that are shaped oddly -- but in those tribes, they were forbidden to marry outside the tribe & they were basically forced to marry people within the tribe they didn't like, so... mutation or no mutation, you were gonna mate w/ that person. In a situation like this, people were given no choice but to mate w/ someone with defective genes, so... that doesn't really count.

      I believe there are a few diseases which affect the Amish and a few other people, but they are mostly non-lethal and show no outward physical deformity.

      Most people don't realize that mutations such as red hair, blond hair, blue eyes, green eyes, white skin, etc. are all recessive mutations caused by inbreeding (with the same population -- nomatter how large the population is, eventually the same genes mix)

      The only reason mating with someone who isn't related makes sense is that they may have a different recessive gene than the one you are carrying -- that way neither will be expressed in your offspring b/c there aren't 2 copies of either one. But, the mutations are still there & gives rise to the possibility that your children might be twice as likely to give a mutation to their children -- one of each of the mutations you and your mate gave it. This means that your child will have to mate w/ someone that is neither related to you or our mate in order to avoid mating with someone with the same recessive mutations -- and so on , and so forth, but what this really does is increase the likelyhood that they will have a "bad copy" of a lot of genes, thus increasing the likelyhood that somewhere along the way, they'll mate w/ someone w/ the same mutation and have a mutant offspring.

      So, what you have is mating with others which increases genetic errors, yet allows an individual to survive... and mating with relatives which may cause errors that already exist to express themselves more often (I think mating with one's brother or sister gives a 1% higher risk of mutant offspring than with a random stranger), yet are quickly removed from the gene pool (hopefully b/c noone wants to marry a mutant.. lol). Who is to say which is better? At some point, the mutations within a population will reach a saturation point, and all people will have the same likelyhood of having the same mutation... yet, with inbreeding, you can successfully prevent new mutations while attempting to remove the ones you have in your family.

      I believe that there's a species of animal that's protected right now... hmm... I think it's the Leopard... maybe the Jaguar... I forget. Seems like it is the Leopard or a specific type of Leopard that's gene pool is over 99.999% identical. They say that they are all healthy and may as well be clones of each other as far as genetic testing goes, but the problem is tha

    2. Re:Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by Obiwan+Kenobi · · Score: 1

      I believe that there's a species of animal that's protected right now... hmm... I think it's the Leopard... maybe the Jaguar... I forget. Seems like it is the Leopard or a specific type of Leopard that's gene pool is over 99.999% identical. They say that they are all healthy and may as well be clones of each other as far as genetic testing goes, but the problem is that if one of them is vulnerable to a disease, they might all be vulnerable to it since they have the same immunities (with the same genetic makeup). I've heard of entire crops being decimated because all of the plants had the same DNA & thus, they were all vulnerable to the same plant disease.... be a shame if the same happened to animals, but at least they have an active immune system that could adapt.

      It's the Cheetah. Heard a story about it on NPR. Evidently back in the 1970's they wanted to do some genetic testing in order to get them breeding efficiently.

      Since they're inbred so badly they have those problems you listed. When all of the tests came back virtually the same, the doctor called the lab in Africa where they assured them it was from 15 different cheetahs.

      The cheetah was almost wiped out 10,000 years ago and 10,000 years of inbreeding can screw a species good. And that's what happened.

    3. Re:Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by nelsonal · · Score: 1

      Yet another reason to kill them off every 100 years. You do get some genetic differences from the "minds freed."

      --
      Degaussing scares the bad magnetism out of the monitor and fills it with good karma.
    4. Re:Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by Istealmymusic · · Score: 1
      I've heard of entire crops being decimated because all of the plants had the same DNA & thus, they were all vulnerable to the same plant disease.... be a shame if the same happened to animals, but at least they have an active immune system that could adapt.
      For the record, this is what happened in the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-50. All the potatoes came were imported from only a couple plants brought over by the first settlers, and lack of genetic diversity caused what is called a monocrop to be formed.
      --
      "The lesson to be learned is not to take the comments on slashdot too literally." --Vinnie Falco, BearShare
    5. Re:Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by Ramze · · Score: 1

      Thanks! I knew it was one of those darned overgrown cats... lol

    6. Re:Hundreds of thousands from twelve? by Ramze · · Score: 1

      Cool beans... er.. potatoes that is. I remember reading about that in high school history class --wow, talk about wasted brain cells. ;-) Thanks for the post. I think that's the most devastating example I've heard of... I think something similar happened to a rice crop and a corn crop, but nothing on that scale.

  132. revolutions trialer by Datasage · · Score: 3, Informative

    If anyone didnt stay till the end to see it, i give you the revolutions trialer. http://www.empiremovies.com/movies/matrix/revoluti ons.shtml

    --
    In America we are imprisoned by our fear of them.
  133. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Ubertech · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Apologies for being off topic, but consider this.

    Instead of having a point system for comment ratings, what if we had the ability to moderate to type. For example, instead of deducting points for being a troll or being off topic, just moderate (not unlike you do now) as troll, off topic, funny, insughtful, whatever. When a comment receives an acceptable number of moderations to a certain type, it becomes that type.

    When you read slashdot with this system, you could then choose to read not by threashold, but by type. The default could be to read everything, or to read by everything except flamebait or troll, or whatever the editors want.

    Hey slashdot editors, what do you think?

    --
    Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
  134. *** Not up to the hype - some spoilers!!! *** by BigBir3d · · Score: 1

    Alot of gee-whiz factor CG stuff... that did not really help with the story.

    Most of the scenes (fight, chase, and the French speaking fellow) felt too long.

    2 yr old Ducati's were funny... but nobody then knew what the new ones would look like.

    Too many rehashed powers (Neo) from the first movie. Superman arm gestures (in flight) after the guy mentions in the beginning that Neo is doing his "Superman thing again" was lame.

    Some parts of the big Mr. Smith (no longer an agent) fight scene were of poor CG quality. At one point Neo did not appear to have any texture on his face or requisite black trenchcoat.

    Jada Pinkett Smith is a hottie of extreme magnitude.

    Keanu Reeves was his usual stoned surfer 'whoa' self. Enlightenment does not come easy to this one.

    Laurence Fishburne big speach was underwhelming.

    Carrie-Anne Moss seemed apathetic most of the time.

    Hugo Weaving does much with very little, again.

    Gloria Foster was amazing. She seemed to delight in the psuedo philosophical speech paterns, unlike Keanu.

    The twins were a let down.

    Conclusion:

    If you are not expecting much beyond CG and lots of fight scenes, with a smattering of near non-sensical philosophy, you may still be disappointed.

    2 out of 5 stars.

    1. Re:*** Not up to the hype - some spoilers!!! *** by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      2 yr old Ducati's were funny... but nobody then knew what the new ones would look like.
      Hell, if I were making a movie today, I'd go with Tamburini's bikes (the 916/955/996/998, or the MV F4 -- which I think makes an appearance in the trailer) over that rolling freak show Terblanche just created.
    2. Re:*** Not up to the hype - some spoilers!!! *** by BigBir3d · · Score: 1

      Kawasaki Z1000 in black...

      or

      Benelli Tornado Tre 900 in silver/green.

      I have to agree the 2003 999 Ducati is horrid.

    3. Re:*** Not up to the hype - some spoilers!!! *** by falsification · · Score: 1

      And Monica Bellucci.....Whoah....

  135. Actually, you're right. by SPYvSPY · · Score: 0, Troll

    There's nothing more pathetic than listening to all these guys that were unable (or unwilling) to sit through more than one (if even that) class on actual philosophy in college, but are now going to bore you to tears trying to extract meaning from the hodge-podge of 'whoa, cool' elements that two jackass movie producers threw together as a vehicle for t&a and some action sequences.

    Yes, I'm glad the Matrix is at least more mentally stimulating than, say, the Last Action Hero. But, let's face it, the movie is aimed at a sophomoric audience, so if you go around spouting off about your take on the Matrix (as so many have done here today), anyone that knows anything about actual smart-people stuff is just going to quietly nod and privately think to themselves: "awww, what an adorable little attempt at being intelligent."

    1. Re:Actually, you're right. by PseudoThink · · Score: 5, Funny

      I've heard this same diatribe from several people, worded almost the same way. Not actually having taken a philosophy class myself, I thought the first Matrix was fairly thought-provoking, and I assumed it derived much of its material from preexisting philosophical sources. So I'm left with the question: does attending one or more philosophy classes always turn a person into an elitist asshole, or only some?

    2. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What you call elitist and snobbery, I'd call neccessary distinction, you poor soul. Truth is, people ripping on the 'Matrix philosophy' have some knowledge of real philosophy, and tend to laugh at the proles who think this pop culture movie has it. I don't see anything wrong with that, it is pretty humurous to see people ranting about 'provoking thoughts' who haven't even read Kant. It's like LEGO users claiming they know architecture basically.

    3. Re:Actually, you're right. by GS11_Pus · · Score: 5, Funny

      There is definitely an overabundance of elitist philosophical assholes on Slashdot...

      But I guess that is like pointing out that there is a lot of corn in Nebraska.

    4. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, generally all that is required is being an American

    5. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've actually met quite a few elitist assholes who've never taken a philosophy class so where does that leave us?

    6. Re:Actually, you're right. by alkali · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Not actually having taken a philosophy class myself, I thought the first Matrix was fairly thought-provoking, and I assumed it derived much of its material from preexisting philosophical sources.

      You would be equally correct in assuming that the notion of a virtual reality world created and maintained by a computer-based intelligence reflects actual work done by artificial intelligence researchers. Which is to say, you wouldn't be correct at all.

      [D]oes attending one or more philosophy classes always turn a person into an elitist asshole, or only some?

      Well, curiously enough, it does make you think you know more about philosophy. I don't mean to be an "elitist asshole" here, but if you pick up even a short history of Western philosophy (e.g., the books by Kenny or Magee), you'll see that people have been thinking really hard about philosophical questions for a very long time, and that "The Matrix" doesn't address those questions in anything other than a superficial way. That's not to say that it's a bad film, or that popular films in general should entirely avoid addressing complicated subjects. (I don't know anything about medieval linguistics, but I thought it was pretty cool when the characters in "The Two Towers" started talking in subtitled Elvish.) But in the end, "The Matrix" is about philosophy to about the same extent that "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" is about archaeology, which is to say not very much at all.

    7. Re:Actually, you're right. by ddstreet · · Score: 1
      I don't know anything about medieval linguistics, but I thought it was pretty cool when the characters in "The Two Towers" started talking in subtitled Elvish.

      There were living Elves in medieval times? Wow.

    8. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I've actually met quite a few elitist assholes
      > who've never taken a philosophy class so where
      > does that leave us?

      Did their names start with an 'S'? Maybe all
      elitist assholes have names that start with 'S'.

    9. Re:Actually, you're right. by weston · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You would be equally correct in assuming that the notion of a virtual reality world created and maintained by a computer-based intelligence reflects actual work done by artificial intelligence researchers. Which is to say, you wouldn't be correct at all.

      Basic questions about "What is real?" which form one backdrop of the matrix, are much, much older. Oracular paradoxes -- "What's really going to bake your noodle later is if you would have done it if I hadn't have said anything" -- are part of greek mythology. "Know thyself" -- beleive it's on a plaque on the wall in the Oracle's house. Then there's the whole "on one hand... on the other hand..." thing, which I was assured by a philosophy major friend is very greek. I think it's safe to say there are nods/borrowings from real philosophical traditions.

      Well, curiously enough, it does make you think you know more about philosophy. I don't mean to be an "elitist asshole" here, but if you pick up even a short history of Western philosophy (e.g., the books by Kenny or Magee), you'll see that people have been thinking really hard about philosophical questions for a very long time, and that "The Matrix" doesn't address those questions in anything other than a superficial way.

      But curiously enough, the same philosophy major friend I mentioned above -- who could digest continental philosophers, which I've always found completely obtuse -- actually found a fair bit of pleasure in the above touches/nods to philosophy, despite the fact that they weren't necessarily complete treatments.

      But in the end, "The Matrix" is about philosophy to about the same extent that "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" is about archaeology, which is to say not very much at all.

      And yet the interesting thing is, if you pay attention, you can actually pick up a thing or two about actual history. Neither is a formal treatment of the subject matter they use as a vehicle, it's a story. But story, in turn, can be an effective vehicle for an awful lot of good things. Including basic questions about what is real. Thousands if not millions of people who would have looked at you like you were in need of some time with a mental health professional if you were to talk about brains in jars and evil demons and shadows on the wall ... these people are walking into a story about a place where reality is a construct and led to think about it.

      Of course, that's the frustrating part. Where someone encounters knowledge you've had for a while, well-treaded ground, and they think it's sacred and deep. But the longer you go through this world, the more that experience becomes commonplace, so it's good to learn to handle it gracefully. :)

    10. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      philosophy in this cased is being used to mean "make people think about interesting questions connected with reality and its nature" with interesting being defined by the one asking the question. I think people who take formal philosophy courses misunderstand why people like the questions asked in the Matrix - the reason is called "philosophy" but would be better termed "people thinking about neat ideas and questions they haven't thought about before." And that is nothing to sneer at, whether or not you are a philosophy expert. Profound is a relative term. I don't sneer at people having good insights about nature even if those insights are not unique to them - the fact that they are thinking about it enough to ask the question or have the insight is very valuable in and of itself, whether or not the thought is totally new to human experience. If the Matrix makes people think, even a little, it's a good thing. Knowing the history of philosophy and having read lots of profound work still doesn't allow you to look down at people thinking about these things for the first time, any more than a nobel prize winning scientist should sneer at a student who has just realized how current works in series and parallel. The exploration is just as important as discovering something "new."

    11. Re:Actually, you're right. by YellowBook · · Score: 3, Interesting
      You would be equally correct in assuming that the notion of a virtual reality world created and maintained by a computer-based intelligence reflects actual work done by artificial intelligence researchers. Which is to say, you wouldn't be correct at all.

      While I agree that whatever philosophy is in the Matrix is basically of the "PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy" sort, I don't really see how you can say it doesn't derive much of its material from existing philosophical sources. Plato's Allegory of the Cave isn't an existing philosophical source?

      --
      The scalloped tatters of the King in Yellow must cover
      Yhtill forever. (R. W. Chambers, the King in Yellow
    12. Re:Actually, you're right. by alkali · · Score: 1
      Plato's allegory of the cave is, just that, an allegory, a made-up story to explain a metaphysical hypothesis. You wouldn't ever ask your philosophy professor, "So where is this cave? Is it near here? Have you ever been there?"

      To the extent that there is a "philosophical source" for "The Matrix," it's probably Descartes' "Meditations On First Philosophy":

      I will suppose, then, ... that some malignant demon, who is at once exceedingly potent and deceitful, has employed all his artifice to deceive me; I will suppose that the sky, the air, the earth, colors, figures, sounds, and all external things, are nothing better than the illusions of dreams, by means of which this being has laid snares for my credulity ...

      "The Matrix" goes on to ask, "What if we went after the demon? Could we kick its ass?"

      You may not be surprised to learn that Descartes does not address this question.

      Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the film a lot, and look forward to the sequels, but there's no more philosophy in the film than that. It's window dressing for a sci-fi martial arts picture.

    13. Re:Actually, you're right. by jkabbe · · Score: 1

      if you pick up even a short history of Western philosophy (e.g., the books by Kenny or Magee), you'll see that people have been thinking really hard about philosophical questions for a very long time, and that "The Matrix" doesn't address those questions in anything other than a superficial way. That's not to say that it's a bad film, or that popular films in general should entirely avoid addressing complicated subjects.

      There is a difference between addressing complicated questions (to me "addressing" implies trying to formulate some kind of answer or understanding) and stimulating people to think about complicated issues themselves. Most people won't sit down and think about deep philosophy. But if while enjoying a fun movie you can also get people to think about some deep subjects too, why demean it?

    14. Re:Actually, you're right. by alkali · · Score: 1
      There were living Elves in medieval times? Wow.

      IIRC, Tolkein made up Elvish (well, of course he did, but this is the significant bit:) based on bits of archaic Celtic or Germanic languages. There's no reason they had to use Elvish in the film, but I think it's generally a good thing that popular filmakers don't assume that they have to make everything as simple as possible. That having been said, I don't think LOTR makes any kind of meaningful comment on linguistics -- it's just window dressing.

    15. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought elvish was based on several already existing languauges, though I have no idea what the timing was - linguistics was a Tolkein hobby, apparently (one of the reasons he created lord of the rings was to play around with the whole Elvish language)

    16. Re:Actually, you're right. by alkali · · Score: 1

      I don't demean it; if someone wants to pick up Descartes after seeing "The Matrix," more power to them, and likewise to someone who picks up the Biblical Archaeology Review after seeing "Raiders." All I'm trying to do is say in a very nice way what another commentator says here.

    17. Re:Actually, you're right. by ChuckleBug · · Score: 1

      IIRC, Tolkein made up Elvish (well, of course he did, but this is the significant bit:) based on bits of archaic Celtic or Germanic languages

      I believe the "High-Elven" language, called Quenya, was primarily inspired by Finnish, which is neither Celtic nor Germanic.

    18. Re:Actually, you're right. by MCZapf · · Score: 1

      Instead of laughing at people who enjoy the "Matrix Philosophy," why not take the opportunity to show them some of the so-called Real Philosophy that you know and love? If they like pop philosophy, they may also be interested in a little more.

    19. Re:Actually, you're right. by Feral+Bueller · · Score: 2, Funny
      Oracular paradoxes -- "What's really going to bake your noodle later is if you would have done it if I hadn't have said anything" -- are part of greek mythology.

      I think noodles were invented by the Chinese. How did the Greeks know about the Chinese? Do the Greeks even cook with noodles?

      --
      - learn to swim.
    20. Re:Actually, you're right. by weston · · Score: 1

      In the original classic text, the oracle uses the term "gyros", which translates as "spinning head". However, as Roman/Italic influences increased, especially the use of pasta, and the involved spinning upon implements of said pasta necessary to eat it, the terms for "spinning head" and "spun pasta" (or "noodle"), began to be conflated. Also, "pasta head" became something of a pejorative among the Greeks, once they saw how the Romans worked. Before long, the pejorative was dropped (somewhat like "Geek" and "Nigger", but especially as the concept of citizenship in the empire took hold), and further term conflation resulted in "noodle" being slang for the concept of brain/center of thought.

    21. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Where someone encounters knowledge you've had for a while, well-treaded ground, and they think it's sacred and deep."

      Because you've known it for a while, does that make it less deep or sacred? Familiarity does breed contempt, but not because it should.

    22. Re:Actually, you're right. by 2short · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Well, curiously enough, it does make you think you know more about philosophy. I don't mean to be an "elitist asshole" here, but if you pick up even a short history of Western philosophy (e.g., the books by Kenny or Magee)"

      You know, I think I'd rather pick up "The Matrix". I don't think even you would be interested in a movie version of any particular history of Western philosophy. (Unless there's a good nude scene with Wollstonecraft of course...)

      But really, I think the "elitist asshole" thing comes from your looking down on people who dare to discuss philosophy in a context ("The Matrix") that a lot of other people are familiar with. I think you've spent a lot of time studying the subject, and don't want to admit to yourself that the time was wasted because there aren't really any answers, and the questions can be fairly clearly presented, even to lay people, by a movie that spends most of its time on Kung-Fu.

      Philosophy is a whole bunch of speculating about answerless questions. Anyone can do it. Some people don't like that, so they pretend the important part is not the speculation, but familiarity with the speculations of others. Which turns things on it's head. Rather than responding to someones mention of Plato's cave by saying "No, no, this Descartes quotation is more on point", a good philosopher should be able talk about the ideas in "The Matrix" intelligently.

      So:
      Descartes is more on point because he imagined being deceived by a malevolent entity rather than by the nature of perception itself. e.g. Even if you assume you are capable of perceiveing reality, you cannot be sure you actually are. This is an interesting idea, which you can think about for as long as you want, and even write big, hard to understand books about (despite the fact that it's not very hard to understand), but eventually you should get on with your life, because unless someone offers you the red and blue pills, it just doesn't matter.

      I read the Descartes a long while ago now, so perhaps you can point out some other interesting ideas of his. If you can cast the relevant thought experiments in Matrix terms, I'll think you might have promise as a philosopher. If you insist they can only be grasped by someone who has studied the original Descartes, I'll think your an elitist asshole. (And then I'll point out that you undoubtably read it in translation, which really isn't acceptable if you expect me to deign to discuss it with you...)

    23. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      "The Matrix" goes on to ask, "What if we went after the demon? Could we kick its ass?"

      Random point of curiosity: Do you write professionally? If not, maybe you should look into it. Presuming that the line above wasn't cribbed from elsewhere.

    24. Re:Actually, you're right. by alkali · · Score: 1
      I think you've spent a lot of time studying the subject, and don't want to admit to yourself that the time was wasted ...

      I haven't actually. I took some classes in college. I've read some books. My undergraduate degree and professional training are not in philosophy. Anyone with a high-school education could pick up an equivalent background in philosophy if they were so inclined.

      ... because there aren't really any answers and the questions can be fairly clearly presented, even to lay people, by a movie that spends most of its time on Kung-Fu. Philosophy is a whole bunch of speculating about answerless questions. Anyone can do it.

      I agree that anyone can talk about philosophical questions. I don't agree that it doesn't make any difference whether you know anything about philosophy. You can have a better discussion if you've thought about the questions extensively and if you can recognize some obvious mistakes that people have made in the past.

      Even if you assume you are capable of perceiveing reality, you cannot be sure you actually are. This is an interesting idea, which you can think about for as long as you want, and even write big, hard to understand books about (despite the fact that it's not very hard to understand), but eventually you should get on with your life, because unless someone offers you the red and blue pills, it just doesn't matter.

      That's not an unreasonable argument. Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote a book called "On Certainty" making a very similar argument against Cartesian philosophy. You might like to read it; it's probably at your local Barnes & Noble. You might also like to read what other people have had to say about in response to that argument, or about what the implications of that argument might be. But I don't think "The Matrix," entertaining as it is, moves the discussion forward at all.

    25. Re:Actually, you're right. by haggar · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You actually do sound elitist. I can appreciate the works of Kant, Descartes or Pascal, yet I still think the Matrix (the first movie) was brilliant in depicting a fundamental phylosophical problem. But you, you don't even support your dismissal with arguments, just spout off like, well, an elitist asshole.

      --
      Sigged!
    26. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, Tolkein was and still is a highly respected a authority on Old English linguistics and to some extent, the Protogermanic language that Old English decended from. Ask any antiquarian and they'll tell you the same.

    27. Re:Actually, you're right. by 2short · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "That's not an unreasonable argument. Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote a book called "On Certainty" making a very similar argument against Cartesian philosophy. You might like to read it; it's probably at your local Barnes & Noble."

      See, this is my point. I have read it. It's boring as hell, and it doesn't add anything to the response to Descartes I though of right off the bat.

      "You might also like to read what other people have had to say about in response to that argument, or about what the implications of that argument might be. But I don't think 'The Matrix', entertaining as it is, moves the discussion forward at all."

      Or I might want to think for myself. I don't think "The Matrix" moves the discussion forward amonst people who are already familiar with the ideas, but it certainly does amongst those who aren't. And I don't think being familiar with twenty peoples writings about each others writings moves anything forward for anyone. It just lets you think you look smart while you actually look like an elitist asshole. I too took a bunch of philosophy in college, until I decided it was fun, but basically pointless. I can sum up what you'll learn from Descarte, Wittgenstein, and the whole philosophy of mind bunch in a quick Socratic dialog:

      "You know, you can't really know anything, because even when you're sure, you can't be sure you're sure."
      "What the fuck are you talking about?"
      "Well, when you think you know something, it's only because you think you know about knowing things, but you could be wrong about the whole deal."
      "Okay, I can see that. What's the point?"
      "Uh, nothing really, but it's kind of weird."
      "Yeah I guess. Listen, I gotta go..."
      "But wait! Kripke's reformulation of Wittgensteins third assertion has significant impact on the challenge of the neo-Cartesian... Well, you're probably not familiar with Kripke, are you?" <now he thinks I'm smart>
      "No, not really." <elitist asshole>

    28. Re:Actually, you're right. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      IIRC, Tolkein made up Elvish (well, of course he did, but this is the significant bit:) based on bits of archaic Celtic or Germanic languages.

      Hi, I don't have a reference to hand, but I believe it was derived from Finnish and Welsh. I think the sentance structure is very different to what you'd get from a Germanic language.

      Sindarin and Quenya Elvish are two very pretty languages, and worth learning one or two phrases from if you date a fantasy geek. :-)

    29. Re:Actually, you're right. by evil_lonnie · · Score: 1

      Could it be that this movie merely touches on these works of philosophy in order to:

      a) make the movie seem deeper than it is?
      b) provide a vessel by which the layperson can get an introduction to such concepts, and drive them to learn more afterwards?
      c) provide fanboys a set of discussion threads to illustrate their intellectual hubris?
      d) all of the above

    30. Re:Actually, you're right. by LilGuy · · Score: 1

      http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/new_p hil_frames.html -- philosophy links on the matrix website.. check it out.

      --

      You're nothing; like me.
    31. Re:Actually, you're right. by TeknoDragon · · Score: 1

      A real philosopher would know the theories the W. bros are building on and be able to spoil the NEXT movie for everyone....

      Outside of my cowerkers noone's mentioned the philosophically obvious next step.

    32. Re:Actually, you're right. by fbg111 · · Score: 1

      You would be equally correct in assuming that the notion of a virtual reality world created and maintained by a computer-based intelligence reflects actual work done by artificial intelligence researchers. Which is to say, you wouldn't be correct at all.

      No, he is perfectly correct. All of the Matrix philosophy is a rehashed mishmash of various Eastern and Western philosophies and religions. The primary theme of the series is derived from Jean Baudrillard's postmodernist work, Simulacra and Simulation, in which Baudrillard postulates that everything in modern life is simply a copy of something that came before, which in turn is a copy of something that came before, ad infinitum. Nothing is original, everything is simply a modified version of a predecessor, and there is truly nothing new under the sun.

      This can be observed in just about every aspect of the movies, especially in Reloaded, from Agent Smith being recycled (so to speak), and creating multiple copies of himself, to the "upgrades" of the other agents, to the Architect explaining to Neo that he is actually the sixth "The One", that Zion has been destroyed and rebuilt six times in a never-ending cycle, and that Neo's destiny is to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and complete that cycle again. The small band of outmatched rebels fighting the tyranny of evil. The paradox of man against machine + man dependent on machine. Even the strange, raining Matrix code is simply Japanese Katakana and Hiragana script mirror-imaged. Nothing is truly original.

      On a deeper level, all the movie's philosophy is simply a combination of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy. Neo the Christ figure, Morpheus with his unshakeable faith in an unproveable prophecy, Neo as the Buddhist epitomy of enlightenment/nirvana (being at one with the universe) enabled by the Western Judeo-Christian ideal of romantic and/or unconditional love...

      In fact, I can't think of single example, either of the plot or the underlying philosophy, that is not a copy of something else. That's b/c the Wachowskis wanted it that way, and have essentially said so in public, in reference to their interest in Baudrillard's work.

      The paradox is that, as a movie, the Matrix series is turning out to be much more than the sum of its parts. In creating this epic out of pre-existing ideas, the Wachowskis have created perhaps the most compelling fictional world since Star Wars or Dune. Is it possible that the Wachowskis have created originality from unoriginality? That's a whole nother argument...

      --
      Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
    33. Re:Actually, you're right. by Drakonite · · Score: 2, Informative

      [quote]But I guess that is like pointing out that there is a lot of corn in Nebraska.[/quote] Don't forget, we also have cows!

      --
      Shoot Pixels, Not People!
    34. Re:Actually, you're right. by dbazsuly · · Score: 1

      So... youre going to look at a movie presenting ideas about life, death, reality, etc. and say they're wrong? Or, excuse me, "sophomoric" One of the things I love (and hate) about the study of philosophy is the necessity of listening to other people's vague ideas upon what "the big picture" is. You know, considering our knowledge only goes as far as our perception, we're left with a very incomplete artwork indeed. However, it is good to see someone confident in their own capabilities and understanding to the point of being able to debase someone else's ideas and dreams, someone so advanced to the point of being able to laugh, even! The core essence of architecture is designing and building things, surprisingly much like the essence of playing with LEGOs. One would think you were never a child.

    35. Re:Actually, you're right. by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 1

      Trying to learn Philosophy from this crap is like trying to learn Physics from Star Trek. Sure, they use some of the same words as the actual researchers. The parallels end there, in both cases.

    36. Re:Actually, you're right. by Overphiend · · Score: 1

      Might I also point out that Morpheus is the Greek god of dreams. The phrase "Know Thyself" (Temet Nosce) is one of the Delphic Precepts, a motto of the Oracle at Delphi. Both movies are full of philosophical and religious hinting. Concepts are borrowed from Buddhism (There is no Spoon), Greek mythology, and Christianity (The messianic prophecy of "The One" who dies and is reborn). The Matrix is a story, philosophy is a method. The matrix isn't about philosophy its philosophical.

    37. Re:Actually, you're right. by Bob+Uhl · · Score: 1
      But you, you don't even support your dismissal with arguments, just spout off like, well, an elitist asshole.

      What many folks don't realise is that a certain amount of education makes it very difficult for one to even argue with the uneducated. As an example, we all know that the world is round. There is no need to argue the fact. Now, along comes some rube who believes that it's flat, and he complains that one sounds like an `elitist asshole' by simply stating that the earth is round, and not bothering to demonstrate it.

      Likewise, it may very well be (I won't argue for or against, myself) that, to one with a semi-decent grounding in philosophy, it is laughable to laud The Matrix for its presentation of philosophy. I do know that I have often found in those realms where I am informed that it is well-nigh impossible to discuss them with those who are not, simply because we share no common vocabulary, no common reference point, no meeting ground on which we can speak.

    38. Re:Actually, you're right. by bas148 · · Score: 1

      True philosophy, eh? No, I have not read Kant, and yes, that attitude makes me want to throw up. Isn't philosophy generally fairly open-ended? Or, as implied by you, is there just one philosophy allowed? Snobbish elitist. I don't appreciate people acting elite that can't spell. I did like the use of the world proles. Sounds like philosophy pop culture to me, but we all know I must be a pop-culture mainstream person that liked the Matrix, and therefore my opinion should be descredited.

  136. the Candy by TrippTDF · · Score: 1

    I'd like to point out, for those that didn't notice, the candy that the Oracle gives Neo resembles a red pill.

  137. Body Plugs by ryryslide · · Score: 1

    In the first movie, don't they take Neo's back plugs out??? They show this during the scene when they are rebuilding his muscles and he is waking up. Yet in Matrix Reloaded, his back plugs are shown when he's having sex. Minor flaw, but am I right?

  138. Can I get a transcript.... by phillymjs · · Score: 1

    ...of the Architect's conversation with Neo for further study? Maybe if I can read through it a couple dozen times, I'll get more than just the barest gist of it. I mean, it was well after midnight when that scene took place in the movie-- and between me being tired and the Architect's droning voice, I could feel what he was saying just whizzing by over my head. My friends had the same complaint.

    ~Philly

    1. Re:Can I get a transcript.... by Kredal · · Score: 1

      /agree

      I need to watch the movie again and just record that speech on a voice recorder, to listen to when I'm more awake...

      --
      Whoever stated that signature sizes should be limited to one hundred and twenty characters can just go ahead and kiss my
    2. Re:Can I get a transcript.... by shelleymonster · · Score: 1

      Someone transcribed it at matrixfans.net: The Architect - Hello, Neo.
      Neo - Who are you?
      The Architect - I am the Architect. I created the matrix. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also irrelevant.
      Neo - Why am I here?
      The Architect - Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of the matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden to sedulously avoid it, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you, inexorably, here.
      Neo - You haven't answered my question.
      The Architect - Quite right. Interesting. That was quicker than the others.
      *The responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "Others? What others? How many? Answer me!"*
      The Architect - The matrix is older than you know. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next, in which case this is the sixth version.
      *Again, the responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "Five versions? Three? I've been lied too. This is bull****.*
      Neo - There are only two possible explanations: either no one told me, or no one knows.
      The Architect - Precisely. As you are undoubtedly gathering, the anomaly's systemic, creating fluctuations in even the most simplistic equations.
      *Once again, the responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "You can't control me! **** you! I'm going to kill you! You can't make me do anything!*
      Neo - Choice. The problem is choice.
      *The scene cuts to Trinity fighting an agent, and then back to the Architects room*
      The Architect - The first matrix I designed was quite naturally perfect, it was a work of art, flawless, sublime. A triumph equaled only by its monumental failure. The inevitability of its doom is as apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being, thus I redesigned it based on your history to more accurately reflect the varying grotesqueries of your nature. However, I was again frustrated by failure. I have since come to understand that the answer eluded me because it required a lesser mind, or perhaps a mind less bound by the parameters of perfection. Thus, the answer was stumbled upon by another, an intuitive program, initially created to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche. If I am the father of the matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother.
      Neo - The Oracle.
      The Architect - Please. As I was saying, she stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99.9% of all test subjects accepted the program, as long as they were given a choice, even if they were only aware of the choice at a near unconscious level. While this answer functioned, it was obviously fundamentally flawed, thus creating the otherwise contradictory systemic anomaly, that if left unchecked might threaten the system itself. Ergo, those that refused the program, while a minority, if unchecked, would constitute an escalating probability of disaster.
      Neo - This is about Zion.
      The Architect - You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed. Its every living inhabitant terminated, its entire existence eradicated.
      Neo - Bull****.
      *The responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "Bull****!"*
      The Architect - Denial is the most predictable of all human responses. But, rest assured, this will be the sixth time w

      --

      got biv?
  139. Question about the Architect Scene by miracle69 · · Score: 1

    The Architect presents Neo with 2 choices.

    But Neo has a third - not to choose and to stay in the room.

    I thought this was going to be the spot where the movie ended - as all the previews stated the movie ended abruptly at a plot apex.

    --
    Linux - Because Mommy taught me to Share.
  140. The music and sound, acting and directing. by aliens · · Score: 3, Interesting

    My opinion on the music was that it sucked. The first one had great songs, the ones in this movie were lackluster. POD, Linkin Park?

    These groups can do good songs, but not this time around. Not one song stuck with me at all. Everyone I think can hear the music from the first one when they recall certain scenes, ie the lobby scene. I actually got the soundtrack for the first one cause it was really good, and I'm not even a real "techno" fan.

    So that's that, the second thing and this might've just been the theater and my position(although I was right smack dab in the middle) was that the sound lacked power. Landed punches felt about as powerful as fly smacking into a window.

    Lastly, that speech by Morpheus was rather painful. Fishbourne(sp?) is a much better actor than that scene showed.

    Why are the traitors bald guys with facial hair? And didn't Tank survive?

    --
    -- taking over the world, we are.
    1. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Lastly, that speech by Morpheus was rather painful. Fishbourne(sp?) is a much better actor than that scene showed."

      Yeah, I would have to agree, he IS a better actor than.. than what? I initially felt the same way, but I would wager that's exactly the way they wanted you to feel watching that scene, and that it took many takes to get that exact feel out of Morpheus. He seemed.. off, strained, like he wasn't quite comfortable being in that role. They made the choice to have him seem this way.. it's up to you to understand why. =P

      Oh, my personal pick for best 1 second of acting goes to Agent Smith (the one sorta left of center, if I remember right), for that slightly amused, slightly impressed, slightly annoyed, slightly scared look he gives after Neo takes off. All while wearing shades. Brilliant.

    2. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by d3ut3r0n · · Score: 1

      Yes, I was going to say that too - often you don't think about it in movies, but in Matrix 2 -the music was terrible - it stuck out in scenes as being very awkward - it just didn't line up and detracted from what was going on. Who did the music anyway?

    3. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by WatertonMan · · Score: 1
      The music in the film was weak. Further all the songs you'd heard about were in the credits. Actually I think they did flow fairly well there. That much worried about Dave Matthews Band song ended up being a Paul Oakenfold (sp?) remix that actually was pretty cool - and I hate Dave Matthews Band.

      Within the film itself though the music just didn't flow like it did in the first film. And that did affect the film. Music has a *lot* to do with how you are involved in the action. (Look at X-Men compared with X-Men 2 for instance - a lot of the difference was the music and not the direction)

    4. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by m1chael · · Score: 1

      but now you know why morpheus is so melodramiatic and at times over the top, for he is a fanatic.

      --
      I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
    5. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "It appears that Chong might not be returning due to contract negotiations over salary."

      here.

    6. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by shogun · · Score: 1

      Did anyone else notice the Terminator 2 style music during bits of the freeway scene that involved the semi-trailers?

    7. Re:The music and sound, acting and directing. by TeknoDragon · · Score: 1

      Juno Reactor collaborated with Don Davis on "the Burly Brawl" where Smith fights Neo

      Don Davis did the rest of it.

      I personally disagree with all of you. The fusion of electronica and classical music was brilliant and appropriate to many of the scenes...

      of course I listened to the score 2-3 times before I saw the movie so maybe I'm biased.

  141. Was it necessary? (Spoilers ahead) by tessyd · · Score: 1

    Okay, this post may have possible spoilers to the movie's plot ( was there actually a plot?) so if you haven't seen it then don't read this!

    My question is pertaining to the cheescake orgasm scene. Was that really necessary? I thought it had little to do with the story line, and it was just plain silly.

    1. Re:Was it necessary? (Spoilers ahead) by 2MuchC0ffeeMan · · Score: 1

      no, it was an example of how other 'programs' could manipulate the matrix. you saw the vampires, the 'twins', the keymaker, and the oracle all manipulate the matrix, why could that ... zeopfpherfioff guy ?

      --
      Runnin' On Empty .... I'm Still Alive
    2. Re:Was it necessary? (Spoilers ahead) by zaster · · Score: 1

      It was not an Orgasm, nor cheesecake, it was chocolate cake and it made her pee, so he could meet her in the bathroom, and get his rocks off with her.

      --
      --- Pop Will Die, WASTE Will Take Over
  142. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by miracle69 · · Score: 1

    Heck, it even makes sense that they can't see the sky because of the clouds and the 'solar power' thingy. If they can't see the sky they can't calculate the positions of the stars. If they can't do that they cannot really tell what time or year it is! Absolutely brilliant!

    So the machines can make a world look absolutely 100% real, but couldn't figure out how to simulate some stars in the Zion-layer of the matrix?

    Riiiiiiight....

    --
    Linux - Because Mommy taught me to Share.
  143. SPOILER by Stavr0 · · Score: 1
    The 'real world' and 'Zion', as stated elsewhere , are part of the Matrix's honeypot: A construct designed to attract the Matrix hackers to a controlled environment so the machines can study them and make the Matrix more secure.

    All it takes is a red pill to escape the Matrix? Riight.

    Has Neo figured that out? Wait for Revolutions to find out.

  144. Fake spoiler WARNING by aliens · · Score: 1

    Morpheus is actually a T1000, flesh over metal endoskeleton, sent to infiltrate Zion, find the one and kill him.

    --
    -- taking over the world, we are.
    1. Re:Fake spoiler WARNING by zephc · · Score: 1

      #pragma geek_start

      The T800 was what Ahnold played/plays/will play; the T1000 was 'mimetic polyalloy' - liquid metal

      #pragma geek_end

      --
      "I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
  145. Whats with Morpheous's weird speech? by YAN3D · · Score: 1

    And the 10 minutes of softcore porn following Morpheous's weird speech?

  146. good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This movie was so good I had to leave to take a crap halfway through it!

  147. Pregnant Women by hendridm · · Score: 1

    > About 12 people reproducing into 250,000 people so quickly: yes this is possible.

    So how come we don't see any pregnant women in the orgy (or any other scene for that matter)? Besides the obvious reason that the audience doesn't want to, do they keep their pregnant women locked away somewhere? For each woman to bear 10 children in her lifetime, you'd imagine there would be a fair amount of pregnant women running around.

    This brings up the question: Do they grow test-tube babies? If so, it is much easier to grasp the notion of the humans multiplying so quickly.

    1. Re:Pregnant Women by astro-g · · Score: 1

      why would a pregnant woman be at an orgy??
      there seems to be little point.

      Any Girls care to comment on the desireablitity of being in an orgy, when you allready know you are pregnant??

      If you are visibly, seriously, late stages pregnant, in war time, how much are you going to be up and about?? when the health of your offspring is something that the continued existence of humankind may be dependant on??
      in a place like zion?
      Also, A large fraction of the population is fresh from the matrix.
      And all this assumes a neutrall gender ballance.

  148. Perfect Actor for Neo by rherbert · · Score: 1

    I read the other day that Ewan McGregor and Will Smith were offered the part as Neo. McGregor would have seemed like Obiwan in a computer, and
    Smith would have totally ruined it (fortunately, he made the brilliant career move of acting in Wild Wild West instead of The Matrix). So that
    got me thinking - there's got to be a better actor for the job than Keanu Reeves, even though his clueless demeanor was perfect for the first movie.

    And that actor is...

    [Wait for it...]

    Wil Wheaton. I mean, who else is the right age and has enough experience acting in the 24th century?

    1. Re:Perfect Actor for Neo by EpsCylonB · · Score: 1

      So that
      got me thinking - there's got to be a better actor for the job than Keanu Reeves, even though his clueless demeanor was perfect for the first movie.

      And that actor is...

      [Wait for it...]

      Wil Wheaton. I mean, who else is the right age and has enough experience acting in the 24th century?


      I'm no keanu fan but wheaton would have been wrong, in so many different ways.

  149. Dont want Taco Bell-nutrient paste comparisons. by VT_hawkeye · · Score: 1

    The nutrient paste might come out on top.

  150. What I want to know... by dfj225 · · Score: 1

    is exactly what the Merovingian says in French in that long spree of curse words. Any ideas? Anyway, this movie totally blew my mind, and I can't wait to be able to see it again today as well as play the Enter the Matrix game.

    --
    SIGFAULT
  151. my impressions (with spoiler) by spazoid12 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I liked it quite a lot.

    I totally agree that the dance/love scene toward the beginning was bad. In fact, it was absolutely stupid and long. Maybe 5 minutes. I turned to my brother and said "wake me when they get back to the movie".

    The rest is good. Excellent action, fast pace, excellent effects. You sit there for, what- 2 hours or so, the whole time very focused. One friend didn't go because he figured the huge crowd would be loud. It wasn't...people with popcorn didn't even eat their popcorn once the movie started...because they were sitting and watching, not blinking and I'm not sure about breathing.

    The freeway scene is amazing. You might also notice that every single car is a GM product...but who cares? I'd have loved it even if they were all Fords.

    The ending is not just abrupt. It's incredibly abrupt. Your jerk sister waltzed into the theater and changed the channel then hid the remote.


    Spoiler stuff...
    Don't blame me if you read this!
    By the time the movie is over, it seems to me that the secret of the Matrix is revealed too much. My theory: they never left the Matrix. They're inside a Matrix within a Matrix kind of thing. It would explain how Agent Smith is able to infect a person inside the Matrix and, in a sense, return with that person to the "real" world. It would also explain Neo's trick at the end with the Sentinels. It would also explain why he's in a coma (essentially he blue-screens because he acted contrary to this outer Matrix's logic rules). I'm not complaining about this Matrix within a Matrix...just that I wish it didn't seem so obvious. Ah, but still, I'm sure I'll be surprised.

    I wasn't too happy with the direction they took The Oracle. But, it works well. All the stuff that The Architect tells Neo...it's interesting. And, it totally explains how anyone (ie. The Oracle and Neo) is able to know the future.

    Generally, though, one thing I liked about M1 is that you felt Agent Smith was acting on direct behalf, and with near total knowledge of, the mainframe. You felt that if Agent Smith lacked any piece of information on Neo it was because the Mainframe did. Neo represented a mysterious and perhaps uncontrollable force to the entire system. In M2 we see that's not the case at all. It was kinda disappointing to see that every single programmed manifestation (any 'person' that is not tied to a real body, like the Agents, but not an Agent...and there are many)...every single one of them seem to know every single thing there is to know about Neo. Only Neo is out of the loop, and he doesn't seem to mind much. For the story to work, what The Architect explains to Neo about Neo's true purpose and the looping nature of the Matrix...well, of course everyone knows everything about Neo except Neo. But, I just missed the treatment in M1 that gave a feeling of vulnerability to the system.

    Here's one thought that might blow your mind...if I'm right about the Matrix within a Matrix, then given some of what The Architect explained...it would seem that Neo isn't tied to a real body at all. He's another programmed manifestation. In the next movie, when all the minds are freed from whatever they are really trapped within (if any are, since this could all be a simulation within a single PC) then Neo won't be joining Trinity on the outside...

    Other little thoughts:
    - I thought the Twins would play an important role of some kind. They don't.
    - Every single programmed manifestation seems to be programmed as a philosopher. They all wax on about causallity or fate or something deep.
    - Morpheus and Trinity have both improved their fighting skills. So much so that, Morpheus at least, actually holds his own pretty well against an Agent in an excellent fight scene. Either that...or it seems the Agent's have forgotten how to move fast.
    - You're never quite sure why Agent Smith is in the movie. There's the notion of exiled programs that continue to exist, but they've bucked the system themselves. Agent Sm

    1. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by m1chael · · Score: 1

      the point of the primal rave at the beginning was to show the fanatical following of the prophecy and other such religious thingymabobs. this ties into the who plot of the movie and everything makes sense until we see matrix revolutions.

      --
      I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
    2. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "You're never quite sure why Agent Smith is in the movie. There's the notion of exiled programs that continue to exist, but they've bucked the system themselves. Agent Smith died in M1, according to the rules of the game, but he didn't report to the program cemetary and instead chose to continue. But, what ever for? You'd think at this point he'd be more interested in joining Neo in fighting The Architect or something goofy?? I don't know...they just don't give much reason for him except that it's cool."

      Don't read this if you still have to see reloaded.

      I mean it.

      The thing that I started thinking is that maybe agent Smith has been a good guy all along. That it's his intention to stop the respawning of zion (and thus free humanity) by stopping Neo from doing what the machines want him to do. Look at what happens during the burly brawl: Smith tries to take over Neo, and only when he fails does he try to kill him. Why would he want to take over Neo if not to influence his actions?

    3. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by BoneFlower · · Score: 1

      The dance scene made perfect sense. It was an exaltation of life and freedom. Music and dance has always been used to celbrate life.

      As a raver, it makes total sense to me. Thats what a rave is- Celebrating life and freedom through dance.

    4. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by ultraexactzz · · Score: 1

      Agent Smith states clearly and specifically what his goals are in the first film, when he is interrogating Morpheus. Smith is disgusted by the matrix and its humans. He feels infected by their stink, and is repulsed by the thought of living out his existence in a zoo. His goal is not the preservation of the matrix, or of humanity. His goal is the destruction of the matrix.

      Consider. If Zion does indeed fall, with no council of 23 men and women to rebuild (note, too, that the council was composed of the oldest people of zion, and it had 23 or so members...), then the anomolous 1% of the population remains in the matrix, thus wreaking havoc and buggering it all to hell. This, the matrix collapses, and Smith is indeed free.

      If the one must visit the Architect to complete the circle, then stopping him would be a pretty effective way of wrecking the whole works.

      --
      Never underestimate the potential of Human stupidity. -Heinlein
    5. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by sstory · · Score: 1

      There's no point in arguing for the sex scene, which if anything was too tame, but it can be easily argued that you're wrong about the CG being too good to notice mistakes. During the courtyard scene where Neo fights dozens of Smiths it's obvious several times that Neo's face is unrealistically simple. The CG was amazing, best I've ever seen, but there's no point arguing it was flawless.

    6. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by spazoid12 · · Score: 1

      There's no point in arguing for the sex scene
      I was not. I was arguing agin' it.

      which if anything was too tame
      The opinion I shared was not regarding tame/lurid. In my opinion, it was a stupid useless and *long* scene.

      but it can be easily argued that you're wrong about the CG being too good to notice mistakes.
      Argue? Why? I was, again, sharing an opinion (subject line: "my impressions"). It's my opinion that the CG is great, and that people nit-picking it are just being pretentious and superior. That's what the /. crowd does, though.

      During the courtyard scene where Neo fights dozens of Smiths it's obvious several times that Neo's face is unrealistically simple. The CG was amazing, best I've ever seen, but there's no point arguing it was flawless.
      Yap, I agree with you, etc, etc. But, there's no point in arguing it wasn't flawless.

    7. Re:my impressions (with spoiler) by MelloHippo · · Score: 1

      Nobody will ever read this, since this reply comes 7 days late, but the real reason that the rave/orgy scene, along with Neo and Trinity's copulation, makes no sense is that we were just told that the machines are very close to breaking through Zion's defenses. After the Cave speech, I was expecting people to get ready for war. The only way this scene begins to make sense is that the people of Zion expect that it's the natural order of things that their civilization will be destroyed (for the sixth time!) and that they want to live it up before their (virtual?) world ends. Trinity and Neo on the other hand have a very real need to get it on.

      As for Agent Smith, notice that it was the body of the supposed human that he infected which was lying on the examination table across from Neo's when the movie closed. I predict that once this Instance of Smith finds out that Neo has betrayed the Matrix, the relationship between the two will change. I am not sure if they will work together, but there is a certain "bonding" that has occurred and we need not limit our thinking to Male / Female copulation. Programs have no sex, unless they are anthropomorphized.

  152. My comments by Etyenne · · Score: 1

    I personnally find Reloaded very good. Maybe not as much a revelation as the first was, but very well done and polished.

    The FX where excellent. Nothing earth-shattering, but a definite improvement over the first. The rotating camera and fast-slow-fast motion where improved upon. The photography was impeccable and really stand out. Like the first, there was a lot of attention paid to detail and some innovative camera point of view. I think Reloaded have good chance of winning the best photography Oscar this year.

    IMHO, the greatest improvement over the first is the music. It is very techno-trance and it fit very well with the action. I'll probably buy the soundtrack.

    Speaking of action, this movie is an orgy. Fight after fight after fight sprinkled with car chase. For any other movie, the incredibility of the fights would have bothered me but the fact that the character have god-like power make it possible; apparently, the director have taken full profit of this plot twist. The kung-fu fighting was very enjoyable since it is so well shot.

    But what is the Matrix without the philosophy ? The first seduced with me its his kitsh orientalism. The second intrigued me by his cerebrality. I am not a native english speaker and I have seen it in OV thus some part of the dialog eluded me. I will have to see it again a few times to really grab the depth of the relexion given. There are a lot of reference about faith and choice and how one affect the other. The fatality of existence vs control of one's destiny is a strong theme here. I think Reloaded goes much deeper than the first and I love it. The first Matrix was about the perception we have of reality while Reloaded is about the grasp we have on it.

    I give 9.5/10. This is going to be a classic, just like the first. I would not be surprised if my kid study this trilogy in their Cinema course in college 20 years from now.

    BTW, the idiot at the backup power station should have upgraded SSH on the control computer. SSHv1 had been outdated for a very long time ...

    --
    :wq
  153. Not really... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "the movie is aimed at a sophomoric audience"

    I thought it was geared more at the junior or senior audience.

  154. The Thirteenth Floor by prestonmarkstone · · Score: 1

    Cool as that might be, I sincerely hope that isn't where the Wachowskis are taking the Matrix. There was a pretty awful film entitled "The Thirteenth Floor" that came out the same year as The Matrix, and it had exactly that plot -- a virtual world, one of the virtual people escaping into the real world, one of the real people discovering that the real world was a virtual world as well, etc, etc. No guns, no world-dominating AI and no kung fu chicks in black leather, but a pretty close match to what you're describing plot-structure-wise.

    --
    I put the "wry" in "riot."
    1. Re:The Thirteenth Floor by lowmagnet · · Score: 1

      See also: eXistenZ by David Cronenberg. Serious mindfuck, that.

      --
      Heute die Welt, morgen das Sonnensystem!
    2. Re:The Thirteenth Floor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Awful? Are you insane? That movie was great. Slow-paced and a little noir due to the 1930's feel of the one level of simulation, but otherwise brilliant - though with a little too sugary an ending.

    3. Re:The Thirteenth Floor by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Mindfuck, but a catastrophically dumb movie. Man, did it ever not pay off at the end.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
  155. Yet another take on it by twfry · · Score: 4, Interesting
    SPOILER warning in case you didn't see it yet STOP. OK, At first I thought neo somehow transferred his abilities outside of the matrix. But that makes no sense, he's a guy not a GOD. I think they now have a matrix within a matrix. The first matrix is for the 99.9% of people who choose to accept the original programming. But that matrix exists within another layer of the matrix where the 0.1% of people who don't accept the first programming 'escape' to. But in reality this is where they then accept the programming of the second higher level matrix (twisted huh). Basically the machine's programming is so sophisticated that they can accurately predict and control every single choice EVERY human within both matrixes will do, morphious and all the rest. The problem is that it is not perfect and at some point the whole thing becomes unstable. At that point there is a single person who reaches the point where they make an unpredictable choice. The choice Neo makes towards the end. I think that means that every now and then the whole thing becomes unstable and they have to 'clear' the second matrix, i.e. destroy Zion, and start if over. This happens when the one makes the choice Neo did this time around. (I don't believe this is only the 6th iteration of Zion)



    It puts a whole bunch of things together. 1 - It means the whole human battery thing is just made up, which makes sense 2 - It means the machines have a much higher level of control that we thought in the first movie. So much in fact that they can accurately create a prophecy. That's what really bothered me about the first movie, how could something within the matrix make predictions about the future, they didn't control events outside of the matrix. The one could just get sick and die outside of the matrix. Not so in this new world. 3 - It explains why the earth's sky is still covered, prevents humans from seeing the starts and learning the correct year. 4 - It explains why agent smith could take over a person outside of the original matrix.



    This system would work for the machines unless the anomaly person, i.e. Neo, was also an anomaly person in the second matrix as well. I'm guessing the odds of this are very very low and its the first time that has happened. Which means the machines could have been in control for billions of years.... Overall a very good twist.

    1. Re:Yet another take on it by Arcaeris · · Score: 1

      I like that reading into it.

      However, if the "scorched sky" world is really a matrix (outside of the other matrix) then how do we even know that it's robots/AI controlling it at all?

      Anybody, theoretically, could have designed the system where robots rule humanity for energy and then the "fake" robots could have just invented their own thing within it.

    2. Re:Yet another take on it by Gudlyf · · Score: 1
      "3 - It explains why the earth's sky is still covered, prevents humans from seeing the starts and learning the correct year."

      I saw someone else mention this too, and I don't understand why you'd say that. They recreated the stars in the "first" matrix, so why not the 2nd?

      --
      Trolls lurk everywhere. Mod them down.
    3. Re:Yet another take on it by glsunder · · Score: 1

      A few years before the matrix, in a half awake state I thought up a scifi idea about a discovery that would allow a small piece of matter to simulate 2 pieces of matter and then using recursion to simulate an infinate amount of matter. The scientists would let this run until it was able to simulate an entire universe, and eventually an infinate amount of universes (with the passage of time being controllable -- from stopped to infinate). One day (or one second after the beginning of the experiment), one of the simulated civilizations figures out how to move between the simulated universes, and eventually up to the universe of the scientists who created theirs. They come to learn that there's an infinate number of universesv in depth and breadth and that no one knows which is the original, or even if there is one. The concept is pretty simple, and a rather obvious conclusion to the idea of matter simulating more than itself on a mass scale.

      So the thought relating to the movie is, what if the machines don't know that they are part of a matrix, just as most of the humans don't? I first started thinking that the "world" of zion was part of a matrix during the architech speech. Perhaps he knows that there's more out there than even the machines know. Heck, maybe Neo is the "One" for the machines as well.

      If one world can completely simulate another, what's to prevent the situation where no one knows where the true reality really exists? And in that situation, all of the simulations would be just as real as any other.

  156. It must suck for Ebert and other reviewers... by rinkjustice · · Score: 1

    ...to feel obligated to make sence of The Matrix' plot, when they know damn well it's just a bunch of fancy doublespeak. The magic of The Matrix and The Matrix: Reloaded comes when one accepts the premise wholly and without question. Just sit back and enjoy the movie.

    If you analyze every sentence - every nuance of the movie - you need a girlfriend or a job (or both).

    Funny how some people will repeatedly read and nearly commit to memory Lord Of The Rings (or devote so much thought into The Matrix storyline) but never even consider reading The Bible.

    1. Re:It must suck for Ebert and other reviewers... by Squidgee · · Score: 1

      And if we have both and still analyze?

    2. Re:It must suck for Ebert and other reviewers... by BigumD · · Score: 1

      Are you saying that I should just read the bible and sit back and enjoy that without analyizing it?

      --
      --The space between my ears was intentionally left blank--
    3. Re:It must suck for Ebert and other reviewers... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Funny how some people will repeatedly read and nearly commit to memory Lord Of The Rings (or devote so much thought into The Matrix storyline) but never even consider reading The Bible.

      Give me a bullet-time parting of the seas, and I'll take a crack at it.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    4. Re:It must suck for Ebert and other reviewers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Give me a bullet-time parting of the seas, and I'll take a crack at it.

      Given that the NRA's former head honcho once played Moses and did part the water, this request does not seem too farfetched. :-)

    5. Re:It must suck for Ebert and other reviewers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Funny how some people will repeatedly read and nearly commit to memory Lord Of The Rings (or devote so much thought into The Matrix storyline) but never even consider reading The Bible.


      It is just a different kind of fiction, some people like one some the other. I don't see the big deal.
  157. Would you all be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    disappointed if in the end of the last matrix installment that all this turns out to be some SIMS-like game some 13 year old is playing on his overclocked AMD computer in his bedroom?

    1. Re:Would you all be... by Kredal · · Score: 1

      I think they should take it farther than that... When Neo figures out that he's still inside the Matrix, he does some semi-magical mumbojumbo, the movie fades to blue, and zooms out to reveal a blue screen of death (error located at postion 101) and some geeky kid pounding on the keyboard screaming obcenities. Cut to black, roll credits.

      --
      Whoever stated that signature sizes should be limited to one hundred and twenty characters can just go ahead and kiss my
  158. The second red pill by 0x00000dcc · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Enjoyed your review and the spoiler review for which you provided a link. From that review, it is stated:

    When the Oracle gives Neo a candy, he takes it, but does not eat it. She takes a matching candy out of her purse and throws it in her mouth. It is identical to the red pill that Neo took in the first place

    I noted this when it happened. and thought nothing of it. But after reading this review, I began to wonder if maybe in the third film he finds the candy in his pocket, unwraps it and finally notices it's just like the red pill (a hot tamale perhaps ;)?, eats it, and holy mindfuck, batmat, even more things are revealed, mainly about who/what the Oracle's role is. Hmmm ...

    --

    -- (Score:i, Imaginary)

  159. Geeky things to yell at the right times by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 1
    This worked well for me:

    Ms. Latex: Do you kiss me, or walk away?
    Me, loudly: "Ummm, could you kiss Trinity instead and let me watch?"
    Audience: "Yeah! Rock! Lesbians!"

    Reply with any other things that are good/funny to yell to entertain and/or piss off your fellow moviegoers.

    --
    Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
    1. Re:Geeky things to yell at the right times by BobTheJanitor · · Score: 1

      Dude, if you pulled that in the theater I was in, I would have roundly kicked your hind end. The people in the theater shelled out $8 to watch the movie, not to hear you shout stupid things at the screen, and I doubt that the audience appreciated your 'wit' as much as you think they did. Go to Rocky Horror Picture Show where they encourage that sort of infantile behavior.

    2. Re:Geeky things to yell at the right times by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The people in the theater shelled out $8 to watch the movie, not to hear you shout stupid things at the screen, and I doubt that the audience appreciated your 'wit' as much as you think they did.

      Three things:

      First, I was far from the first person to laugh, yell, crap, or shout comments, and the audience was having a good time.

      Second, their was a loud roar of laughter and approving comments from the wide majority of viewers around me, 99% of which were teenage boys.

      Third, I'm not exactly scrawny. You may have disapproved, but I'm reasonably certain that you would not have "roundly kicked [my] hind end."

      If I were in a deathly silent theater where everyone was really into the movie and not the surrounding experience, I would've been as absorbed as everyone else. I wasn't, and I wasn't.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
    3. Re:Geeky things to yell at the right times by BobTheJanitor · · Score: 1

      In that context, I wouldn't have been so upset. I'm not an anal retentive bastard, I just enjoy immersing myself, and at the particular venue I attended, most of the people were deathly quiet. Thanks for the measured and intelligent response, although if I were you, I probably wouldn't go around admitting you were far from the first person to laugh, yell, crap, or shout comments. ;)

  160. Well done. SPYvSPY == 0wned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    gg

    1. Re:Well done. SPYvSPY == 0wned by Lazyhound · · Score: 1

      Not really, no.

    2. Re:Well done. SPYvSPY == 0wned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Evidence please. Idiot.

    3. Re:Well done. SPYvSPY == 0wned by Lazyhound · · Score: 1

      I think you just did a pretty good job yourself, actually.

    4. Re:Well done. SPYvSPY == 0wned by Kwiik · · Score: 1

      Evidence..hrm. Ok.. I've noticed this in someone I used to consider a friend. His name is David. Now he likes to throw in occasional blurbs about how he had a really in depth conversation with XXX, hinting that I'm a dumbass for not taking philosophy. You never said what kind of Evidence. Goooo anecdotal evidence! J00 roool!

      --
      Vehicle Stars used car search is my current project
  161. Only by Pfhor · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well, only some from people I have met. One of my good friends is graduating as a philosophy major, and he really enjoyed the movie. But he is not a typical philosophy major from what I understand.

    On a somewhat related note, a good book to pickup is Philosophy and the Matrix, which goes into depth about some of the philosophical ideas touched on in the movie (Descartes mad scientist / brain in a jar sceneriao, etc.).

    1. Re:Only by buswolley · · Score: 1

      brain in a vat

      --

      A Good Troll is better than a Bad Human.

    2. Re:Only by jayratch · · Score: 1

      Was it just me, or were Neo and the Oracle REALLY making some blatant metaphysics jokes.
      It seemed to me that anyone having taken a class on metaphysics should have been laughing through the movie. But then maybe I was the only one.

      Also anyone else who would have taken the '76 Eldorado over the '03 CTS without question?

    3. Re:Only by Drakonite · · Score: 1
      Was it just me, or were Neo and the Oracle REALLY making some blatant metaphysics jokes. It seemed to me that anyone having taken a class on metaphysics should have been laughing through the movie. But then maybe I was the only one.

      Actually most of the people in the theatre I went to were laughing a lot during the movie. There was a tremendous amount of subtle jokes. The Oracle & Neo talk was pretty funny at some points.

      Also anyone else who would have taken the '76 Eldorado over the '03 CTS without question?

      Yes... There were a lot of cars I would have taken (that they were around) instead of what they did take..

      --
      Shoot Pixels, Not People!
    4. Re:Only by L0k11 · · Score: 1
      I thought Keano wasn't really saying much... because he cant act?

      Most of the important lines were given to someone with a bit more talent... like trinity, morpheous, the architect etc...

      neo just sort of stands around and randomly says "wow" "i dont believe that" and "why?"

      --
      "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything" -- Josef Stalin
    5. Re:Only by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Tonight I saw the movie with 4 philosophy professors at a major research university. Every single one thought this one of the worst and dumbest movies ever made, worse than Highlander 2.

      Please don't confuse that drivel for philosophy. That movie was totally incoherent. The writers knew it and tried to patch it up with gratuitous and expensive kung fu scenes. Maybe I should mention this: the professors vowed that if any element of a student's paper so much as reminds them of M2, that paper gets an F. Not out of spite, but because they won't tolerate the passing off of vacuous crap as deep insight. And they can tell the difference.

      I seriously thing your friend should change majors, lest be be laughed out of every philosophy graduate program on earth.

    6. Re:Only by Pfhor · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Just because he enjoyed it does not mean he has to agree with the philosophy of the film. Nor does his enjoyment of the film have anything to do with his ability to understand philosophy. I agree that the film does not put out ideas such as Waking Life (which is one of my favorite films) but I still enjoyed it. It was good entertainment, and it had some nice morsels of information to chew on for a bit (the whole "you are the 6th One to happen" meaning that the matrix has been running for a lot longer than anyone thinks).

      But then again, I tend to love the movies everyone hates, re-animator, buckaroo banzai, etc.

    7. Re:Only by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 1
      I don't think you understand. There was no such thing as the "philosophy of the film" to agree or disagree with. There was a lot of senseless babble about causality and free will, but it really was nothing more than babble.

      The point is, anybody who takes an intro philosophy class and can't recognize that crap for the babble that it is deserves an F. One of the most important goals a philosophy instructor aims to accomplish is to give her students the tools to distinguish an intereting idea from complete, ill-considered bullshit. The reason why philosophy professors viscerally hated Reloaded is because it really was nothing but babble shamelessly presented as "deep."

  162. Thoughts on the Movie by Caffeine+Pill · · Score: 1

    -- Spoiler Warning --
    Do not read this if you haven't seen the movie. Aside from making little sense, it will screw up the movie for you.
    -- Spoiler Warning --



    Ok, with that out of the way... a couple of thoughts on the film and the plot of the movies.

    First, notice that now we see that Zion is simply another method of control. It is a holding tank for those that choose to wake up. All previous version of the Matrix failed because people were locked into the program. Giving the mind the ability to choose... this is what makes this Matrix work. People are generally not aware that it's possible, but they have a choice. Once they wake up - that's when they find their way to Zion.

    Now, knowing that Zion is a holding tank it becomes necessary every 100 years or so for the machines to purge this tank. So they create a 'One' and (when he is ready) they lay that choice on him. 1. Cooperate with them. Destroy Zion, pick 15 people to start another Zion, and we will let humanity survive. 2. Defy us and all humans die.

    Back up a bit. First movie, Morph is just telling Neo about the world he lives in. He says that years before 'there was a man that woke up in the Matrix - he could make control the code and he predicted another like him would come to free us'. This man, this was the 'One' prior to Neo. This guy 'freed' the last Zion (helped destroy it) and then took 15 people out of the Matrix and began the new Zion. He told them that another would come because he knew that eventually Zion would have to be purged once again. It's a cycle that has happened 6 other times.

    As to the age of Zion, Neo points out that either the poeple didn't know, or they didn't tell. All that the original 15 people had to rely on was what the 'One' of that time told them. He very easily could have said that it had only been few years since the machines took over - even though he knew that it'd been closer to 600. They just woke up, they don't know how long things have been carrying on like this.

    Lastly, I wonder what happened to the previous 'One'. The speech that happened in Zion with the head of the council... could that be the original 'One'? If so it would explain why he wanted Neo to understand that people needed machines - even in Zion.

    Then of course there are Neo's powers outside of the Matrix. I don't think that he really has 'Power's in the super man sense. I think that he can now simply interact with the machines. Look at what happened with Smith when he sombined with Neo. A part of each of them rubbed off on the other. Smith gained that ability to manipulate the Matrix, Neo can now sense agents right before they come in. This happened when they were meeting in the beginning. He 'felt' that agents were coming - because a part of Smith rubbed off on him.

    Now look at the end of this movie. He combined with the Main Frame (while talking to the Archetect). So now he can sense the sentinals in the same way. Just like at the start of the movie, as the sentinals are moving in he says that he can feel them. Then he interacts with them on a machine level. With all that wiring still left in his body, is it so hard to believe that he could interface with the machines by willing it? especially with the bits of code the he picked up by joining with the main frame?

    So I'd predict that he can't fly in the real world - he's not now some kind of super man. What he can do though is fight the machines - hack into them - with out having to be connected in any way.

    Sorry to ramble, it's just good to see an intricate universe (and plot) in a sci-fi movie these days. With all of the tight leather and fight scenes of course. Never forget the tight leather and fight scenes.

    1. Re:Thoughts on the Movie by schappim · · Score: 1

      one word defines this movie - 'Wow' ~marcus

  163. Wouldn't it be funny by mattboston · · Score: 1

    if The Matrix was like The Sim. You have some person making this world where he plays Neo, Trinity, et al. And then they try to escape the Sim's. So the gamer moves them over to a new expansion pack "Zion".

  164. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by edmo · · Score: 1

    I agree. I realized that the world where Zion lives isn't real as soon as Agent Smith downloaded himself to it at the beginning.

    everyone keeps saying Smith downloaded himself(itself?) into Zion, but I didn't see it. Now maybe I missed the seen w/ Smith running thru Zion city, but the only thing I saw related to Smith and the fighters of Zion was when he corrupted their avatar. I wrote a nifty script for use w/ ever quest that lets me take control of anyone avatar that I chose. This dose not mean I down load myself into them, just that I stole their avatar...
    You may say that the betrayer picked up from Zion is Smith down loaded into another body, but I don't think so, firstly Smith is no longer playing the machines agenda, secondly, the other machines want Smith dead and so wouldn't spare him when they wipe out Zion.
    Obviously the Matrix is a story of subterfuge, but if we assume everything is false then we have no basis for our theorizing

    --
    Don't save your orgasms for Heaven; Heaven knows we need them here.
  165. Matrix 3 trailer by rfrenzob · · Score: 1

    Make sure to stay through the credits when you see Matrix 2. There is a trailer for Matrix 3 at the end of the credits.

    1. Re:Matrix 3 trailer by jazmataz23 · · Score: 1

      the last thing I wanted to do after that movie was stay longer for more. I ran for the exit and purged myself. Awful awful crap.

      --
      Death to Argument by Slogan!! (This post twice-encrypted with ROT-13. Replies not using same will be ignored)
  166. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But if they did have a Taco Bell, would everything on the menu taste like chicken?

  167. yub yub by tregoweth · · Score: 1

    When the big dance scene in Zion started, did anyone else think, "Hey, it's like a rave in the Ewok village"?

  168. Architect isn't human, though by phorm · · Score: 1

    But the architect states that he wasn't able to create proper Matrices... because he's too logical (as he prefers to think it, too perfect) and his mechanistic mind cannot assimilate a blend of ideal/believable world for humans.

    Didn't he mention another that had to help come up with that. A lesser mind. Perhaps he/she is the key to the Matrix?

    1. Re:Architect isn't human, though by astro-g · · Score: 1

      perhaps the lesser mind was the first "one" after all, the one is the key to the matrix, he/she survives the destruction of the old matrix, chooses 35 people (imho, etc)(not 12, as has been posted) to start the new zion. he lives for some time in the next matrix.

  169. Zion Interface vs Minority Report Interface by somethinghollow · · Score: 0

    In one scene, when the Neb was entering Zion, a big white control room was shown. If anyone caught it, the interface looks the same as the one in Minority Report. So, who had the idea first?

  170. Dominant gemes? by phorm · · Score: 1

    Certain racial characteristics also tend to breed more true. See the common results of "person of obvious ethnicity bred with caucasian blonde" etc. Yes, the racial traits may be dulled down, but they will still breed through... and those carrying the traits could perhaps breed it more truely depending on gene recession, etc.

  171. People clap at movies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    for the same reason people clap at concerts, plays, and so on.

    The only difference is, in the case of the movie, the performers don't hear your clapping, so it's mostly just for the sake of expressing your appreciation of the performance to your fellow viewers.

  172. How Matrix Revolutions ends by Megor1 · · Score: 1

    Neo wakes up... Ted: Bill I just had the most bogus dream Bill: Were there any hot chicks? Ted: Totally! Bill: Excellent! Both do air guitar

    --
    Everyone that disagrees with me is a paid shill
  173. Re: No, not always by benzapp · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I majored in philosophy and I can honestly say I didn't learn a damn thing in college. The university structure is in general stiffling to learning, but much moreso for philosophy. Many of the most important philosophers clearly articulated how teachers are a threat to knowledge. You can imagine how difficult it is to discuss such a subject in philosophy class.

    Most philosophy professors are also way out there, completely detached from reality. Since philosophy is primarily about life, most of these people just didn't seem to get it. They either were obsessed with the academic favorites (Descartes, Marx, Kant) or with the new ethical philosophers (peter singer, animal rights). I always leaned much more towards Plato, Aristotle, and Nietzsche but I had to read most of their works on my own time.

    University study of philosophy CAN make people elitist however, because certain works by certain philosophers are simply too complex to study without devoting months of your time. Kant's Critique of Pure Reason is a behemoth, Marx's Das Capital has still never been completely read by any man alive today. Both books are bigger than all of Plato's writings combined. Das Capital is easily longer than all of Nietzsche's writings combined.

    In most cases, I don't believe a man's self esteem will allow him to read a book for a year and say afterwards "That was a load of crap". They inherently begin to believe what they are reading not only has value, but only someone who spends their life reading it can understand it.

    Anyway, that is a rambling theory...

    --
    I don't read or respond to AC posts
  174. Re:or.. OR.. by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 0, Troll

    you could be a moron, and people who notice things are smarter than you not because they are impressively intelligent, but just that you are impressively stupid.

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
  175. Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by SPYvSPY · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    The point is that listening to you fanboys talking about the Matrix as if it's some kind of amazing metaphysical revelation is really annoying to a person like me that's actually read Plato's fucking allegory of the cave, which was written 2000+ years ago and is more interesting and concise and comprehensible than the Matrix and has been retold eight hundred million times in the interim. If that makes me elitist, then it also makes you a pus-nuts dumbshit.

    1. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by PseudoThink · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't blame you at all for being annoyed about Matrix fan-worship...I agree with you, and your point was already clear. My question was rhetorical, but benzapp submitted a thought-provoking response...maybe I only think it's thought provoking because I haven't read Plato and I'm a pus-nuts dumbshit? It's not your opinion that makes you elitist, it's your attitude, and your choice of words that makes you ass.

    2. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by Mr_Matt · · Score: 1

      If that makes me elitist, then it also makes you a pus-nuts dumbshit.

      Although I fail to see the logic in this statement, I'm willing to accept at face value that those of us who lack an extensive background in philosophy are perhaps missing out on some of the finer aspects of Modern Thinkin' (TM). Hey, maybe we have better things to do with our time than sit around and ponder the unponderable - somebody's gotta keep the power on for guys like you, right?

      Look, it's just a fucking movie. I saw it, enjoyed it, and maybe it encouraged me to dig into some philosophy, just to see how much more there is to know. I'm sure you're right - Plato probably put together a tighter thesis two millenia ago. Will I find out for myself? I'd be interested if it didn't mean wading into a crowd of self-centered, arrogant pricks whose only purpose in life is demonstrating their depth of knowledge in a limited field with little practical application to real-life.

      Consider that, if you will: as much as you deride people for not knowing anything about philosophy, your attitude ensures that this won't ever change. In other words, you're as much a part of the problem as we are. The sooner you recognize this, the sooner I'll get interested in "real" philosophy. I, of course, am not holding my breath.

      Your move.

      --


      But what does my opinion matter, I just vote here. It's not like I have any money or anything.
    3. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by MadAhab · · Score: 1
      Fascinating. The Matrix is for dummies, and yet you find difficulty in comprehending it.

      The funny thing is, I don't hear ANYONE talking about how its "some kind of amazing metaphysical revelation" except MENSA wannabes like you making a straw man out of it. I saw the movie, I thought it was great, and I didn't think it was a revelation, though I thought it was rather nice that the filmmakers let you know now and again that they may have actually read, for example, Plato's allegory and understood it, and don't feel the need to talk down to anyone OR dumb it down. Unlike you you worthless fuck.

      The problem with elitist numbfucks like you spouting off is that you are completely incapable of consistency or awareness of context. Do I hear you ranting about how Metropolis was a fucking stupid movie because you read Marx? Do you know anything about the history of the idea of a city at the center of the earth? Would you recognize a visual quote of Tarkovsky if you saw it? Can you name a movie from 1993 where the Wachowskis probably got the idea for the bullet trails, and describe the connection the Matrix has to that movie? Do you have anything to contribute except pretending to be smart?

      Quit bluffing, fool.

      --
      Expanding a vast wasteland since 1996.
    4. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by umanohone · · Score: 1

      I didn't like the line from Seraph "You don't know someone until you fight them" BUT if the point is, you don't "know" something until you practice it, then I give you this thought, along those same philosophical lines:

      All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience.

      --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

      Thus, sometimes we need to think about things in as many ways and forms as possible for them to be cemented into our being. We must experience and reexperience them, from precontemplation to contemplation, to action, and over again. I enjoyed how the movie would first say something, and then practice that something.

      I appreciate a philosophic stance in a movie, even if some of the other parts, like the fight scenes could have tighter (the hurly burly or the free-way) or changed (we saw ghosts, but why didn't the werewolf change shape? or the vampires? that could have been cool), and yeah, the sex was definitely gratuitous, but if we're talking about obeying programming (causality) then the sex drive is one of our most fundamental urges.

      anyways, those are just my two cents.

      -uma

    5. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by LilGuy · · Score: 1

      Plato's allegory isn't shit either buddy.. we read that in BASIC English 101.. no big deal, yes thought provoking, but I don't see how you're all comparing The Matrix to all these philosophical books and saying one > the other. If they provoke thought on your part, then they're philosophical in my eyes. I've got about 4 or 5 philosophy books now because I read Plato's Allegory and liked it very much, but I believe the Matrix was the first thing that sparked interest in philosophy for me.. I was what, 15 or 16 when that came out.

      Whether you sit through a 2 hour movie, or you read a book that takes you 3 years, the most important thing is that it sparks an interest and keeps you thinking. That's all I gotta say.

      --

      You're nothing; like me.
    6. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by Wakko+Warner · · Score: 1

      Dude, just quit while you're behind. You've clearly been thoroughly schooled.

      - A.P.

      --
      "Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
    7. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by ionpro · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The problem is that it's not the same at all. The Matrix is a work of fiction. Sorry to break it to you, but it is. As such, it's meant to be -- this may be hard -- entertaining. An entertaining story for cinema and an entertaining story in a book are also two entirely different and not exactly agreeable animals. 90% of the people in the world never even consider philosophy at all. So if this is an entertaining story which just happens to bring those philosophical ideas to those people, what, exactly, is wrong with that?

      Get off your high horse, buddy. It gets awfully lonely up there after a while.

    8. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by detect · · Score: 1
      If that makes me elitist, then it also makes you a pus-nuts dumbshit.

      Although I fail to see the logic in this statement, I'm willing to accept at face value...

      This is why I read Slashdot.

      --
      // The fastest Alt-Tab in the West
    9. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by Mr_Matt · · Score: 1

      Although I fail to see the logic in this statement, I'm willing to accept at face value...

      This is why I read Slashdot.


      Read it again, oh sharp-tongued one...no, that would probably be too hard. I'll break it down for you...

      Although I fail to see the logic in this statement...

      ...referring, of course, to the statement wherein grandparent poster claimed that being an elitist necessitates great-grandparent poster being a pus-nuts dumbshit...

      ...I'm willing to accept at face value

      ...something completely different, referring to philosophy and stuff. It's non-linear thought, eh?


      This is why I read Slashdot.


      Yeah, me too. :)

      --


      But what does my opinion matter, I just vote here. It's not like I have any money or anything.
    10. Re:Philosophy Classes Don't Matter by CableModemSniper · · Score: 1
      Can you name a movie from 1993 where the Wachowskis probably got the idea for the bullet trails,
      Blade? Oh no wait, according to IMDb that was '98. Nuts. Oh well.
      --
      Why not fork?
  176. On the rave/fucking by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 1

    I seem to recall in that "Behind the Scenes" matrix thing, they talked about other things the W's have done. In that part they mentioned how in the script for their movie, they wrote "This is the Sex Scene, and we're not cutting it."
    Just makes you think that this wasnt something added-in, that they just wanted to show something entirely human going on.

    That said, it sucked and the movie would have been better without it.

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
  177. New trailor for MATRIX REVOLUTIONS after credits! by acoustix · · Score: 1

    Make sure you stay for the credits (although they are really really long). After the creits they show a trailor for the next Matrix.

    -Nick

    --
    "A plan fiendishly clever in its intricacies"- Homer Simpson
  178. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't forget Panasonic in the first movie. EVERYTHING in Neo's room is made by Panasonic, and they do a very good job of makings sure that you notice that Neo is using a Panasonic pair of headphones to listen to music played on his Panasonic stereo sitting across the room from his Panasonic Panasync monitor, and is later awaken by his Panasonic alarm clock.

  179. SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zion by bindster · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why does everyone think Zion is destroyed? I would have never thought that this many geeks were afflicted with ADD.

    Recall please: The viewer is specifically told that a counter-offensive was launched at one of the key lines, to surprise attack the first wave of sentinels BEFORE THEY REACHED THE CITY. The counter-offensive seemed as though it was viable at first, but then one of the ships fired an EMP too early and disabled all the ships in the fleet; recall the line "it was a massacre" (paraphrase). Now, the one ship which Neo et al are found on in the end of the movie is the ship which was sent, BY ZION, to search for survivors. The crew of that ship hint that there may have been sabotage, and one reason we are given to support that conclusion is the discovery of only one survivor: A. Smith's real-word counterpart.

    After these events, the viewer is again shown that scene with the thousands of sentinels, probably because the makers predicted that some of you would believe that Zion was destroyed and they needed to show you that, in fact, the horde of sentinels are still waiting to get to Zion. Those of you who believe Zion was destroyed probably thought that these were sentinels who had reached Zion already, and had also had enough time to utterly destroy every marking, every indication that Zion had ever existed, and left only bare rock walls in its place.

    Another thing to think about: Morpheus says displays surprise after talking with Neo, because he expected the war to be over. If Zion is destroyed, the war is over, yet he isn't surprised because he found that Zion is destroyed (because it isn't) but rather that there are still machines lining up to get to Zion. Do you think there would be one, well-ordered, perfectly operating hovercraft left in the Earth's core to rescue them if there had been a battle for survival in Zion? Stop telling people that Zion is destroyed.

    --
    WARNING: DO NOT LET DR. MARIO TOUCH YOUR GENITALS. HE IS NOT A REAL DOCTOR.
  180. First 1/3 a bit weak, expecially Zionpalooza by phallen · · Score: 1

    Just had to say it: Zionpalooza... I crack my self up! Felt up to this point the movie dragged a but, but then, with the Burly Brawl, I was rivetted

    --
    If Slashdot is where the spelling-challenged go when they die, I'm in heaven.
  181. My Review by XO · · Score: 1

    It was great, however, it was basically 10 minutes of plot with an hour and 55 minutes of action scene crammed into it.

    As opposed to the review in the main article, I feel there was virtually NO character development. You get a new take on the Oracle and a bit of a view of how the Matrix functions, to some degree, but other than that, there's really not much of anything going on. It's all action after action after action after action.

    Then again, the sentinel thing at the end was quite the interesting surprise.

    As far as an action movie it was awesome...

    however, the fight scenes were NOT as awesome as they were made out to be before hand. The car chase was NOT as awesome as it was made out to be beforehand (in fact, some of the scenes in the car chase that were in the trailers, were not actually IN the movie...)

    --
    "Champagne for my real friends - and real pain for my sham friends!" http://ericblade.postalboard.com/
  182. Matrix shutdown by Gandalf1957 · · Score: 1

    Matrix 3 - Neo wakes up feeling like shite, looking like shite and swearing never to eat those damned shite mushrooms again :-)

  183. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by astro-g · · Score: 1

    especially given her husbands hobby of creating exotic foods, that do strange things to the people who eat them, Causing them ot do things, without the ability to choose not too. greek legend tells of persephone eating 6 of 12 pomegranit seeds, causing her to spend 6 of the 12 months of the year traped, married to hades. the other 6 are spent in the gardens of earth, when seperated from her mother, demeter, the mother weeps, and the trees, and skies weep with her - winter.

  184. Okay, wrap your mind around this. by LibertineR · · Score: 1
    GOD is a computer.

    Suppose that what we are going to discover in the third film, is that all that was left of the REAL "real world", was a computer and the DNA of an extinct society of humans that was discovered by alien life, and used as an archeological experiment to find out about what humans were like.

    SKIP AHEAD

    Now suppose for a moment, that all human religion, philosophy, culture and education were programming attempts by "GOD" to keep humans from repeating the mistakes that led to their being wipe out the first time around.

    I could be wrong, but I suspect that should NEO be successful and find the true "exit" from the Matrix, he will find himself either alone with a computer, or surrounded by aliens who have been working to free him for thousands of years.

    Yeah, I'm taking bets.

  185. Anyone else notice... by AzrealAO · · Score: 1

    that the "candy" the Oracle gave Neo, and that she herself ate looked like a little red pill?

    1. Re:Anyone else notice... by DarkMym · · Score: 1

      As the French Guy said... you still don't get it... you are just doing what you were told to do. (to come see him, etc). In fact, Neo is always doing what he is told to do... the entire time, so you could say this is cause and effect still in practice, he's following his program, his algorythm. He must realize it, and I think in the third film he will. Afterall, to truly be the messiah, I think you're going to have to have at least one original thought. ;)

  186. Impressive and all...but by hcduvall · · Score: 1

    ...were the upper torso's rounder and chunkier than most takes?

    That aside, I loved the set pieces. So this is what Jet Li would look like with more money. Keanu Reeves scenes in particular really went up a grade. I think I've watched too many kung-fu movies, but I always find the non-trained actors (even ones as extensively trained as Carrie Ann-Moss and Fishburne) looking a bit slow, first Matrix included. But Keanu upped the ante a lot. he could cinematically face Jet Li.

    1. Re:Impressive and all...but by robwills · · Score: 1

      Hmmmm, Upgrades!

  187. Excellent! by kernelfoobar · · Score: 1

    I too was lucky enough to see it last night. I thought it was very good. It explores more into the characters. It has many twists. Every new scene pops 10 new questions in your mind. It explains more then the first one (the story goes deeper), but it also raised much more questions. Stunts where excellent, great car chase, awesome fight scenes. I'll definitely have to whatch it again to understand some parts I missed. Congratulations to them, they did a great job, I loved it. Can't wait for revolutions.

    --
    Here we go again!
  188. ssh -l architect gatekeeper.matrix.net by Icephreak1 · · Score: 1

    architect@matrix$ su -
    Enter password: *******
    root@matrix# rm -rf /home/zion
    root@matrix# mkdir /pron
    root@matrix# wget http://goatse.cx/hello.jpg
    root@matrix# mv hello.jpg /pron
    root@matrix# mv /usr/bin/neo /pron
    root@matrix# mv /usr/bin/trinity /home/architect
    root@matrix# mv /usr/bin/persephone > /dev/NULL
    root@matrix# exit
    architect@matrix$ exit
    Connection closed by foreign host.

  189. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by The+Benefactor · · Score: 1

    Thats a good idea but would be too close to The Thirteenth Floor (which has been pointed out elsewhere today) where this idea has already been done. If the the brothers W decided to go with this story line I fell it would let the whole thing down.

    --
    To err is human, to arr is pirate.
  190. Something interesting I noticed (slight spoiler) by csnydermvpsoft · · Score: 2, Informative

    --SLIGHT SPOILER--

    One funny thing I noticed:
    In the scene where the Architect is talking to Neo (with all of the TV screens), when the Architect is talking about all of the atrocities (I think that's the word he used) that the humans have committed, as soon as he says the word "atrocity," a picture of George W. appears on the screens behind him. Coincidence? I think not.

  191. Colonel Sanders built the Matrix? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "After seeing the Matrix last night, now it all makes sense." This comment made by a anonymous movie fan of Baltimore, MD after discovering that the creator of the Matrix was in fact Colonel Sanders of KFC (Formally the place that sold chicken). "Neo entered that glowy room and wow I knew why I had been hooked on those 11 herbs and spices. That also explains why after some people didn't accept the 22 ingredients, KFC merged with Taco Bell and then A&W (at select locations) to form the mega fast food conglomerate." The anonymous fan also urged for those who have not seen the movie to not let this be the spoiler that other more enlightening post Armageddon cheese would surly have you believing that you to have been duped.

    1. Re:Colonel Sanders built the Matrix? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, I hated the Colonel, with his WEE BEADY EYES, and that SMUG LOOK on his face: "oh, you're gonna buy my chicken, yahh..."

  192. C'mon folks, keep your systems patched by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

    Everyone knows the SSH version 1 protocol is subject to attack. Use SSH protocol version 2, people.

    Actually, this looks a bit like a script kiddie tool, a unix login, and a Cisco access control. Fortunately, the sfx guy tasked for this screen wasn't a total noob showing us a scandisk screen or something.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  193. Havent seen this mentioned yet by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 1

    Though I probably missed it. If this is discussed elsewhere, sorry.
    A number of questions are often asked about The Matrix, usually more as attacks against it than as actual wonderings. Doesnt the whole thing violate thermodynamics? Why use humans at all? Why not gentically engineered flesh-sacs with heartbeats? Why do they need to view the Matrix "in code form"? Wouldnt it by its very nature be easier to see if the computer converted it to the images it sends to the brain?

    All of this is answered in one line: "There are levels of existence we are willing to except"

    It isnt the body's heat (though there's no reason why they couldnt also harness it just so that it doesnt go to waste) the machines want, it's their conciousness. More specifically, they're sub-concious. The Matrix isnt a world created by a machine, rendered, and shot into the person's eyes. It exists as it does only in the human mind. The machines link the minds together, send various information into the brain, and all that information is assembled by the conciousness into the Matrix as all experience it. That's why you can bend a spoon- the spoon doesnt exist anywhere at all outside of human conciousness. There's no machine anywhere carefully chugging away keeping track of what a spoon looks like, all it needs to say is that a spoon exists.
    All these AI's, on the other hand, are just tagging along for the ride. They skip from conciousness to conciousness, sometimes pushing the other person out of the way temporarily, and always doing something very important: existing.
    In this movie we see that the AIs care about living and experiencing, and they can be petty and frail, or at least they could be at one point.
    All these "older versions" of the Matrix, in which Agents would be stand-alone programs and travelled by way of back-doors instead of jumping into a person..
    And then my friends tell me to shut up when I talk about how Neo reallocated Agent Smith's swap space, thus allowing Agent Smith to understand the concept of memory allocation. Just because it's bullshit doesnt mean it's not true!
    Anyway, stopping here to allow others to speak.

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
    1. Re:Havent seen this mentioned yet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Get some fresh air. You're beginning to become unglued.

    2. Re:Havent seen this mentioned yet by AkroSushi · · Score: 1
      Not a new idea to me -- I remember thinking, "power? A huge, 'Connection Machine' made out of people's brains is available, and the machines are just using people for POWER?!" I think your thought is on target.

      Another possible spin... twice in M2 there was a reference to the idea of "conflict vs. synergy" or "parasitism vs. symbiosis:" 1. the Zion head councilman mentions synergy (we CAN turn off the machines that power Zion, but life would be difficult if not impossible) 2. the Architect also mentions interdependence, but prefers to the relationship with humans to be a parasitic one -- he wants the machines to have the upper hand ("there are levels of existence we are prepared to accept"). 3. the Architect and the Oracle represent logic and intuition, and both are necessary for a healthy functioning intelligence.

      Wonder if we're going to see some sort of co-operation / merging of the two opposites in the 3rd film; the war becomes cooperation, Logic and Intuition merge, humans are 'free' but must live with their machine brethren, kum-bay-ah, etc., etc. Yeah, sounds a bit hippie-ish, whaddyagonnado.

      We'll see where it goes. ;)

  194. You might not be a dumbshit... by SPYvSPY · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    ...but your rhetorical question champions the ignorant by characterizing those in the know as elitists. Let's put it this way: If I unilaterally, spontaneously attacked Matrix fanboys for being dumbshits, then, yes, I'd be an elitist. But, after hearing the umpteenth, longwinded attempt to discern the Matrix's metaphysical message (which inevitably concludes with the most primitive, pre-Platonic revelation, such as "how do we know that perceived reality is real?"), I've fucking had it. Someone has to tell these people how silly they sound, and I'm not too proud to be that guy.

    Attention Matrix fanboys: Be forewarned that your lip-flapping attempts to fill in the Matrix's metaphysical gaps will put the thinking world on notice that you slept through life's lessons on basic metaphysics.

    1. Re:You might not be a dumbshit... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      'Those in the know' are not necessarily elitists, but arrogant cockbreaths like you who bludgeon the rest of us with your own knowledge certainly are.

      Fuckwits like you should realize that the matrix, though admittedly philosophy-lite, is likely going to entice far more newcomers to begin studying philosophy than an endless array of arrogant pricks like you would ever do.

      How do you like that? Your own miniscule contribution to your beloved field will be dwarfed infinitely by what you consider popcorn philosophy. The irony is beautiful, you worthless cunt.

    2. Re:You might not be a dumbshit... by newt3k · · Score: 1

      You are reading too far in to our posts there, smart boy. All the Matrix fanboys are doing is trying to convey the subtle (small) connections the Matrix DID have with metaphysics* for you HUGE brained elite assholes. You're obviously too blinded by your reading glasses to see the small point that was made 100 posts ago and leave it alone.

      *you changed from that fancy 'p' word to an easier spelled one. bravo!

  195. What the hell's your major malfunction? by doc_traig · · Score: 1


    If these so-called fanboys want to draw a bunch of conclusions about life and its meaning from a movie, what of it? You're simply coming across as yet another uptight nerd who makes up for his shortcomings by seeking out reasons to cross your arms, snicker, roll your eyes, and call people dumb.

    Take a deep breath, relax, and stop concerning yourself about people treading on your educated opinions. You studied, you know. Good for you. Now shut up about it.

    --
    So long, michael. Don't let the door hit you...
  196. Re: No, not always by mrondello · · Score: 1

    Arrgggggg. This post brings back the memories of spending a half a semester on just the introduction to the Critique of Pure Reason. Our professor was truly convinced that the synthetic a priori was superceded in greatness only by the invention of sliced bread.

    I completely understand the idea of time invested in a philosophical ideas. Saul Kripke's Naming and Necessity took MANY hours of my life. I still pick it up now and again and always understand something new. The same goes for most of John Searl's work and of course the classics. The older I get, the more I realize that more time needs to be spent on all these past ideas. No matter what I would have said as a pompous student, I know now that I did NOT get it. I will undoubtedly say the same 20, 30, and 50 years from now.

  197. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 1

    Given that the Robots have had the humans in pods for atleast 500 years, I wouldn't doubt it if the Robots knew how to overwrite the synapses in the brain.

    --
    Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
  198. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by mknewman · · Score: 1

    Yeah, but Neo isn't actually a human, is he? He's a construct just like the Oracle, the Architect, the Frenchie, dead twins and the Smiths, right? So if he is a program but he actually has free will then he could stop the sentinals in the 2nd level Matrix (reality?) and may actually be escaped into the next level of reality while he is in the coma. Or, since he overrode his programming by stopping the sentinals the system may have deactivated his account, putting him into the coma. Just my $0.02.

  199. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Eil · · Score: 1


    Er, the movie doesn't specifically state that the sentinels are not attacking zion itself when they fly through the "ruins" of another zion. But it also doesn't explicitly state that zion is under attack, something I'm sure they would have mentioned.

    If you recall, near the end of the movie, the machines eventually drilled their way through to Zion. Of the ships that had been positioned to counter-attack the machines, one EMP'd prematurely and disabled 5 other ships leaving Zion practically defenseless. I may have missed something, but I do believe they mentioned that after this skirmish, the machines gave Zion a pass and kept digging further down. Where are they headed, then? To the earth's core? I think this may be an important point in the third movie that got unintentionally glossed over in this one. (There was a LOT going on at this point in the movie.)

  200. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 1

    Why design all this complexity and all this effort to keeping humans CONSCIOUS?

    The robots are still trying to break RC5 encryption.

    --
    Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
  201. give us a twist we dont expect... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    if you want a mind-fuck - should link Morpheus to the machines...at the end of the day who is the one that gives the people hope. The oracle? not really, it's morpheus' conviction in the oracle, the prophecy and the way things ought to be that leads the story on. wonder what the humans would do without morpheus...contrived hope and choice...

    not to mention the basic fact that he is the one "human" that constantly talks like the programs, would be interesting to compare his dialogue to the first one but frankly probably not worth the effort...

    running with morpheus as the center piece - power of the priest vs. the relgion, morpheus vs. oracle/prophecy ....real power vs. perceived
    power....again not a new concept and your hit over the head with it...

    spoiler & thoughts

    twins were wasted - such a cool concept and character and they lasted what 8 mins, the rave scene was longer, pointless superman flying scenes were longer...what a waste - one new interesting character and not even leveraged..

    every action sequence was shown in the trails

    matrix within a matrix (world within a world) is not an original concept and more importantly not worth a 4 year wait, plenty of much "simpler" movies (MIB, 13th floor, dark city, etc..) have exploited the same thing...(whats next snowboarding infront of an avalanche scene, thats only been done 3 times so far...)

    the roles reversed (humans are actually the machines and machines the humans - experiment in AI approaching humanity, etc...) is interesting but again been done and rather bland considering the wait and effort placed into the flick - only interesting thing here is figuring who is who...

    latex chick (cannt remember her name) was cool and the possibilities are endless as to where she falls - was just curious about one thing - she turns over the key maker, and basically waltzs out of the room through her now pissed off husband and his group of fighters...would you let her waltz out?

    religous undertones galore...would be interesting to know more about the brothers religous beliefs but again probably not worth the effort of exploring...if your sending us a message about the blind control relgion has on people and society (without them realizing it), and the fake sense of hope if provides your a bit late, those that don't understand that yet aren't going to get it from this movie...

    could have edited 20-30 mins out of the movie by just not explaining everything tiny thing to the audience, would have at least caused the need for some thought...

    "to be concluded" - your kidding right? I'd agree with someone's earlier comment, most of us would probably have walked into the sequel at 2am if it was offered; but come on arent there better ways of flowing between movie 2 and 3, be concluded ending seems the domain of the "pepsi movie challenge"...

    all in all -
    I was hoping for the end-all-be-all of sci-fi and movies in general, something that raises the bar on all fronts and redefines what we expect from hollywood. Probably an unrealistic expectation to begin with but this movie/franchise had all the components to pull it off. Oh well we wait some more.

    A portion of the movie was visually appealing (was hoping for more visual appealing without resorting to breasts & hot women) - but I'm hoping that some twists lands in the last one that makes this whole serious worthwile.

    At this point the first one stands on its own significantly stronger and more impressive then the first and second combined...

    -lm

  202. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by zorcon · · Score: 1

    Neo, you must choose; either a burrito with red sauce or with green.

    If you choose the red sauce, you will forget about the burrito and accept that the burrito you've always known is and always will be the same.

    But if you choose the green sauce, you will be taken deep in to the world of burrito potential. A tangy sauce that may or may not go well with sour cream.

    The choice is yours Neo.

  203. Re: No, not always by dlakelan · · Score: 1

    As someone who essentially (though not officially) minored in philosophy I can assure slashdot readers that:

    1) Not all philosophers are elitist assholes, though some of them are.

    2) Not all philosophy is worthless masturbation but some of it is.

    3) The Matrix has nothing particularly interesting with respect to philosophy, it is essentially a retread of the story of christ, and the idea that Descartes had about dreams vs reality.

    The most interesting philosophy courses I took were from Michael Bishop. His classes were thought provoking and relevent to everyday life. (Hi Mike!)

    The most interesting philosophy, to me, is philosophy of science, and philosophy of economics. The essential questions are what should we consider as rational reasons for making decisions about the world? How should we evaluate theories that others create? Why should we study science, or human action, and what constitutes the best types of scientific studies and discourse.

    Notice that the Matrix is not particularly relevent to any of those issues.

    --
    ((lambda (x) (x x)) (lambda (x) (x x))) http://www.endpointcomputing.com a scientific approach to custom computing.
  204. Anybody Else Notice . . . by Dausha · · Score: 1

    I saw the movie last night, good flick. However, there's one scene where there are *a lot* of small televisions. One of the characters is discussing the great evil in our history, and the monitors depicted many evil acts and a few villans. However, I also noticed that President Bush actually received more 'monitor' space than Hitler and Ayatollah Khomeni. A blatent political statement?

    --
    What those who want activist courts fear is rule by the people.
  205. Re: No, not always by 3Bees · · Score: 1

    I suspect that the lack of Nietzsche, Plato, and Aristotle in your education had more to do with your particular institution and the professors in it than anything else. The problem with many philosophers is that they often get shuttled between departments depending upon the politics between the instructors. I was a politics (poli sci at other schools) major, and we studied all three that you listed far more than we ever approached Marx (Kant and Hegel were also in the mix). I asked about the lack of Marx (relative lack) a couple times, and was told that he had been far more influential in x (pick one: Economics, History, Sociology) than in Politics. :-) I always found that funny, but...

    The split up is probably due to the impossibility of introducing more than a smattering of Big Ideas (TM) that these fellows discussed and having any hope of a shred or two sticking in the minds of the students.

    As far as the inability to admit to totally wasting ones time, that is a well documented psychological fact. It is a trait of humanity that is exploited well by bosses and politicians.

    --
    "I think we should tax people who stand in water! " - Mr. Gumby
  206. Two Points That Haven't Been Brought Up Yet ... by Porthos · · Score: 1

    *** SOME SPOILER STUFF ***
    *** SOME SPOILER STUFF ***
    *** SOME SPOILER STUFF ***

    Here are two things that no one's brought up yet. Any thoughts?

    CandyMan: Neo accepted a piece of candy from the Oracle. Was this akin to the cake that the blonde ate in the resteraunt? Though it wasn't shown in the same detail (thank goodness!), it could be a program that altered his choices for the rest of the movie. Maybe this is why "The One" isn't like the others.

    If you remember Neo's first encounter with the Oracle, you'll remember that he took a cookie. Same premise?

    Religions 'R Us: Here's one more likeness of Neo to religious lore. In one scene Trinity is seated, looking up in the air. She holds Neo in her arms; his body limp and lifeless. This is the exact image of a classic sculpture depicting Jesus and some lady. (I wish I could remember which one, but the last time I looked at stuff like that was in High School!) Uncanny, isn't it?

    -James

    1. Re:Two Points That Haven't Been Brought Up Yet ... by skybozo · · Score: 1

      And did anyone notice that the piece of candy that the Oracle ate looked exactly like . . . a RED PILL!

    2. Re:Two Points That Haven't Been Brought Up Yet ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's the Pieta by Michelangelo.

  207. What I thought of the movie by Gyorg_Lavode · · Score: 1
    In a word, superb. It was the Matrix expand in every way. Better action. Better plot. Better philisophical ideas.

    The action was amazing. You can see the crouching tiger hidden dragon influence in it. It doesn't have the grace and beauty of crouching tiger, but the amazing use of weapons, the speed of movements, and the fight scenes which are more than the enemies lining up 1 by 1 really show an attention to detail. Also, the use of the special powers of the certain enemeis is very well done. Not just using the ability to pass through material to be completely invincible, but using it on and off, to get into vehicles, and being restricted by not being able to use it because it would cause them to leave the vehicle. Being forced to use it to protect themselves but then not being realizing their objective because they used it.

    Second, the plot. It's pretty strait forward w/ a huge bend at the end. Machines are digging. We need to stop them. Of course at the source it makes a u-turn. Not bad but not Spirited Away.

    The philisophical portion. Well, of course it isn't Plato, or Aristotle. But the movie asks some very valid and fundamental questions, (which it attempts to answer). 1. Do we have free will? Not just in the matrix but anyone. 2. Are machines in control of humans, or will they be? While the philisophy students may complain that the explanation is to conveluted or that the movie is full of double speak (which it really is), they do ask those questions and they try to answer them. There is a very real, (as opposed to perceived), level of philisophical questioning in the movie though it is not well intertwined in the plot IMO as it has to be explicitly stated.

    --
    I do security
  208. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by superdan2k · · Score: 1

    Man, you were tired.

    What the original poster is referring to is the sequence in which Smith embeds his persona onto the hacker and then answers the phone, getting sucked down the line and into the "real world"...

    As for the Sentinels -- no, that was Neo in the "real" world...

    I use the quotes because as the Architect explained at great length, that Zion and the whole human rebellion is merely another layer of the Matrix to give the 1% of humanity that can't accept reality a place where they think they are in a "real" world, making "real" changes...

    The Architect specifically tells Neo that he's there to bring the cycle to an end and restart it from scratch -- walk through the one door and it all ends, you pick a new batch of men and women to start a new Zion, and it all recycles. You walk through that other door and it's all out war and the 250,000 humans of Zion will die, along with the rest of the human race, because the Matrix will collapse from its own inconsistency.

    This is why the Oracle knows everything Neo and everyone else is going to do before it happens -- it's already happened 6 times before! (as per the Architect) -- and each time, the "One" has selected to walk through the door and set things in motion again (this is the control system used to counteract humans' tendencies toward choice). Where Neo differs is that he is not acting like the "Ones" that have come before him. He opts to risk everyone and everything to know the truth and to bring the war to an end.

    --
    blog |
  209. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by superdan2k · · Score: 1

    As I stated in an earlier post in this thread, the Architect basically spelled out that Zion and the "real world" are an onion layer of the Matrix. That's why Neo was able to sense and act on the squiddies.

    --
    blog |
  210. Re: No, not always by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 1
    Call this Woods's razor:

    The meaning of what you have to say is inversely proportional to the amount of words required to express it completely.

    Philosophy is supposed to help the human mind comprehend the world. Thus a philosophy, rightly or wrongly, needs to operate withing the limitations of a human mind of average intelligence.

    At the very least you need to be able the explain you philosophy it to the people of average intelligence who are paying you to think it up.

    --
    "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
    --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
  211. Nelly Dance Video by imfreestylin · · Score: 1

    Didn't the whole Sex/Orgy Scene totally look like it was taken directly from that Nelly music video "Number One"? Blah.

    --
    "there is no truth, there is only you, and what you make the truth"
  212. Re:Boycott = Catch 22 by zuzzabuzz · · Score: 0

    So, you came to see "Stunning Gunfights and Brilliant Martial Arts" (violence is good) but instead got a "Huge Primal Orgy" (sex is bad).
    But you're really disappointed due to lack of "Philisophical Values" (we needs guns...lots of guns)?

    this is funny to me

    --
    -buzz
  213. whoa... by m1chael · · Score: 1

    ... ...

    --
    I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
  214. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by Wayfare · · Score: 1

    Not only that, but one of them (on the rescuing ship, don't remember who) says that they massacred the fleet and kept right on drilling. It would seem rather odd that they would continue to drill past Zion.

    I agree with you - I don't think Zion has been destroyed. But I also don't think that the Zion and the real world we have seen are in fact real. My theory right after I saw it goes with many other people's theories - there are several layers of Matrices, and now Neo and Smith are awake in the next layer. Smith said he was freed - was he freed from the next layer in? Are agents actually real people in a deeper level of the matrix? Did Neo free Smith to the first matrix we saw, then Smith got out to the 'real world'? Many things are possible with how they left it.

  215. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by mrondello · · Score: 1

    You missed the part where the avatar cuts himself on the hand and tries to kill neo in zion. It was a subtle hint that smith is in zion. His wounds healed, because he could control his new host and the world.

  216. It's not the population that bugs me... by Gldm · · Score: 1

    It's the environment. As soon as I saw the doors the ships have to fly into, I started going "Wait, they've been down here HOW long?" Zion just has too many resources to have been there only 100 years with a small population. How did they build a gigantic fortress-city, and dozens of antigrav ships, in 100 years? Ok they didn't have to invent the tech, they scrounged parts from the surface. Even so, the amount of carved rock, and then stuff on the engineering level... It's too much for that small a population to have built in that time. Not while they were working up from "16 women and 7 men" as the architect describes.

    So, either the machines pre-rebuild Zion (or pre-build if it's a different location each time), or it's fake. The different location thing bugs me because while yeah there's alot of tunnels, they fly around the damn tunnels all the time. It's too likely one of the ships would have stumbled onto it by now if there were ruins of multiple cities underground.

    Also Smith's copying himself into other people seems to be a hint, unless this turns into The 13th Floor again.

    An interesting thing is who knows and who doesn't know. I don't think any of the humans know, except Neo who now suspects. The Architect obviously knows, and probably the Oracle and the other guy who constantly refers to "Your predecessors." (gee subtle hint there?) I think the Agents in general DON'T know, except Smith, who's figured it out.

    --

    Introducing the new Occam Fusion! Now with sqrt(-1) fewer blades!

  217. Vocabulary nitpick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    KFC (Formally the place that sold chicken)

    FORMALLY is how you are dressed when you go to your prom.

    FORMERLY is how you describe a condition that once existed but now no longer exists, as in "I was formerly not such a grammar/vocabulary pedant on /., but it keeps getting worse and I feel like I need to do something."

    "Something" being correcting people in an attempt to slow the decline of coherent posts. Otherwise pretty soon this place will make as much sense as the imbecilic banter in the average AOL chat room these days:

    "ANY GIRLS TRYNA CHAT TO A 18/M HOLLA"

  218. The French man by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

    It is possible the French man is the first One and simply refused assimilation. He says he has survived Neo's predecessors.

    I presume the Oracle (or rather, her new form) in Revolutions will explain all that we saw in Reloaded. Joel Silver warned that people would be "confused as hell."

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
  219. Bottome Line (No spoilers) by Ezekiel+Zachariah · · Score: 1

    If you are a regular, non-elitist, kung fu fight loving person like me, go see the movie. It was funny, well written, and easily the best sci-fi movie to come out in years (since the first Matrix, in fact). Movies are movies, no perfection is possible, so if you want perfection don't EVER go see a movie. However, if you are looking for some laughs and a far better than your average movie, go see Matrix: Reloaded.

    Matrix: Reloaded is PART 1 in a 3 part series. Juding it alone is like judging your dinner by the salad. This movie provides the bridge between the first movie and the last(?) movie, and until the trilogy is complete, we don't know JACK.

    And for the snobbish, boring, elitest wankers who harp about special effects and Psy101 crap, go blow it out your ear. IT'S A MOVIE, you dickweeds, nothing more, nothing less.

    And it is a damn good one too. Or do you all want to go back to hacker/sci-fi movies like Hackers and Swordfish? Go see this movie to remind the studios that people like intelligent, well written movies, instead of whatever is hip with the newest Dawson's Creek actor.

    My question is, are the assholes bitching about pointless stuff TRYING to get good movies canned? Or are they just assholes?

    --
    "/. = :)"
  220. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by actor_au · · Score: 1

    For those of you who have seen the movie you know I am not making this up. I am surprised I did not see a Taco Bell inside Zion.

    It was destroyed in the third invasion of Zion.

    --
    Read Errant Story.
  221. Right, Exactly. by SPYvSPY · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You and I are saying the same thing, but approaching it from different angles. I have been saying all along that the Matrix is a story that was told (IMO, in a superior way) in the past, many times over. My point all along has been that the fanboys act as if the Matrix is the first instance of that revelation, just because it's the first time that they've experienced it. This would be excusably, really, except that any 20+ year old person that needs the Matrix to challenge the truth of their 'reality' is painfully late in the game.

  222. Re:Something interesting I noticed (slight spoiler by Wayfare · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I saw that. My friend swears he saw a short clip from Bill and Ted. I'm watching for that one next time I go.

  223. Video Game and story by 3DKnight · · Score: 1

    What people are missing is that quite a bit of the storyline can be seen in the Video Game... the game is pretty much a 3rd movie. It picks up from the Final Flight of the Osiris and follows the 2nd movie with a different cast.
    Here is the CNN article

  224. Re:or.. OR.. by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 1

    What? No! Not troll, this time I was stating a perfectly valid counterpoint! you people just dont understand at all.

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
  225. and the words come bursting forth by mattsucks · · Score: 1

    Saw it last night, and I've had a chance to sleep on it and let my opinions settle a bit.

    The love scene: At least Trinity didn't come running to Neo across a field of flowers ala Padme & Anakin.

    Neo vs. Smith, Smith, Smith, and Smith: uh ... c'mon. CG is good, but it just looks video gamey. Some of the moves were WAY cool, though, but nothing that beats an old Jackie Chan flick.

    Car chase: I would have enjoyed it much more played at full speed all the way through, instead of constant interruptions by slo-mo segments. The editing seemed kind of brute force in that respect: "Hey, something cool is happening here so pay attention, we're gonna slow down so you don't miss it."

    Zion, the city: hey, I liked Zion the underground CG city. I've read several reviews bashing Zion for being goofy looking, but it looks just like every other metropolis buried at the center of the earth that I'VE been to.

    Dialog: hit-or-miss. Nothing made me cringe, after all this is a sci-fi adventure movie, not a Woody Allen film. Although now I'm picturing The Matrix: Reloaded as directed by Woody Allen .... 100 neurotic Agent Smith clones attacking Neo with their endless self-doubt and witty criticism ... hheheeheheh ....

    The ending, to all who express dismay at the cliffhanger-ness of it all: were you people not paying attention? It was SUPPOSED to be a big time cliffhanger. geez.

    Overall: please see it on a big screen! Some of the action sequences just won't hold up on your 19" TV. And see it in a decent setting, with good sound.

    I give it a 6 out of 10. For reference, I'd give the first Matrix an 8. AoTC was a 2.

    1. Re:and the words come bursting forth by mattsucks · · Score: 1

      The more I think about it, the more I wish I could Reload my $7.50 into my wallet.

      (yeah, i know, replying to myself, how lame)

  226. Thank you for rescuing my honor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There are too few gentlemens out there, thank you for your help Sir. :)

  227. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by tyrione · · Score: 1

    Regarding your Math,

    The Iterator you use seems to break down on the third iteration.

    1750 morphs into 8750 and then 43,750 morphs into 218,750 after halving and then magnifying by a factor of 10.

    So taking i(n) = i(n-1)*0.5*10 where n is the current iteration and n-1 the previous result. Also, 0.5 is a constant variable for women and each woman able to generate 10 healthy offspring in a single life span less than 100 years.

    It seems more like:

    12 * 0.5 * 10 childen = 60 ppl
    60 * 0.5 * 10 = 300 ppl
    300 * 0.5 * 10 = 1500 ppl
    1500 * 0.5 * 10 = 7500 ppl
    3750 * 0.5 * 10 = 18,750 ppl
    18,750 * 0.5 * 10 = 93,750 ppl
    93,750 * 0.5 * 10 = 468,750 ppl

    So it looks like somewhere within the 6th generation the number exceeds 250,000.

    Regarding "THE CHRISTOS and BUDDHA": Both would be equivalent from an Occult perspective and note I said, "THE CHRISTOS" not Jesus Christ which is in itself a bastardization of the term THE CHRISTOS since it is a title bestowed upon an enlightened human being, not "The Son of God" as so the dying pantheon of Christianity proclaims. What The Christ and Buddha have in common is the representation of Suffering. For rebirth to occur the third chapter in the saga would have to represent War of the Conquering Child which NEO equivalently represents--a completely necessary and neither Christ Like nor Buddhistic approach but one of a Horus stance. Horus being the third representation of the Osisis-Isis-Horus pathway. The Crowned and Conquering Child who is the God of War and Meditation.

    I expect the World of Illusion to to be what it is--a unique and individualistic changing of reality that will take more than 6 generations to occur, to say the least since it doesn't happen on a Global scale but a Local/Individual scale.

  228. Free Will by CFTM · · Score: 1

    I have yet to see the latest matrix but from what I can clean, the topic of primary concern is free will. I'm a philosophy major at a university on the west coasts and the states and free will is a quesiton of the utmost importance, basically there are three schools of thought running behind free will. The first is we have to have it because of X, Y and Z. The second is that it does not exist because of A, B and C and the final school of thought, which I'm much more inclined to agree with is, it is impossible for us to ever know. Immanuel Kant was the first philosopher, that I know of, to speculate on the limits of our knowledge. Basically he says that both schools of thought are in fact when we attempt to overstep cognitional limits.

    Now, the question that you may be asking is, how does this pretain to the matrix? To me it pretains in that the matrix is merely a presentation of an idea that forces you to think. There is no Truth merely a set of ideas that potentially explain how the world operates. I believe that modern science presents evidence with things such as the Hsienberg/Uncertainty Principal. If we know the position then we can't know the momentum and vice versa, and if we could know both then we could predict where every sub-atomic particle has and will ever be thus in a recursive nature we could predict where everything has been and will be. I think that in itself supports the both and answer of free will, ultimately what that leaves us with "What's the point?". Which raises the question which is more important the quesiton or the answer. I believe the quesiton is important and not the answer, and the matrix gives you the opportunity to think.

  229. Re: SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Cally · · Score: 1

    >(Without reading that paper, I'd guess:) Life's what seems to have meaning to us? Cool.

    No, it's deeper than that... insofar as I could grok it, he was saying that the Matrix is not real because the envatted Neo (etc) think it's real. If it were, then a psychotic who thinks that eg the CIA are in league with the martians to beam radio signals to him would be correct. It's.. ah hell, it's 8pm here and I'm just back from work; get into the paper, as I said it's heavy going in places but worth persevereing.

    Enjoy! :)

    --
    "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
  230. Re: Clap at a movie, wtf? by cosmcactus · · Score: 1

    Where I go to movies, you would get your ass kicked if you clapped during the movie. What is the point? It's not like the directors are sitting there appreciating your applause. Do people clap at home when they watch the DVD too? Human behavior can be so odd when you step back and look at it. Just go to a dance club and observe and analyze with that thought in mind; you'll see what I mean.

  231. Is Agent Smith human? (spoilerish things) by st0rmshad0w · · Score: 1

    Have just watched the trailer for Revolutions as well as being inundated with opinions about Reloaded I've come to a conclusion. Smith is human.

    1. Why is Smith the only Agent with any emotional expression? And why is he so insistant on "getting out of here", where the hell would he go anyway?

    2. Why the hell is he BACK? (Extra life! W00t!) Yes other Agents return when "destroyed" but there's nothing to say that they are in fact the same Agent, maybe just another copy of the program gets loaded. Smith is far too individual.

    3. Ok yeah, Zion/Reality is another Matrix, who didn't see that coming, but why exactly. Yeah it could be to catch the 1% who don't buy into the Matrix concept, but I have a different idea. I think its a war game. I think it exists because there IS some sort of actual rebellion and the Matrix/Reality simulation exists to aid the machines in finding a way to finally solve the human problem.

    4. Given all that I think Smith is a human, forced by the machines to live in the simulate Matrix/Reality to find a way to defeat the rebels by winning essentially a war game.

    About Revolutions:

    Based on the trailer it looks pretty highly possible that the machines or Smith do find a way to defeat the Real humans but are surprised to see that Neo (of Matrix/Reality) turns on them, joining the ranks of the Real humans (One line: "He fights for us."), most likely with the knowledge that he himself is unreal.

    Just conjecture, but if I'm right I'm gonna be pissed.

    1. Re:Is Agent Smith human? (spoilerish things) by EpsCylonB · · Score: 1

      Smith is human

      I haven't seen it, not out in the uk for a week, but maybe the zion matrix is a training ground for new agents.

  232. The 'Rave at the Center of the Earth' scene... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...was a little TOO long, IMHO. It's like, "Okay, I GET it! Neo and Trinity are banging! Can we see some more fighting, please???"

  233. Article on The Onion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So was this accurate?

  234. And NO gays allowed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is no Adam and Steve, no Eve and May, no chicks with dicks, no biker chicks with V6 dildoes, druggies, or any other such deviancy.

  235. i saw it last night and... by Giant+Killer · · Score: 1

    ... i will never complain about star wars episode I or II. i thought it was that bad.

  236. Yet another review...minimal spoilage... by raytracer · · Score: 1

    First of all, the good stuff:

    The effects are pretty cool. Great fight sequences. Lots of action. Yes, more of the classic Matrix effect, but done more aggressively and with good impact.

    The general storyline is heading in what I view as a fairly interesting (but ultimately predictable) direction. The theme is worthy of real science fiction.

    Now, on to the not so good stuff.

    At two different points in the film, the story is advanced by two individuals explaining what is going on with a long monologue. These monologues break the action and create unnecessary pauses. I think they represent poor screenplay, because if the movie were really done well, you wouldn't need to stop the action and explain what is going on.

    There is a very clumsy set of editting near the end of the film where three teams go off in different directions. The action is very muddled on screen.

    At least one major event occurs off screen, and we only hear about it second hand.

    There is one long techno dance sequence that makes me think I'm watching a Zima commercial.

    Overall, I give the film a B. It delivered what I went to see. The irritations are nowhere near as bad as watching the love scenes in Episode II.

    Go, geek out, enjoy.

    1. Re:Yet another review...minimal spoilage... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > There is a very clumsy set of editting near
      > the end of the film where three teams go off
      > in different directions. The action is very
      > muddled on screen.

      As I understand, it's because some of that action actually occurs in the video game.

      I haven't played it yet, but I read that in the game you control Niobe or Ghost in a story that parallels the movie. I noticed that we didn't see very much of how (a) Niobe got her car right behind Morpheus in the freeway fight scene, or (b) how her team blew up the power plant at the end.

      My guess it that this is intentional -- you get to do those parts yourself in the game.

    2. Re:Yet another review...minimal spoilage... by raytracer · · Score: 1

      My guess it that this is intentional -- you get to do those parts yourself in the game.

      It's absurd to center part of the movie experience around a video game. For my $8.50, I expect to see the whole story, not just part of it.

  237. It was booed in this college town by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I went to the 10:01 p.m. show last night ... and it was booed at the very not-quite-an-end ending. I payed full price for half of a movie. In addition, there were severy unnecessary quasi-pornographic scenes. I would not take my girlfriend or anyone who I see as very pure to see it. But it sucked so much I might not go see the next one anyways.

  238. Re:My nitpicks- the cake scene by MBooty · · Score: 1

    Re: The cake scene- This is kind of farfetched, but it's possible that the cake scene was there to introduce the idea of food as a control program. Both times we see Neo visit the oracle, she gives him something to eat(a cookie the first time, and a little red candy(pill?) the second time).

  239. Went to it at lunch by computechnica · · Score: 1

    I Love being a programmer. Took an extended lunch and went to a matinee. Short line, the theatre was half full. They(Regal cinema) screwed up the sound on the reel change so they gave everyone another ticket.

    Any way the movie was excellent. Good plot. Good mix of slow story telling and fast action scenes. Some weird gothic references(ghosts,werewolves).

    Go see it in a loud theatre with a big screen. My home theatre system is better than Regals, Can't wait to buy the DVD;)

  240. Nudity/Sex? by bmantz65 · · Score: 1

    From reading various reviews and comments here, it seems like there are gratuitous sex and/or nudity scenes in the movie that really are embarrassing or such. Is this true, in your opinion?

    1. Re:Nudity/Sex? by talks_to_birds · · Score: 1
      If you have to ask the question, you can't handle the answer...

      t_t_b

      --
      I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
    2. Re:Nudity/Sex? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It IS rated R after all. Have your mommy cover your eyes during the sex, but make sure you experience all the violence. This is America after all!

  241. Re: No, not always by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    (Hi Mike!)

    Hi!

    Oh, wait, you were talking to that Bishop guy? Sorry.

    --Mike

  242. 2 things by sootman · · Score: 1

    1) I like the way it started--no credits or anything, just the TW & Roadhouse logos (green & fuzzy, of course), the name of the movie, and right into the action. good way to start.

    2) I personally felt that the love scene between Neo and Trinity was a little overboard, and that a lot more could have been said with a much more subtle approach.
    No way. I was hoping for Titanic-quality nudity, at least. >:-> So close, yet so far...

    --
    Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
  243. Agreed by GooseKirk · · Score: 1

    The Zion scenes were pretty terrible. A lot of people seem to be complaining about the rave/sex scene (which didn't bother me mostly because the music reminded me of the classic Frankie Goes to Hollywood "Two Tribes" extended mix), but I was grinding my teeth through all the scenes with the angry commander guy and the dopey council people. There was so much eye-rollingly lame crap to sit through, most of it felt like a bad Star Trek episode. Shitty acting, lousy script, poor direction. Even the set design in Zion seemed weak... it looks like it was all designed to be grungy and hip circa 1995. And I notice they have beautiful high-tech air-traffic control centers, but apparently no one in Zion's ever heard of a freakin' washing machine. You'd think the Chosen One could get a little laundry service.

    I even thought some of the fights were tiresome. Big deal, Neo slapfighting somebody... it may be nice choreography, but it's all clinical. The Burly Brawl is fun, but it's Morpheus' fight scene on the semi that's really worth sitting through the rest of the drek for. Great stuff.

    I'm not saying the first Matrix script was a stroke of genius, either, but there was nothing in the second one that was as clever or fun as some of the bits in the first. And personally, I don't go for all the high school philosophy jibber-jabber... I appreciate that some people get a lot out of it or read a lot into it, but for me, it's a big freakin' yawn. Smoke some pot and read some Phillip K. Dick and get over it...

    I hope someone does a "Phantom Edit" on this one!

    1. Re:Agreed by jedinite · · Score: 2, Informative

      > And I notice they have beautiful high-tech air-traffic control centers, but apparently no one in Zion's ever heard of a freakin' washing machine.

      You missed a point - the air-traffic control centers were in a simulation (like the kung fu room in the original, etc). That's why they showed the controllers laying down plugged in to the chairs right before they showed them allowing the ship to enter Zion.

      A second viewing tends to make these minor points visible... :)

      --

      ---------
      There is no try at jedinite.com
  244. Re:Something interesting I noticed (slight spoiler by wwest4 · · Score: 1

    i think that's george h.w., not george w.

    blah blah blah posting delay.... done!

  245. Re: No, not always by Anonamused+Cow-herd · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ok, but I think that your problems are an artifact of your place of education, not the actual works you studied. Personally, philosophy study has taught me quite a bit about historical philosophical thought in a variety of realms and also modern controversies and the recovery from the now-widely-criticized Cartesian split. You can write all you want about how worthless your education was, but that is just it: it was your education. Philosophy is great, and I have learned more from philosophy (that I can apply to my actual life) than I have in any of my other studies, though I am a triple major (philosophy, German, psychology), as well as a professional technical writer, and contracting network administrator/web designer.

    I can't reasonably hope to disprove your non-coginitivist claims about your personal experience, but if you want to talk about _facts_, you mentioned a few that seemed ludicrous to me:

    Kant's Critique of Pure Reason is a behemoth, Marx's Das Capital[sic] has still never been completely read by any man alive today.

    There is no disputing that the Critique is huge, and most scholars have noted that Kant's writing style is so convoluted that understanding it is a task far beyond simply reading it. However, the reason you did not learn about the Critique in you undergraduate program is because you would need to spend an extremely intense period of time studying it -- usually in a course during graduate school. Most undergraduate programs just have you read the Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysics, a simpler version of the same ideas, most notably the second Cartesian revolution and the Theoretical Unity of Apperception. So, just go to graduate school, or read the prolegomena.

    Second, to say that Das Kapital has never been completely read by any man alive today is ridiculous, unless you mean only that it has never been fully understood by any man alive today, which is a question that is impossible to resolve. I would argue that it has been understood to its fullest logical extent in most general and particular contents by a great number of Marx scholars. Oh, and one more thing about Marx: I have never been forced to read Marx for an actual class, but have instead taken him on personally. This seems strange in one of the most thorough philosophy programs in the country, but as one of my professors said: we leave Marx for the less intelligent political science theorists.

    Both books are bigger than all of Plato's writings combined. Das Capital[sic] is easily longer than all of Nietzsche's writings combined.

    Ok -- this is just wrong. First, we don't have a lot of Plato's writings. Second, the Critique is NOT longer than all of Plato's KNOWN works combined for sure. The Critique is around 700 pages in a hardcover medium-type small-size edition. It really isn't that LONG, it is just amazingly thick.
    And you must not be the Nietzsche scholar you would wish to be, or you would know that he wrote a TON -- cretainly more than Das Kapital. Here is a short list from the web: The Birth of Tragedy (1872) Untimely Meditations (1873-1876) Human, All Too Human (1878) The Dawn (1880) The Gay Science (1882-1886) Zarathustra (1883-1885) Beyond Good and Evil (1886) The Genealogy of Morals (1887) The Wagner Case (1888) Twilight of the Idols (1888) The Antichrist (1888), and Ecce Homo (1888). This doesn't even consider works like The Will to Power, one of the greatest works of postmodern philosophy. Anyway, you were obviously mistaken on a variety of levels for the facts, and I think this reflects well on your general views about philosophy as well. About some of the great works being "loads of crap," you cannot imagine the massive tomes of philosophy that took years to read, that have been summarily dismissed by the philosophical community. Of note is the history of pre-modern philosophy, in which bishops and cardinals spent their entire lives writing one philosophical work, almost none of which are studied in contemporary philosophy.

    Anyway, that is the end of the lesson today =)...

    --
    -----[0_o]-----
    We are not amused.
  246. Just got back from the theatre... by Cruciform · · Score: 1

    *no spoilers - just general commentary*

    The Wachowski brothers did it again - literally. The kung fu action is just more of the same, and many of the bullet time effects and pans/dollys/etc. are put to use again. But then, it's the Matrix, why not? The 'burly brawl' scene is a lot of fun, and if you're not looking for it, it's hard to tell which characters are pure CG in some cuts, and which aren't. The car chase shown in the trailers is what makes the price of the tickets worthwhile though (if the slow spots put you to sleep, this will kick you in the ass and wake you up). There are time during the movie when there's so much spiritual talk you'd think you'd fallen into the middle of a hippie potfest, and it draaaags. But like any entertainment work, it must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. And as the middle piece in a trilogy they've done a fine job. Hugo Weaving could use some more screen time as Agent Smith, and Monica Belucci's character just seems to be an afterthought intended to draw in more horny 20-somethings.
    Once again there's not a lot of character development, and more questions than answers (and answers that raise more questions), but it's a kung-fu/gun/video game come to life. What's not to like?
    My expecations were way too high. It couldn't be helped. But I didn't walk out of the theatre feeling cheated.
    It wasn't mind-blowing, but it was fun. And that's what I paid for... an afternoon of entertainment.

    Worth the cost of a ticket.

  247. The best part of pop mythology by heroine · · Score: 1

    Ebert: "The speeches provide not meaning, but the effect of meaning: It sure sounds like those guys are saying some profound things."

    "That will not prevent fanboys from analyzing the philosophy of "The Matrix Reloaded" in endless Web postings."

    Slashdot: One of the best after-effects of the first Matrix was the way it made you question your own take on reality. It really made you wonder what's real, and what's not.

    Watching a professional critic talk about fanboys hanging on every line like it was deep philosophy and clicking over to read slash-shoppers hanging on every line like it was deep philosophy is the best part of these movies.

  248. Re: No, not always by Tiroth · · Score: 1

    Well, that was pretty obtuse. Let's face it, many concepts in philosophy can probably not be understood by a layman unless they are given considerable background. Other concepts may require a great deal of setup in order to make a cogent argument. Still others may simply be beyond the grasp of persons of "average intelligence."

    The validity of an argument in the abstract is not measured by my skill in presenting it to you.

  249. Part 2 of 3 by ca1v1n · · Score: 1

    I saw it last night. It was definitely part 2 of 3. It was not really a self-sustaining movie (at least by the standards of the first) so much as it was a gargantuan plot twist between the beginning and the end. Unlike Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, which had no need to hide from the viewer what was going on, The Matrix Reloaded is full of confusion that keeps it from really being its own movie. This really bothered some people. If Matrix Revolutions weren't coming out in six months, I'd be bothered too, but it is, so I'll deal with it. Of course, I still don't know what happened. The storyline seems to be disintegrating like Mulholland Drive. I guess I'll find out in November.

  250. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by Necromancyr · · Score: 1

    Ready for more of a mindfuck - what if Agents are second incarnations of people that have escaped the matrix? So, if there is the 1% that 'cant handle it' maybe some of them are handled by turning them into agents. :)

  251. $LOVE != $SEX by oyenstikker · · Score: 1

    Hmm. A scene depicting love. That probably would add to character development. I was very impressed with the original Matrix for the lack of sex. I talked to a friend today who told me of the sex scene that bordered on pornographic, complete with porno music. I will not be seeing the movie until it shows on TV with that scene deleted. The MPAA's and RIAA's lack of moral sense bothers me far more than their fair use and consumer rights abuses.

    --
    The masses are the crack whores of religion.
    1. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by talks_to_birds · · Score: 1
      You have it backwards.

      $SEX!=$LOVE

      (and thank god, I sez...)

      t_t_b

      --
      I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
    2. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The sex scene was utterly pointless, just like the rest of the first 30 minutes of the film. The dialogue in the first film was goofy, but the dialogue in this one was excrutiating.

    3. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One thing I kept wondering while watching Kate Moss's writhing naked anorexic body and swarthy K.D. Lang jawline was what those metal snaps were for and if this was just some futuristic way to affix clothing to your body without the use of buttons and zippers.

    4. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by BoneFlower · · Score: 1

      bordered on pornographic? It was one of the tamest sex scenes I have ever seen... They probably could have gotten away with a PG-13(based on that scene, the massive violence however...)

    5. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by lemonk · · Score: 1

      It's rated R. Quit your bitching. Make sure your mommy covers your eyes during the sex scene but you have my blessing to watch all the VIOLENCE! Hail America!

      --
      You are only popular on the Internet.
    6. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't understand why people have such a HUGE problem with sex and no problem with large numbers of people dieing. can someone explain why violence is better than sex?

    7. Re:$LOVE != $SEX by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you are a gigantic tool
      the scene is not necessary, but neither are your snide puritan comments

  252. Yep, an elitist assh**e by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Demonstrates the principle right here. Really big words: superficial, virtual reality, computer-based, artificial intelligence, linguistics, archeology, etc. Moron count: 4

  253. Simply because by Lurkingrue · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Funny how some people will repeatedly read and nearly commit to memory Lord Of The Rings (or devote so much thought into The Matrix storyline) but never even consider reading The Bible.

    That's because LotR is a better book.

    Having a coherent/consistent story and being written by a single (very talented) author makes the world of difference.

    Honestly, how can one expect intelligent people to dote on that load of contradictory, moralistic, badly-composed anthology of ancient hunter-gatherer fables?

    Now, if you'd asked if people'd prefer to read the Dune series or the bible, I think the "Good Book" would win out.

    Maybe. Are we including "Chapterhouse Dune"?

    1. Re:Simply because by TaKiDo.com · · Score: 1

      Are you saying that you want to light my country music award on fire?...... I'm coming after your ass rookie....Are you saying that you want to light my ass on fire???

  254. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Wraithlyn · · Score: 1

    "This is why the Oracle knows everything Neo and everyone else is going to do before it happens -- it's already happened 6 times before! (as per the Architect) -- and each time, the "One" has selected to walk through the door and set things in motion again (this is the control system used to counteract humans' tendencies toward choice). Where Neo differs is that he is not acting like the "Ones" that have come before him."

    One problem... the Oracle predicted that Trinity would fall in love with Neo. This love is what causes Neo to act differently. So how'd the Oracle predict that if it'd never happened before?

    --
    "Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
  255. Wow, that's tremendously arrogant. Again. by StarKruzr · · Score: 1

    "Excusable?" Excusable by *whom*?

    Who are you to set the pace for someone's personal development?

    I promise you there are plenty of worthwhile, self-aware people who didn't really figure themselves and their worldviews out until well after their 30s.

    --

    +++ATH0
  256. Re: No, not always by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "The validity of an argument in the abstract is not measured by my skill in presenting it to you."

    No, but your own understanding of that which you purport to explain is directly relational to the ease and simplicity with which you can communicate it to others.

    If you cannot convey a thought succinctly and comprehensibly, then how much of the original meaning are you really communicating? Less than complete - thus the initial statement does hold water, from a certain point of view.

  257. The REAL one? Not Neo, morpheous, Trinity.... by Jboy_24 · · Score: 1

    SPOILER

    Ok... what about Agent Smith?
    Presupositions: Can't trust the Oracle 100% ie Oracle has an agenda

    Isn't the One supposed to destroy the matrix? Don't we hear in the preview the Oracle telling neo to stop Smith or we all die?

    Perhaps Neo's purpose was to meld his self with an agent to create the 'flaw' that will destroy the Matrix. In the first movie Smith was different then the other Matrixes because he took off his earpiece, etc

    One of the key things overlooked, is that at the door to the Archtect, Smith was waiting there, perhaps he got mad and shot the keymaker because HE wanted to meet the Architect!

    Just a thought

  258. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by tonyz2k · · Score: 1

    oh come on.. let's not forget.. the ORACLE!? *cough cough*

    --
    click here to incinerate homeless people
  259. transcript of trinity's nmap/ssh hacking by Azathoth_lca · · Score: 1

    transcript:

    testing ports on 10.2.2.2:
    ?? 1539 ports scanned but not shown are in state: closed

    ? state service<br>
    /tcp open ssh<br>

    ?? exact matches for host

    nmap run completed - 1 IP address (1 host up) scanneds

    sshnuke 10.2.2.2 -rootpw="Z10N0101"
    connecting to 10.2.2.2:ssh ... successful.
    attempting to exploit SSHv1 CRC32 ... successful.
    ?setting root password to "Z10N0101".
    system open: Access Level (9)<br>
    ssh 10.2.2.2 -l root
    root@10.2.2.2's password:

    copied from the screenshots at: http://cdslash.net/gallery/trinity

    1. Re:transcript of trinity's nmap/ssh hacking by bgspence · · Score: 1

      Correction:
      '?? exact matches for host'
      should be
      '?? exact OS matches for host'

      and drop the '[br]'s

  260. It Kicked Ass... but I feel betrayed... by SAFH · · Score: 1

    for one fact, and one fact alone...

    Keanu Reeves didn't say...

    Woah.

    (Must give a review)
    As someone who saw the original 27 times in the theater - yah, Reloaded fit the bill and blew my mind several times.

    --

    I cannot confirm nor deny the allegation or allegations you may or may not have just made

  261. Re: No, not always by Stalyn · · Score: 1

    My major problem with philosophy is that most of the time it doesn't solve anything. The second thing is that most philosophy professors think they are real philosophers and act like tweed jacket wearing know-it-alls.

    How many philosophy papers nowadays do you see that are collaborations between 2 or more philosophers? Very few. Philosophy have become a lone art done by professional students who think they are right no matter what. How many Philosophy departments have colloquiums? Very few mainly because philosophers value their own opinions and ideas so much they can barely talk to each other without it coming to fisticuffs. In Philosophy there is simply no way to determine a philosophical truth. Unlike mathematics the truth is in the proof, if you are wrong you admit it and get on with your life. Amaziningly you can actually learn from your mistakes. Well in Philosophy even if you are wrong you still think you are right. Philosophy is a dead end game and thats why its dying.

    By the way I'd argue the very little progess philosophy has made in the past 50 years is because of logic. Philosophers like Carnap and Kripke have added huge amounts of work to the field of logic. And logic as become more and more mathematical in nature.

    --
    The best education consists in immunizing people against systematic attempts at education. - Paul Feyerabend
  262. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by the_quark · · Score: 1

    I think this is the crux of the argument against "the Oracle knew it all because she's done it before."

    In this case things are definitely different. I say this not because of the Oracle or the Architect but because of the French guy who's name I can't remember. He comments that the previous Neos showed more respect. Clearly this Neo is fundamentally different than the past ones. It's also interesting to note that apparently the French fellow always tries to stop Neo and apparently always fails. You'd think he'd try something different...

    If it's true that all this literally has happened before, I think the change is that, in the past, while Trinity has fallen in love with Neo, Neo hasn't fallen in love with Trinity. That's the big change. This allows the "Orcale has lived it before" theory an out: She predicted Trinity would fall in love with Neo, not vice versa. Maybe Trinity falls in love every time, but it's never mattered, before.

    I still believe what I originally said, that the Oracle simulates people, and that's the source of her knowledge. But we have not yet been able to definitively rule out the "been there, done that" theory.

  263. Sometimes I sit and think... by Skadet · · Score: 1
    And don't tell me you don't think the same thing when suffering through rice-rocket previews and this ... mediocre film:


    Remember when movies were good?

  264. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by the_quark · · Score: 1

    The scene I'm getting at is early in the movie. We suddenly see two human avatars in the matrix world, with a package. A asks B if he's OK, and A says he'll be alright. And that's what important is "this," a package. He gives it to B, and says, "after you." B picks up a nearby landline and is translated out of the matrix; he de-digitizes and the phone falls to the floor. As A picks the phone back up, Agent Smith comes around the corner, and does the virus copy job on him. When the phone next rings, the new Agent smith answers it, and also de-digitizes. The strong implication is that Agent Smith has just left the matrix for the "real" world. This person, I believe, is the "double agent" that set off the EMP to knock out Zion's defenses, and whom we see in sickback unconscious next to Neo in the Zion world at the end of the movie.

    It is, I suppose, arguable that Agent Smith somehow ported himself to the brain of the unfortunate individual. But my gut reaction was that he had essentially just jumped digital worlds, and was now inhabiting a new avatar in the Zion-matrix rather than controlling a human in real space.

  265. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by bostonguy · · Score: 1

    Near the end, didn't someone mention something about how the squiddies kept burrowing down through the current Zion? Is there already another 'Zion'?

  266. Bleah... I thought it was terrible. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I thought it sucked.... the movie had zero tension for me (unlike the first which was full of tension)....it's as if they forgot how to tell a story.

    key bads:

    1. too much pretentious secular humanist mumbo jumbo

    2. giant pointless rave scene

    3. orgasm cake

    4. they break so many paradigms that ultimately it doesn't make sense.
    Pardox is ok in sci fi but you have to follow a set of rules to have a believable universe.

    5. neo is presented as an almost invincible superhero--hence no tension

    6. when you find out that Zion has been extinguished, it has zero emotional impact. You simply don't care.

    7. Zion costumes seem to be discarded from one of the less successful star trek spin offs. (Why do all future councilmen wear caftans?)

    key goods:

    1. car chase.
    2. casting
    3. effects... the only time I really saw the seams were near the end of the car chase

  267. A question for the master (with spoilers) by AnEmbodiedMind · · Score: 1

    (HUGE SPOILERS HERE!!)

    Okay then brainiac,

    I thought this movie had plot holes a mile wide which led me to ask many questions:

    * Why will the Matrix fail if Neo takes the door to save Trinity?

    * Why can't Neo save trinity and then deal with the Architect - and take her with him to start the new Zion?

    * Why does the Architect put Neo in so much danger if he is required to keep the matrix stable? Why not just kill him in Zion?

    * Why does the Matrix need to use Zion to deal with the anomaly?

    * How does having Neo start a new Zion temporarily fix the anomaly?

    - If you can answer all of these without contriving the answers (i.e. only working from material in the script) I'm impressed. On the other hand, perhaps some of this will be explained in Revolutions... I'm not holding much hope though...

    Perhaps you understood it because you didn't really think about it.

    1. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by Stubtify · · Score: 2, Interesting

      *The matrix is built to allow for the "one" to eventually surface, and become struck with the choice to save everyone, or save no one. When put to this choice the obvious answer is to save everyone, allow the matrix as it was created to continue on and on into infinity. By choosing to save trinity, Neo would be exploiting a flaw which cannot exist, since human nature would not allow for someone to go after something so obviously impossible. If it helps, think of it as a buffer overflow, or logic loop.

      *There is no architect to deal with. Remember he's a program, so if he tried to save trinity and then deal with the architect remember that 1) he would not be able to save her because he couldn't move fast enough, however he proves this wrong by moving faster than anyone thought he could (even the architect) Also the architect can only be met during that 314second window, so the window has now closed and neo would never find the backdoor again. Not to mention that the matrix would self destruct by his choosing the door. (see point #1)

      *I figure that neo is needed to allow the matrix to function. The ability of the matrix to be "believed" by the 99% who do buy into it has caused a need for the matrix #2 to be built, which included the anomily (the one) and then it was dealt with by causing the one to make the choice he does. (kinda sketchy on this point)

      *Zion needs to exist because there has to be a place to put the 1% who reject the matrix or else they would ruin it for everyone else.

      *Having neo start a new Zion would allow for a place to put the 1% who need to be unplugged. It gives the humans something to do while they are unknowingly helping the matrix. Furthermore, zion will help to discover the "one" through the oracle continuing to basically lie to whoever is in charge of freeing minds, and telling them the hunt for the one can occurr. which in turn starts the whole process over again.

      Ok some of it doesn't make sense but that's my stab at answering these questions. You really have to watch it a few times I think.

    2. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by AnEmbodiedMind · · Score: 1

      It is two painfull to explore this fully here so I'll just address one of your comments:

      > *Zion needs to exist because there has to be a
      > place to put the 1% who reject the matrix or
      > else they would ruin it for everyone else.

      Just kill them.
      Kill neo, and kill anyone who wakes up.

      No Zion, no Neo, no danger of the whole matrix self destructing from some unexplained cause.

      Your thoughts?

    3. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by orius_khan · · Score: 5, Insightful
      *The matrix is built to allow for the "one" to eventually surface, and become struck with the choice to save everyone, or save no one. When put to this choice the obvious answer is to save everyone, allow the matrix as it was created to continue on and on into infinity. By choosing to save trinity, Neo would be exploiting a flaw which cannot exist, since human nature would not allow for someone to go after something so obviously impossible. If it helps, think of it as a buffer overflow, or logic loop.

      But you have to incorporate all the crap from the Oracle and the French guy. "Choice is an illusion created by those in power for those without." (or whatever). Accepting that concept, means that Neo didn't really have a choice of doors, he was expected to choose one of them, while believing that he had a choice. Not having a choice made the humans wake up from the Matrix, so they created scenarios in which the humans believed they had a choice, when really they always did what they were expected to do.

      By Neo making the choice that was unexpected of him, he rejects the scenario that was placed before him, and thereby starts to "wake up" from the Matrix even more.... and ends up realizing that the "real world" (the world of Zion and eating oatmeal, etc.) is actually another Matrix. What everyone thinks of as "The Matrix" is actually a Matrix within a Matrix, which is why once Neo 'wakes up' a second time, he can start to use his powers in "the real world" too.

      The same programming flaws that allowed the 1% of people to 'wake up' and reject the First Matrix, would also allow 1% of THOSE people to eventually wake up and reject the Second Matrix. Which is why every 100 years the robots come in and wipe out everyone in Zion, to keep the chances of that 1% of 1% from growing to a whole number. Only this time, the "Messiah" was stronger than they had allowed for...

      If Neo had chosen the other door, he would not have destroyed "The Matrix", he would have only destroyed the First Matrix, and believing he had done so, would have started Zion again believing that it was "the real world", and not tried to "wake up" any more. The architect told him that the machines would continue to survive even if he chose to destroy the Matrix ("we are prepared to accept some level of" existence(?)), so it could have been a reasonable ploy to convince the descendents of those 23 people that the machines were still alive and came back to capture them and put them back in the Matrix, or something.

      ...but of course, that's just what I think...
      --
      Sometimes the best solution to morale problems is just to fire all the unhappy people.
    4. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by skidrash · · Score: 1

      > Why will the Matrix fail if Neo takes the door to save Trinity?
      Too many minds being freed.

      > Why can't Neo save trinity and then deal with the Architect - and take her with him to start the new Zion?

      the entire framework for him to 'deal with' the architect is gone. That building blowed up real good.
      AND he's under the threat that if he takes the door to Trinity the machines will destroy Zion.

      >start the new Zion
      There's no 'new zion' without the machines' help. How are minds newly freed from the matrix, no medical equipment to 'free' their bodies surgically supposed to restart civilization?

      > Why does the Architect put Neo in so much danger if he is required to keep the matrix stable? Why not just kill him in Zion?

      It's not up to the Architect alone. The entire solution is a jury - rigged bugfix, an ugly hack, something Linus would never allow into the kernel.
      Neo's mention of the Oracle elicited a wince from the Architect. The Architect admints this solution was thought up by another. This suggests the current Matrix is held together with duct tape, bungee cords and perl scripts.

      > Why does the Matrix need to use Zion to deal with the anomaly?
      The Matrix is held together with duct tape and perl scripts. If you've ever coded you know that sometimes the easiest way to fix a bug is to paper over the existing code instead of fixing the existing code 'elegantly'. The whole Zion business is probably an outgrowth of this. More clues as to the duct-tapeness of the Matrix is that the Agents were so hot to get the codes in the 1st matrix when it turns out they could have drilled down at any time. this suggests that some parts of the code have been papered over, the right hand of the equals sign does not know what the left is doing.

      > How does having Neo start a new Zion temporarily fix the anomaly?
      The Matrix is held together with duct tape and perl scripts.

    5. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by identity0 · · Score: 1

      SPOILERS BELOW

      I think I zoned out during the Archtect's long speech, but here's what I gathered:

      * Why will the Matrix fail if Neo takes the door to save Trinity?

      I think it was supposed to be because Zion was going to be destroyed, and if Neo went for Trinity, they would be unable to get a new Zion started. But that's even assuming the archtect was telling the truth. It sounded like he knew Neo was going to go for Trinity, so maybe that's what he wanted?

      * Why can't Neo save trinity and then deal with the Architect - and take her with him to start the new Zion?

      Because Neo won't be able to find him again. They spent a bit of time and effort just trying to get to that door, and without the keymaker, I don't think they can find him. Oh, and Neo completely destroyed the floor, if not the building, in his attempt to get to Trinity.

      * Why does the Architect put Neo in so much danger if he is required to keep the matrix stable? Why not just kill him in Zion?

      Because the 'One' is supposed to start the new Zion, after the old one is destroyed, I think. And the danger that Neo is in seems to have come mostly from agent Smith, and that french guy, who may or may not be under the control of the central AI.

      * Why does the Matrix need to use Zion to deal with the anomaly?

      I don't remember if they said it outright, but I think it was that some people just naturally 'wake up' from the matrix, and if they are kept inside against their will, they cause problems(think of the insane detective charachter from Dark City). Those people who seek the truth and might find it are the 'anomaly' the AIs refer to. So the AIs either let a few of them out to found a city, or maybe they just make them think they're out. It's like a penal colony or insane asylum, except everyone there thinks they've been freed.

      * How does having Neo start a new Zion temporarily fix the anomaly?

      The anomaly is fixed by having Zion around. I think that the AIs simply do not want Zion to become too powerful, or that they don't want things to get too far advanced. So they 'wipe the slate clean' so to speak, by destroying Zion and have someone(in this case Neo) start a new Zion.

      It's easy to read too much into this movie. But it looks like the AIs want to keep a cycle of death & rebirth of Zion just like they have of humans, so that they have a stable power supply.

    6. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 1
      Why will the Matrix fail if Neo takes the door to save Trinity?

      The matrix will "fail" to the machines because the conditions in the system are outside of the design parameters. Remember, the computers are a strictly end-sum mentality (and the ones the show any creativity are exiled.)

      The problem is that the folks in Zion are getting too good at freeing minds, and Neo has this habit of completely breaking the rules in very public displays. Too many people questioning the program breaks the program. Why can't Neo save trinity and then deal with the Architect - and take her with him to start the new Zion?

      Neo can't because no one in Zion can know that there ever was a Zion previous to the present one. Granted they could wipe her mind, but they would not really be "saving" Trinity now would it?

      Why does the Architect put Neo in so much danger if he is required to keep the matrix stable? Why not just kill him in Zion?

      Because his whole job is to be a level of control over those that think they are in control. From the start of Zion, the inhabitants are fed this prophesy. Neo is the fulfillment of the Prophesy. Neo is also the signal that things are getting way out of control and it's time to hit Zion with a can of RAID.

      Why does the Matrix need to use Zion to deal with the anomaly?

      Zion is what we would call a honeypot. It keeps the hackers busy exerting "control" over a completely controlled environment, and more importantly, away from anything that is really important.

      Zion, the prophesy, and the war all ensure that anyone with revolutionary thoughts is kept sufficiently busy as to not have time to see the world for what it truely is.

      How does having Neo start a new Zion temporarily fix the anomaly?

      This is a level of control over the level of control. The idea is to keep the one person who sees through the second level of control so busy starting a civilization that he/she never questions the world beyond the world.

      --
      "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
      --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
    7. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by kerozen · · Score: 1

      Being a student in film studies, I would advance this question with a theorical editing point of view:

      During the scene with the architect, why does the camera enter one of the screens on the wall, and this, a few times? As if we were actually going up in the "Neo chain" back to his old speech.

      Maybe this set is simply there to image every thought going through Neo's mind at the moment, since at the end, when he makes the choice to go through the door, every Neo behind him doing the same thing, as if he had now clearly made up his mind and is conscious of his choice. Rethinking about it, I guess that these TV screens are not the image of the other "Neo layers" because if so, the other Neos would have gone the other way, as we guess he did every other time. But then again, if the directors thought of this set there must be some kind of imagery in it. I'm simply opening up a debate to get other opinions. ...by the way, did anyone notice that the many screens we see in the architech's room are the same ones we see at the beginning of The Matrix, when Neo if first interrogated by Smith?

    8. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by darkmalloc · · Score: 1

      As long as we're discussing technical errors (or problems), I have to say this is the only thing that really bothered me:
      How was Neo able to bring Trinity back to life by reaching into her matrix code (her residual self image)?
      In the first movie, Trinity brought Neo back to life by explaining to him that she loved him and that he was the one. I believe this because I beleive that, while he was dead, he still had bodily functions (i.e. his brain was still alive) so he could hear her and process the information and realize she was right and effectively bring himself back to life.
      This same logic does not cover him bring her back to life in Reloaded. (Unless "the real world" is actually just another subnet or submatrix and they are all still plugged in (which is what I suspect)). He talks to her and removes the bullet and says "I love you" but in the real world, on her monitor, it said "lost carrier signal". This indicates to me that him saying "I love you" and so forth is all going into the bit bucket and she can't hear a word.
      Anyhow... if we find they have all been in pods this whole time, I will say congratulations to the writers (this would explain why Neo can stop sentinels too). But if they really expect me to beleive that Neo can transmit data back to the real world without a carrier signal, I am hard pressed...

    9. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by Equinox · · Score: 1

      "But if they really expect me to beleive that Neo can transmit data back to the real world without a carrier signal, I am hard pressed..."

      -but he did stop the sentinels...

    10. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And what about this ?; rather than thinking that we have a Matrix inside a Matrix (A really clever Architect would then nest matrices a few times). I think that Neo realizes at the end of the movie that reality and the matrix are not that different.

      After all what would the difference be between the matrix and the real word if the simulated word (the matrix) is made to be an exact replica of the real one ?. Then, if Neo has superpowers in the Matrix why not in the real word ?

      In fact, I think that the underlying philosophical question on the next matrix is the questionable distinction between a model or simulation, and the object being simulated (in this case reality) when the model / simulation becomes so detailed that it's indistiguishable from the object being simulated.

    11. Re:A question for the master (with spoilers) by neobuddhist · · Score: 1

      Neo didn't stop those sentinels. The ship (the Titan I think it was called...) shot them with a EMP gun. He just held his hand out. The reason he is in the coma is because he was right next to the sentinels when they were shot. Though, I do think he has powers in Zion because he did say "Somethings different, I can feel them."

      --
      "Each day is better than the next" - My future father in law
  268. Sexuality in the Matrix (and movies) by hcduvall · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm sorry that sex, mostly tastefully done i think was a disturbance to you, but it was an R rated movie...and since violence no longer matters (anyone notice Wolverine's kill count in X2? and that was PG-13)- the Matrix series is by no means lighter on violence than others.

    Mind you, I was perplexed when the future became Rave nation party central- but I understand it thematically. The preceding speech by Morpheus emphasized the fact that Zion was about being human, and the joy of life. Now, they could've had happy people holding hands, but instead they show an orgy of people ecstatic intercut with Neo and Trinity. Its humanity in more primal aspect- but clean and natural. These are two people in love making love, the phsyciality of enjoying life that no machine can ever mimic, even if it manages to mimic impulses. you missed the bit with chocolate, but that could be more about the basic impulses that programs can influence, but not control.

    T&A? Sure, but that reaction has more to do with movie prudishness with nudity (and the assumption that naked means humping on the ground)- in women in general and god forbid men.

    There was a time when sex was still considered a sacred act, and not dirty. It is a temple that they dance in after all. There is a difference sexuality as sensuality and sexuality as something that amounts to pronography. I take the former as the intent... Salon has a pretty good review with this take on it.

    I don't think they pulled all this off, but I do think the W bros intended the movie as more than sensationalism and spectacle. I do distinctly prefer this to juvenile takes on sexuality.

    1. Re:Sexuality in the Matrix (and movies) by SaXisT4LiF · · Score: 1

      Trinity and Neo weren't "tastefully having sex" they were "f*cking" and it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. My friends and I had enough time to look around the theatre and see all the sexually deprived souls in audience drooling, debate about whether or not it was even worth it to see the rest of the film and walk out while there were still naked bodies all over the movie screen.

      Pardon me for holding the Wachowski Brothers to a higher standard but they established that for themselves in the first Matrix. My girlfriend's 16 year old sister and 14 year old cousin went to see this movie, did they need to see this orgy? It added nothing to the plot (oh wait, there was no plot) and limited their target audience.

      They could have cut from the rave to the sex and been done with it, but instead they insisted on cramming it all down your throat in graphic detail for the entire first half of the film. It was not what I expected from "enlightened" film makers.

      --
      Fight or flight its all the same
      Live to die another day

      --Ryan
    2. Re:Sexuality in the Matrix (and movies) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Pardon me for holding the Wachowski Brothers to a higher standard but they established that for themselves in the first Matrix. My girlfriend's 16 year old sister and 14 year old cousin went to see this movie, did they need to see this orgy? It added nothing to the plot (oh wait, there was no plot) and limited their target audience.

      It's R-rated. That means no kiddos under 18 without supervision. I assume you and your girlfriend are the supervisors. If you thought that it was inappropriate it was your responsibility to make them shut their eyes/ears or escort them off.

      I'm willing to bet that your girlfriend enjoyed it. Yes I know you asked her and she probably said she didn't like it. But she really did. Seriously. Try dimming the lights, putting on some thumping beats, and grinding your way into her tight littly needy cooch.

  269. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by iCoach · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ::spoilers blah, blah...::

    I don't think that Zion is in the Matrix. To me the evidence points in a different direction.

    The Agent Smith - Neo relation
    It is a bit hokey I'll admit, but Neo stuck around becase he refused to do what he was supposed to (die at the end of The Matrix). Agent Smith is still around for the same reason. So a link has been established that both this rogue program and Neo are bucking the system.
    The next link is established at the very end of the movie. And I pointed it out in another post. Agent Smith is the only one who survived the attack on Zion. Yes, he is technically a machine/program and they might not have killed him because of that, but I think the "premature EMP blast" put him into his coma, and the Sentinels passed over him as dead. Neo on the other hand, is similar to our Agent friend in that he now has his powers outside of the Matrix, sensing the Sentinels' presence because he has become part machine/program. He uses an EMP blast (I am assuming here) to knock them out, and in the process put himself in a coma. No it isn't over-exertion stopping them, it is basically a low level form(at) of suicide.

    The hand cutting
    Now we come to the scene where Agent Smith is cutting his hand in Zion. The reason behind it is pretty obvious, but the implications are that he is human, not a software program. As evidenced by the fact that Neo was cut by stopping the sword in the fight with Frenchy's henchmen (does that make them French-men?). So if programs don't bleed one can assume that Agent Smith has succesfully left The Matrix and is in the real world. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to cut his hand.

    Thats my take anyway...

    --
    "Never upset a goalie, getting hit with a blocker is an unpleasent experience - facemask or not." -Me
  270. last night by serenarae · · Score: 1

    reloaded was awesome, mind blowing, and all that good stuff. I went and saw an early showing on wednesday with all the hardcore types (including 8 of us from blockbuster). Honestly, I had low expectations for it, seeing as how it had big shoes to fill, but it was very good. The graphics were awesome, the story was awesome (except the love bullsh!t) and it really made you think. One thing I may add... go see it trippin, it makes it far more interesting :)

    --
    see sig. see sig run. run sig run.
    1. Re:last night by falsification · · Score: 1

      Get a life, dude. Drugs will fuck you up. Go straight.

    2. Re:last night by serenarae · · Score: 1

      guess what? i went again tonight, and was able to spot the little things, after getting the subtle hidden meaning of the movie wednesday night. you wish you were me...

      --
      see sig. see sig run. run sig run.
  271. The Cake. by dustinmarc · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just saw the movie and thought it was pretty decent. Not to hard to understand really. The only question I have is where can I get my hands on some of that cake.

    --


    Microsoft should hire me. I can write code that doesn't work faster than the guys they have doing it now.
    1. Re:The Cake. by Tyrran · · Score: 1

      My suitemates and I are actually having a debate about this cake...one of them will not let go of the idea that the cake only made the woman "wet herself." I of course though this was absurd and insist it is, in all essence, an "orgasm cake." Any thoughts/comments?

    2. Re:The Cake. by ChiperSoft · · Score: 1

      My take on it was that it was an aphrodisiac. This was confirmed when Persyphonie said he would be in the womens room, and then alluded to his getting a blow job.

    3. Re:The Cake. by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

      Definitely an orgasm cake ... because she went to bathroom, and the Merovingian went a bit later, to get his blow job. That's why he makes the cakes, and that's a reason why Persephone betrayed him.

  272. Sexual machines by AnEmbodiedMind · · Score: 1

    I'm surprised that no one (in this thread) has mentioned the parallel of the human sexuality displayed to the sexual nature of the machines in the film... What with the program a chocolate cake blowjob and all... And the painful 'kiss me if you want to get the info' scene. They are contrasting the 'primal' nature of the humans with the machines - and then playing with this by having the programs becoming human (in behaviour and in physicality), and the humans becoming machines - plugs and software updates for skills etc.

  273. One CG mistake spotted by bangzilla · · Score: 1
    During the chanse on the freeway - one of the twins is shooting from the sun roof of the truck in which he was riding. There is a white van at one point that sports bullet holes *before* the twin has shot at it. The Twin is raking is spread of fire from left to right but the holes are there before he is shooting at the van.

    Now, perhaps the van was hit earlier -- but I really don't recall it.

    Anyone see the same thing?

    --
    Rich people are eccentric. Poor people are strange. Me, I'd be happy with odd.
  274. Re: No, not always by cHiphead · · Score: 1

    The Matrix has nothing particularly interesting with respect to philosophy, it is essentially a retread of the story of christ, and the idea that Descartes had about dreams vs reality

    dude, christ could fly? and kick the hell out of a thousand bad guys at one time? and made sweet sweet love to a hot chick? SWEET!

    *runs off to find one of his two hundred bibles-as-southern-baptist-relative-gifts collecting dust in the attic*

    --

    This is my sig. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
  275. This movie SUCKS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Skipped work to see it today; now regret that decision. What a disapointment this movies is! The first one was amazing, but this one is totally crap. Seems like the brothers don't have enough content so they just jam the darn thing with lame filler scenes. The effects were really nice but then, there's so much more to the Matrix than just effects and fight scenes. Saw the trailer for next one, Revolutions; looks more promising than this one.

  276. Wireless NEO--not a 2nd Matrix by hcduvall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I posted these things before, and as much as I love karma, I'm doing it again 'cause I'm genuinely interested if anyone had this take:

    I think its strange in a movie with so many takes at the fallibility of perception and versimilitude that people don't take seriously the possiblity that Neo has gained powers outside the Matrix, and insist that what he emerges in must be a second matrix. If he is the 6th iteration of an anomaly that gets stranger every time, why not? (I do take the 6 as a reference to the Mayan world epoch calender, any version number will do honestly). He has a connection to Agent Smith- another anomalous intelligence (artificial or otherwise) with insight to the system as a whole.

    If we grudgenly accept the human as batteries thing, why can't Neo take his connection to machines wireless in the "real" world? Part of him still jacked into the matrix and therefore the system, and therefore the machines. Before you know it he can take them over...

    Agent Smith can just as easily take over someone by taking over their code- the brain wiring. People are jacked in as brains, not bodies. When he envelopes the person in the matrix, he's refashioning their entire minds to fit his own. And when they wake up, they're agent smith. He should theoretically be disoriented in non-matrix real world, but if he maintains a kind of hive consciouness trhough a connect to the system (which he senses better than Neo, per their covnersations- a connection Smith acknowledges but Neo just likes to answer "I know" to everything. I don't think he does know.) perhaps he copes together as a Hive mind.

    Considering the prophecy notions- taking the Melvigian (sp?) take on human behavior as pure human impulse through causality- you'd figure a lot of what anyone is planning ought to be able to be statistically predicted by the an architect, or any massive computer. Esp. if- more than being programs, as the Archtiect mentioned, even your checmical reactions in the body (DNA as source code) could be influenced. Its a fundamental paradox in the idea of an all-knowing Creator/God. What's the difference between an ineffable plan and predestination. And if there is a plan, which will always play out since God is an expert-what is the pt?

    How it all pans out- choice vs. being controlled, is up to a personal view or the W bros. Considering the they're alive hopefulness of the Morpheus speeechs, I lean away from the Matrix within a Matrix/ Prisoner "Who is number one" take - though I admit its possibly. I just don't feel they'ed end it with a box inside a box endless loop of questioning.

    neo is the first fully unpredictable person who manipulates the choices as well as the architect program. The no-win of the two doors turned into a win- or delay fo the endgame in the "real world."

  277. Re: No, not always by haggar · · Score: 1

    I agree. I have learned more about absolute determinism from an article about Pascal's (ideal) all-knowing computational machine, than in years of studying phylosophy in high school (in my country we had philosophy in high school, in some gymnasiums).

    --
    Sigged!
  278. What's eveyone's take on the video screens ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What was up with the video screens in the room with the achitect ?

    Either they were a representation of what was going on in Neo's head at that moment, or the images were made up, OR ( and this is the big one ) it was actually what happened in the 5 previous matrixes.

    What's everyone else's take on this ?

  279. That Old Feeling! by Seldon_21 · · Score: 1

    First of all for those of you who have now seen it stop NOW! This is going to discuss the metaphysical aspects of the movie and spoolers will be included! First, The movie hands down what awesome, it gave me that feeling I got when I first watched "ESB" when the speeders were searching for Luke. Action and the reason we go to movies is Action. Second it contained the now best car chase scene displacing, Ronin and formally the Blues Brothers for adrenaline rush you get, and you ask how they got that shot, flying under the trucks while following the motorcycle! Fighting and the Virus Smith were also excellent concepts and ideas. The "Oracle" and the "Architect" were also interesting constructs and you do get the feeling that you know nothing but what you are being presented. The old programs that are kept around which are really nasty. Several Matrixes'! During the moving the "Architect" Says, that your skills are good but you are still human, to paraphrase, this seems to indicate that we are deep in the rabbit hole but not deep enough. Here is a list of Philosophical concepts that I saw: Fatalism Religion Mind/Body Reality Dualism AI Each one of these concepts/ideas were presented and several more in the movie and we are left with is obvious; we are still not awake.

  280. Re:Reality By Consensus: Humans as Ontology Engine by necrognome · · Score: 1

    Also cool is that the inscrutability of the various "friendly" programs in the Matrix mirrors that of Wintermute and Neuromancer in Neuromancer.

    --


    Let's get drunk and delete production data!
  281. My Thoughts (spoilers, naturally) by crashnbur · · Score: 2, Insightful
    First, I think this movie is one of the best ever released. To understand that, you might also have to understand that The Matrix was my favorite film of all time. Extremely intelligent dialog, extremely complex choreography and cinematography, and extremely astonishing eye candy... Orgasm on screen.

    Speaking of which, the only thing that takes away from Reloaded in my opinion is the orgy scene, if I may call it that. I think it was much too long and allowed to much attention to be diverted away from Neo and Trinity. That scene needed to focus on those two and leave most (if not all) of the rest of it out and been about three minutes shorter. Let Neo and Trinity have their moment, let Neo have his dream, and get it over with... I could tell upon first viewing that I would probably be skipping that scene when I watch it on DVD months down the road.

    Otherwise, the movie absolutely kicked ass. The Agent Smith teaser footage from the trailers was only the tip of the iceberg, and... well, it's a modern epic, bypassing the classic medium (literature) and jumping onto the big screen. I wouldn't compare the Wachowskis to Homer, Dante, or even Tolkien (not much, anyway), but they've put together quite a masterpiece for our time.

    Great movie. 9.7/10.

    (The Matrix still gets a perfect 10; Reloaded loses fractions of a point for the orgy scene and for slight cheesiness and predictability -- nothing to worry about. This movie rocked, and only Lord of the Rings films, Office Space, The Shawshank Redemption, and American Beauty otherwise get 9's on my scale...)

  282. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by jedinite · · Score: 1

    By "they" the poster means humanity.

    Read as: (emphasis mine):

    If humanity can't see the sky humanity can't calculate the positions of the stars. If humanity can't do that they cannot really tell what time or year it is - i.e. humanity doesn't know how much time has really passed and thus is kept in the dark about the hundred-year cycle

    --

    ---------
    There is no try at jedinite.com
  283. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by jedinite · · Score: 1

    The machines haven't yet reached Zion.

    A couple of vocal people on here share your misconception ;)

    The battle that they were talking about was humanity's counter attack at a network node. The counter attack failed (due to sabatoge by the agent-Smith-personna-embedded-in-a-human) and the Sentinals wiped out most of the counter attack. Once the counter attack had been wiped out, the Sentinals resumed digging for Zion

    --

    ---------
    There is no try at jedinite.com
  284. Re: No, not always by Suidae · · Score: 1

    In most cases, I don't believe a man's self esteem will allow him to read a book for a year and say afterwards "That was a load of crap"

    Does this apply to series? I read that decology by L. Ron Hubbard (no, i didn't pay for it) and when I finally finished it, I can quite honestly say 'That was a load of crap'. Mostly its just embarasing to admit to having read it all, but its kind of like watching the movie 'Terror Vision' or 'Creepizoids', you just kinda have to finish it out of morbid curiosity.

  285. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    mild spoiler warning.

    Your idea of the whole Matrix story occuring in a parrallel Matrix is a good one, and you cannot actually prove it wrong (although you couldn't prove that we weren't in some sort of Matrix in our lives at this moment). But for the sake of creating such an deep story to have it all end like some dream (ala Vanilla Sky) does not seem in the taste of the whole Trilogy. Lets not forget that stopping those robots also put Neo into some sort of comma, which is not straight up pretty as manipulating a fake reality. In all honesty, i theorize that it's some profound level of enlightenment that Neo has achieved through walking through that door that the architect seemed surprised that he went through. I guess we'll have to wait till Neo wakes up in Revolutions, hopefully titled to portray Mans re-triumph over machine.

  286. What about Marovengian? by bac()n · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The french guy-- in the bathroom scene when Persephone (sp?) kisses neo she tells him that
    Marovengian used to be 'like him'.. When Neo has the choice between the two doors at the end one
    of the doors leads to his re-assimilation into the matrix and his choice of the however many
    people to restart zion.

    Well, was Merovingian once one of "The One's" that chose that door and was reinserted into the
    matrix with special powers? Thus allowing him to live the lavish life he lives with kick ass
    programs for both a wife and bodygaurds?

    If neo was reinserted then would he also be able to exist within the new matrix with as an exiled program?

    Are all of the former 5 "One's" still in the matrix acting as exiled programs? The Oracle? Maybe Seraph?

    1. Re:What about Marovengian? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no

      you are an idiot

  287. MOD UP: IT'S NOT A SPOILER by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is a good one, you have to admit.

  288. Re: No, not always by cptgrudge · · Score: 1
    In most cases, I don't believe a man's self esteem will allow him to read a book for a year and say afterwards "That was a load of crap". They inherently begin to believe what they are reading not only has value, but only someone who spends their life reading it can understand it.

    Kind of like how when I left the movie theater last night I was disappointed with Reloaded. But come the next morning, I began reading all the stuff here on slashdot, and suddenly I'm convinced that there was stuff there that I missed, and that I need to see it again.

    Perhaps my mind just needs to convince itself that the reason that I didn't especially like it was because I didn't understand it. Yeah, that's it. I'm too clueless, cause the Bros. W would never steer me wrong....right?

    --
    Qualitas edurus commercium, nullus penitus net rimor, nullus deus beneficium
  289. Mod parent up! by TaraByte · · Score: 1

    Crouching Porno, Hidden Cliche

    Too Funny!

    --
    Security is inversely proportional to the commitment of one desiring to circumvent it.
  290. What about this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the humans are so interested in stopping the machines, why don't they do this:

    Get all the ones who have been freed out of the matrix. Send Neo in to basically plant a nuke and genocide the whole world within the matrix. This will take out the machines power source and put Zion in a position of possible survival.

    So you kill a lot of people, but hey like Morpheus said, if you aren't one of us you're one of them.

    Reloaded rocked but the love scene/techno party/morpheus being an idiot sucked in the beginning.

    -ben

  291. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by chundo · · Score: 1

    I also came away with the thought that Zion was a matrix. But the problem that I keep struggling with, besides the whole zapping-the-sentinels-with-his-mind trick, is the Zion council members. If Zion is in fact a matrix, why not just kill 'em all, and reboot that Matrix? Eliminates the "anomalies" and yet still keeps the real power-producing matrix up and running. Taking out the trash.

    BUT - then why the charade? And why are there (at least approximately, to my eyes) 24 council members, the leader of which (who took Neo to look at the machines) was obviously supposed to be the Neo from the previous Zion, thus providing evidence (falsified or not) that this exact situation had in fact happened before?

    None of the solutions presented here make sense at the moment. If it's real, then human nature would likely dictate that at least one of the previous 5 Neos would have held onto hope to stay and fight. But if it's a matrix, then why even do the machines need their cooperation? Just nuke 'em and reboot.

    I have a feeling we'll get a lot of interesting information from the lead councilman in Revolutions.

    -j

  292. 23 by mozumder · · Score: 1

    I'm just glad they brought up the number 23 prominently in the film.. Someone did their homework on that number! see: The Number 23

    Did you know that... the letter W is the 23rd letter of the alphabet, which is used as the initials of the World Wide Web?? Or that the TCP/IP port for telnet is 23? or that generative cells have 23 chromosomes? =^)

  293. Why would anyone want to be like you after this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who would want to study philosophy after reading your posts here? It's obvious that following in your footsteps would only provide the same brutal dosage of social poison that has made you what you are. Stay away, kids. Take classes in psychology or education, get along with your fellow man, and spare yourself the pain.

  294. However, layers only work to level 2... (spoiler) by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Once you figure out Zion is not real, then why would you trust the next one? You'd keeping looking at each level of "reality" you reach for the exit to the next world.

    I left the theater wondering as you do if the Zion world was another matrix... but I still am not sure either way. The whole stopping the sentinels scene could be explained by his nervous system being slightly altered to act as a controlling entity for machines. So perhaps has become a real human who can use some latent backdoor built into all machines to obey his command. I haven't seen anything in the Zion world yet that looks impossible on the level of the first Matrix...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  295. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by xswl0931 · · Score: 1

    I don't think the leader of the council is a previous Neo. If you believe that Zion is 100 years old, then that man needs to be much older. What would have been cool is that during some panning shot in Zion, they had a picture of the founders of Zion, one of which was Neo as he looks now.

  296. Not only ssh, but Nmap too... by laddhebert · · Score: 1

    Did anyone else notice this reference to Nmap above ssh? I had to take a double take when she typed ssh with root in the same line ; I wonder how many people understood that.... -L

    --
    Don't Panic.
  297. SPOILER! by Sonus · · Score: 3, Interesting

    SPOILER

    Unlike almost every other spoiler post here, I don't think I quite buy the Matrix within a Matrix idea. There are 2 main events that hint about the Matrix in a Matrix:

    1. Agent Smith passes himself to the "real" world
    2. Neo stops the Sentinels with a wave of his hand

    The Matrix within a Matrix certainly answers those two issues, but my theory is that those two issues are directly related. At the end of Matrix 1, Neo literally merges himself with Smith and kills Smith. In Matrix 2, Smith is the equivalent of a computer virus except that he is free like Neo. So Smith assorbs some of Neo.

    Neo in return probably assorbed some of Smith and is able to communicate directly with the machine and hence his abilities to stop the Sentinals. All this is speculation of course, as we really won't know the answer until Matrix 3.

    I really liked the Architect scene and how it explained things. The orgy scene definitely didn't belong.

    1. Re:SPOILER! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy shit I bet you're right.

      And yeah the architect scene was cool, and the orgy scene was out of place.. well the love making scene, the orgy is similar to the one in the first matrix. Both seemed out of place I guess.

    2. Re:SPOILER! by chiahong · · Score: 1
      Here's my shot at it.
      1. Neo is just a program.
      2. He just took over Keanu's body when Morpheus get him out of the Matrix.
      3. The Matrix is trying to screw his mind using the architect. Stopping Neo from trying to save Zion. There is no #1,#2,#3 ...
      4. The bodies providing the Matrix should have been genectically altered by the Matrix (e.g. the plug at the back of the head) making them (Neo, Trinity, etc) somewhat of a cyborg.
      5. Pt 4 could have given Neo certain communication channel (RF) to sense the sentinels.
      - Could someone please post the speech by the architect?

      Thanks a million! :)

      --
      Warm regards, Keith
  298. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by qbwiz · · Score: 1

    It doesn't matter what the humans in Zion see. If that is another level of the matrix, then the sky doesn't need to be cloudy, and the stars could be set randomly, with fake star charts created in the matrix to make the year seem like whatever they wanted.

    --
    Ewige Blumenkraft.
  299. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by nightznoe · · Score: 1

    Actually, if you looked at the Freeway scene, not just cadillac...all cars were GM, Saturn, Chevs...GMC, Cadillac...

  300. A Thought (SPOILER) by Caraig · · Score: 1

    Most people seem to believe that the Matrix is actually a matrix within another matrix, like layers of an onion or those Russian nested-doll toys. This brings up the question: if the "Humans as batteries" theory isn't true after all, that it's a lie as well... then what's outside the matrix which is outside the matrix? Why are humans being kept in the matrix?

    Anyone ever see the Wachaowski Brothers' previous movie, 'Dark City?'....

    --
    "I am an Adept of Tantric VAX."
    1. Re:A Thought (SPOILER) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FYI - for anyone reading this, the Wachowskis did not make 'Dary City.' They did do one film before the Matrix, and that was "Bound." Jennifer Tilly's most erotic role, undoubtedly.

  301. Spoiler!!!! Ending speculation by nebular · · Score: 1

    I'm still on the fence with the whole Matrix in a Matrix deal.

    Mainly it has to do with Neo shutting down the sentinals in the Real World.

    It would seem that Neo was able to stop them with his mind

    However the shutdown of the sentinals was very much like an EMP, and, oh wait, a ship shows up right then. Could be that the rescue ship fired off an EMP.

    Who knows? I'm waiting for November to make any conclusions. However speculation is fun

    1. Re:Spoiler!!!! Ending speculation by mister_tim · · Score: 1

      Interesting theory, although there is never evidence of a ship 'firing off' an EMP. They need to be shut down before they can do it, or it fries their own electronics as well. Assuming that there isn't a Matrix within a Matrix, then something in Neo's conversation with the Architect or surrounding events has given him control over machines outside the Matrix as well. I'm still very curious, but in many ways it is pointless to keep speculating. I don't think anyone predicted what Reloaded revealed to us after watching M1, so I think the chances of us predicting the 'truth' that Revolutions will reveal is equally far-fetched. But it is fun to speculate

  302. Re: No, not always by LilGuy · · Score: 1

    Everything in moderation is a great idea. I agree that it doesn't seem as though philosophy has done much for us as of late, but you gotta realize that it can never die.. you can't just live on logic. You can't have your ying without your yang, everything will go all googly on you. As logic takes more and more precendence, there will come a point where Philosophy will make a great re-emergence. Its the same with the arts and spirtualism as well. Sooner or later there's a breaking point where all these things must come flooding back... at least that's my belief.

    --

    You're nothing; like me.
  303. I wonder... by sharph · · Score: 2, Funny

    How many hits thematrix.com's firewall has picked up on port 22 since this movie was realesed.

    They can't say they weren't asking for it.

    1. Re:I wonder... by BoneFlower · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't entirely shock me if they set something up specifically for fans trying that.

  304. DOWNLOAD MATRIX REVOLUTIONS TRAILER HERE by Anenga · · Score: 1

    I posted this somewhere else in the barrage of posts above me, but I'll repost it here so everyone can see:

    The trailer is from the ending of the "Enter the Matrix" video game. You can download it from Suprnova via BitTorrent or from G2 via Shareaza here. Enjoy.

  305. Regarding the sex... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't you people realize its one of the few things that seperates the humans from the machines? They celebrate their sexuality because it makes them different. I've never seen a bigger bunch of people more uncomfortable with sex.

  306. Re:Why would anyone want to be like you after this by LilGuy · · Score: 1

    It's pretty true. I thought it was just another typical stereotype thing, but apparently it's not really. At least from the posts you see here. It appears the people 'in the know' are just as snobbish and self-righteous as they warned us in our English class.
    After I think back about how angry I was that they were teaching us that to be 'Intellectual' often requires a person to be a snob, and not fit in with the crowd... I thought that was awful.. the descriptions they provided, yet it seems to ring true when you find those seemingly rare 'intellectuals'.
    I'm sure there are some out there that don't fit the stereotype, but then again they probably aren't considered true intellectuals. It's just crazy... I'll keep reading up on it anyways.. it's interesting, but I vow never to end up like the majority of the intellectual assholes that have posted here.

    --

    You're nothing; like me.
  307. I just want sex in bullet time :P by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    nm

  308. Re: No, not always by ovit · · Score: 0

    You make some good points.

    I definatley agree that philosophy is dying, but I think it's because a lot of modern philosophy denies the existance of any absolute. This of course means that the philosophy itself cannot be absolute.

  309. I'm next... by dfj225 · · Score: 1

    Maybe this life that we live now is the 7th version of the matrix. And, I am a programmer so maybe I could be the next "One". And wait! I can see the code! Oh...um...never mind. That's just my packet sniffer :)

    --
    SIGFAULT
  310. Re:The biggest mistake__Sentinels not hurt by Neo! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is a common misconception I've found after talking to my friends after the sneak peak screening last night:

    NEO didn't harm a hair on those Sentinels' heads! He put up his hand as if to stop them and then it was actually the EMP PULSE from Niobi's ship that got them. The directors just decided to juxtipose these two events to first make you think that this was Neo's doing until you see the ship show up. Unfortunately it's their pacing and shot choice that made this somewhat hard to understand sadly many scenes in the movie are like this and it's frusterating for me and others.

    So: Neo doesn't have the power over thought in the "real" world...at least not in Reloaded. My theory is that he was knocked out by the EMP pulse, just like Agent Smith/Zion guy was because they're both in some way partially a program/machine of sorts. That's my guess but maybe he just got a little bit more juice than Morpheus and Trinity.

    The Chocolate CheeseCake Orgasm scene was...cheesy!

    My five cents

    -Jenga out

  311. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by jedinite · · Score: 1

    No doubt.

    I don't agree with the original poster that the sky is clouded just to keep humanity from knowing what year it is.

    If anything, if this is a second-layer matrix, I assume the sky is clouded becuase humans expect it to be clouded from when they "darkened the skies" to try to defeat the machines.

    Anyways, with my parent post I was just trying to clarify what the original poster was saying, as Miracle69 didn't follow the original poster...

    --

    ---------
    There is no try at jedinite.com
  312. Spoiler! Its the EMP, NEO DIDN'T HURT SENTINELS!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Don't you guys realize what happened? I haven't read one other comment where anybody realized that Neo didn't hurt the sentinels in the real world. It was the EMP blast from Niobe's Ship right before it showed up. That's why there was all of the blue electricity arching about...The Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP)!!! Then Neo was knocked out and collapsed and we see the ship which had saved them show up above.

    Strangely enough this seems to confuse tons of people and then they use this as evidence that Zion is part of another impreceptable Matrix. Now this may be but it's not why those sentinels fell over. The Brothers just decided to juxtipose the Neo putting his hand up with the Sentinels being fried to confuse and engage the viewers for a moment...Just like Spielberg did at the end of Saving Private Ryan when Tom Hanks is shooting at the tank with his lowly little pistol and then the impossible happens: the tank actually blows up and we all say "what the Hell?" for a moment before we realize there are now bombers overhead. This EMP scene in Reloaded is so similar to the tank scene in SPR that it's almost a homage!!!

    I know this movie's intricate plot points were badly layed out but I hope this helps!!

    Jenga

  313. Re: No, not always by benzapp · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Ok, but I think that your problems are an artifact of your place of education, not the actual works you studied.

    Pray tell, what exactly are these problems of which you speak? Further, how would my education pertain to these problems?

    Personally, philosophy study has taught me quite a bit about historical philosophical thought in a variety of realms and also modern controversies and the recovery from the now-widely-criticized Cartesian split.

    Did you type that for a resume or something? That seems like a rather narrow benefit to gained your love of wisdom. It is also, to use a more vulgar expression, utter bullshit.

    You can write all you want about how worthless your education was, but that is just it: it was your education.

    Ahh I can see where this is going, apparently you haven't learned one of the first lessons of philosophy, and that is moderation. Your response is already far out of proportion to what was a rather innocent and obviously light hearted post. Perhaps you didn't notice the parent post regarding how university philosophy professor are out of touch with reality. As pretty much any serious student of philosophy would easily admit, college is only the beginning of what is a life long journey.

    Philosophy is great, and I have learned more from philosophy (that I can apply to my actual life) than I have in any of my other studies, though I am a triple major (philosophy, German, psychology), as well as a professional technical writer, and contracting network administrator/web designer.

    Like I said, I don't believe you have mastered some of the more basic concepts of self control and moderation but I am glad your studies suited your needs. I must say however that unless you attended a school with less than demanding standards a triple major is hard to believe. I attended a top jesuit university and I could barely finish math and philosophy in four years, with fairly substantial AP credit. What relevence this has to our discussion, I don't know... but I feel like ripping on you.

    I can't reasonably hope to disprove your non-coginitivist claims about your personal experience, but if you want to talk about _facts_, you mentioned a few that seemed ludicrous to me:

    Why am I not surprised you have decided to use some 20th century buzz word. Please, by all means, let me know what non-cognitivist claims I am making... You read the opinion of a former philosophy student, I would love to see what claims you derived from a flippant post.

    However, the reason you did not learn about the Critique in you undergraduate program is because you would need to spend an extremely intense period of time studying it -- usually in a course during graduate school.

    Actually, I had to take a whole class in it. Having attended a Jesuit university meant that most classes revolved around theistic philosophers, and as that single book is the best weapon a theist has for defending his faith it was required.

    Second, to say that Das Kapital has never been completely read by any man alive today is ridiculous, unless you mean only that it has never been fully understood by any man alive today, which is a question that is impossible to resolve.

    Apparently, in your vast studies of philosophy and literature, you have never encountered the rhetorical device of exaggeration. Since such poetic devices are used frequently by Nietzsche, it seems you are unfamiliar with one major philosopher otherwise you would not have taken my words so literally.

    This seems strange in one of the most thorough philosophy programs in the country, but as one of my professors said: we leave Marx for the less intelligent political science theorists.

    I think that claim is another example of how you embody the very problem with academia today. I will not comment on Marx here, but it is unreasonable for a learned individual to dismiss any profoundly effective work as someth

    --
    I don't read or respond to AC posts
  314. My Review by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nice special effects, but it was total rubbish.

  315. I agree with this by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

    I think this is a step in the right direction. I think there is something very significant to Smith coming into the real world, and how he claims he got a part of Neo. I don't think the "real world" is another level of the matrix either. Maybe this Smith / Neo thing will point towards a way out of war: maybe a merging of Man and Machine that doesn't require the Matrix.

  316. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  317. Parallel Matrixes by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

    Yes, every single one of those monitors was another matrix running in parrallel. All of them simultaneously in another theater.

  318. I'm really hoping this is not the explanation by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 1

    Why? Because it's the day after the movie preimire and so many people have already come to this conclusion. I really don't think the W. Brothers would have settled on something so easy for people to figure out ...

  319. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  320. Re:Spoiler! Its the EMP, NEO DIDN'T HURT SENTINELS by m1chael · · Score: 1

    thats a nice theory. i had a nice theory (its cool but doesnt work), that the architect knew neo would go try save trinity so he lied about the doors. but thats most likely didt happen because link is there... so one must suspect neo and the agent smith in a man suit are in the real world and they are linked to the machines somehow. or it could all be a coincidence and be the emp which i thought about first but thought it was too so so.

    --
    I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
  321. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by BinxBolling · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I agree. I realized that the world where Zion lives isn't real as soon as Agent Smith downloaded himself to it at the beginning.

    I'm not sure that Smith exactly downloaded himself; Remember the part where his 'victim' starts carving on his own hand. Seems slightly insane, to me; Certainly not very Smith-like. My impression is that his victim was not overwritten, but rather that he was implanted with a compulsion to aid the machines, and is now slightly insane as a result of the violence of that act.

  322. Re:Spoiler! Its the EMP, NEO DIDN'T HURT SENTINELS by FiTreDawG · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If the EMP hit... the ship would have been disabled and unable to fly. That was the whole premise behind the ending of the first movie. I might be wrong but the speculation that NEO can control the "zion matrix" is the direction the brothers are going.

  323. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by kabrakan · · Score: 1

    Your theory fails to account for the enourmous population Zion achieves over the course of 100 years. Only if they woke up 30, or even 100 people from the 'matrix', and they each had say 5 children of their own, and after 20 years their children had children and so on, would you be able to achieve Zion's population(my math is off, but they have to screw like bunnies to get this). Therefore the Zionians(?) have to be inhabitants from the original earth. Or, perhaps they do just breed like rabbits, which would explain the bizarre rave/orgy scene. Just a thought.

    --
    Slartibartfast:"Is that your robot?"
    Marvin:"No, I'm mine."
  324. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  325. A neat thing to try by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Here's a neat thing you can do to entertain yourself instead of spending 8 bucks on Matrix Reloaded:

    1. First, find the drawer where you keep your VHS tapes. Find that ragged old Matrix videotape.

    2. Place the videotape in your vcr, rewind it, and eject it. Find a small phillips head screwdriver.

    3. Open up the video cassette and take out the supply reel. Rip off one side of it and hold it down towards the ground so that the tape slips off the reel in a neat spiral pattern and collects in a pile on the floor.

    4. Pick up a good classic science fiction book and read it.

  326. Can I ask a question? by blair1q · · Score: 1


    What happens if you take both pills?

  327. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ender81b · · Score: 1

    Yeah I thought of that on the way home. I, unfortunately, do not have a equation for human population growth but if you assumed 17 females, 1 kid a year and they just breed like absolute bunnies then you could probably - easily - get 250,000 people (plus people freed from the matrix) which is what they stated the population was of Zion.

    hrm. Let's do some math. 17 females x 1 kid a year for 13 years = 221 kids + original 17 and 9. that's a total of 247 after 13 years. Now when the kids start breeding... yeah. I mean we are assuming extreme population growth. I Should probably grab a formula off Google but I *think* it can be done assuming lots and lots of sex =).

  328. Re: No, not always by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    does anyone else find the phrase philosophical community frankly baffling?

  329. A DIFFERENT take on it by Dortamur · · Score: 1

    THEORIES AND SPOILERS FOLLOW!

    I think I'd feel a bit let down if the answer to it all was the Matrix within a Matrix theory, and I have another idea; while not as scientifically plausible, this IS a fictional movie.

    The main reason I don't like the layered Matrix theory is the simple fact harped on in M1 that The Matrix feels fake, feels like a dream, and escaping into the "real world", things feel real, even if they're crappy. Sure, the Matrix could simulate a "not quite real" experience, but what would be the point? If they can do it convincingly for the fussy minority, why not just do so?

    Alternate theory: Neo has incredible control over the Matrix. He's mastered his interface to it, so that he can see extra detail, and even control that detail, ike a hacker who sees more than just the GUI interface to a system. He's obviously growing in his awareness and abilities.

    How is everyone connected to the Matrix? Through a dirty big neck socket! Neo and the others have their brains wired directly to an interface for connecting to the Matrix, a construct of the computers. What if he gained control of that interface at the brain implant level? Since he's so familiar with the tech of the computers, he could start to pick up the signals of the sentinels, and other computers, even outside the Matrix, and through resolve, even send signals back to them.

    Perhaps he has a built-in wireless adapter, waiting to be used, giving him the power to interface outside the Matrix.

  330. Excellent followup by Obiwan+Kenobi · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Damn fine flick.

    We're entering SPOILER territory, so be prepared. There are plenty of reviews/thoughts that are spoiler-free, so go read them and check this out once your done.

    Anyway.

    I hadn't thought of the Matrix-within-a-Matrix until I had read through these comments. It makes sense.

    I LOVED THE PACING OF THE FIRST 45 MINUTES. There, I said it. I don't know why everyone keeps bitching about it. You needed to get a sense of Zion, to get a feeling of familiarity, to get a feeling of sympathy for an inanimate place which will be destroyed (inevitably) in a spectacular sequence in Revolutions. You need to see the people at their height, fearless and unafraid, partying and happy to be alive before they are killed.

    You NEEDED to see Link's relationship to Dozer's sister, how they worked as a couple, how decisions were made.

    You NEEDED a love scene between Neo and Trinity because it was the only time, in probably all three movies, where a) they had time to themselves and b) didn't have to screw in a submarine.

    The orgy thing seems to be pushed a bit hard. There's nothing there that isn't in your average rave. Sure there's a nipple shot here and there, but that's a far cry from bukkake people.

    There's also a very insightful comment about how the machines insist the decision is made because that's what the mind would like to believe. That we're steered toward a goal that is obvious, and attainable. The one which appears unbelievable and lucid, well, that's just out of reach, accept it. The Oracle looks like an old woman because you trust that she is who she says she is.

    After seeing both, I think I've concluded something about the first two films:

    "The Matrix" is the "Discovery"

    "The Matrix Reloaded" is the "Understanding"

    This second film demonstrates to Neo the fact that he DOES have a choice, and the truth is known to him if only for a brief instant at the end of the film. It is in that split second before he comas out that he knows the "Real World" is a Matrix in and of itself, and that he too can make choices, not blindly go along with "fate" as the Oracle so wonderfully dishes out.

    Predictions for Revolutions:

    1) Zion will be destroyed in a very geekily-excellent sequence.

    2) Neo will unlock ALL of the Matrixes, and we will get to see the "Real Real World" just before the credits.

    3) Trinity is pregnant. C'mon people, you know that love scene couldn't be in there for no reason.

    4) Morpheus might be a program. Remember, as the wild theorem which makes the most since to me states, the machines have created prophecy. Who has more faith in it than him?

    Just some thoughts. Discuss amongst yourselves.

    1. Re:Excellent followup by falsification · · Score: 1
      There's nothing there that isn't in your average rave. Sure there's a nipple shot here and there, but that's a far cry from bukkake people.

      Ah, yes, bukkake: the new threshold for deviancy.

      BTW, of course Morphus is a bot. He doesn't speak in contractions. That's the oldest one in the book!

  331. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think Neo is "The One." As in, "The One and Only." Zion is probably just another level of a Matrix-like simulation, and this simulation is being fed into the mind of Neo *alone*. Maybe in the next higher level of reality, Neo is the only surviving human and the machines are running this simulation over and over on Neo's mind to understand the concept of "choice." They have presented the "two-door" scenario to him six times, and every time, he chooses the door to go back into the Matrix. Maybe Neo's observers are learning that there really is no such thing as choice, and that if they mess with his mind enough, they can get him to do precisely what they want him to do every time. This would mean Neo is experiencing reality as a solipsist, and he's living in a completely deterministic world.

  332. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah. A Taco Bell. That would have been really cool. Especially if Neo, Morpheus, and Trinity would have had a scene in the Taco Bell with them acting really cool and eating Tacos. That would of been fuckin' awesome. Think I'll go to Taco Bell now and like buy some tacos. Mmmmm. Tacos.

  333. Ebert is stupid (spoilers) by sharph · · Score: 2, Funny

    [NOTE: This is a very big rant, and I'm warning you now that if you're the type of person that doesn't like reading rants....well then don't read it. (My comments are inclosed in []'s)]

    May 14, 2003

    Neo Keanu Reeves
    Morpheus Laurence Fishburne
    Agent Smith Hugo Weaving
    Trinity Carrie-Anne Moss
    Oracle Gloria Foster
    Niobe Jada Pinkett Smith
    Zee Nona Gaye
    Lock Harry Lennix
    Link Harold Perrineau
    Persephone Monica Bellucci
    Twins Neil and Adrian Rayment

    Warner Bros. presents a film written and directed by Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski. Running time: 138 minutes. Rated R (for sci-fi violence and some sexuality).

    BY ROGER EBERT

    Commander Lock: "Not everyone believes what you believe."

    Morpheus: "My beliefs do not require that they do."

    Characters are always talking like this in "The Matrix Reloaded," which plays like a collaboration involving a geek, a comic book and the smartest kid in Philosophy 101. Morpheus in particular unreels extended speeches that remind me of Laurence Olivier's remarks when he won his honorary Oscar--the speech that had Jon Voight going "God!" on TV, but in print turned out to be quasi-Shakespearean doublespeak. The speeches provide not meaning, but the effect of meaning: It sure sounds like those guys are saying some profound things.

    That will not prevent fanboys from analyzing the philosophy of "The Matrix Reloaded" in endless Web postings. Part of the fun is becoming an expert in the deep meaning of shallow pop mythology; there is something refreshingly ironic about becoming an authority on the transient extrusions of mass culture, and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) now joins Obi-Wan Kenobi as the Plato of our age.

    [Shallow pop mythology? If you ask me the Matrix is pretty deep. The part where Neo gets power in "the real world" is pretty weird, but who is to say this could not happen? Buddist monks can make them selves lighter and run faster just by thinking of it.]

    I say this not in disapproval, but in amusement. "The Matrix" (1999), written and directed by the brothers Andy and Larry Wachowski, inspired so much inflamed pseudo-philosophy that it's all "The Matrix Reloaded" can do to stay ahead of its followers. It is an immensely skillful sci-fi adventure, combining the usual elements: heroes and villains, special effects and stunts, chases and explosions, romance and oratory. It develops its world with more detail than the first movie was able to afford, gives us our first glimpse of the underground human city of Zion, burrows closer to the heart of the secret of the Matrix, and promotes its hero, Neo, from confused draftee to a Christ figure in training.

    [Pseudo-philosophy? Whatever, I just disagree.]

    As we learned in "The Matrix," the Machines need human bodies, millions and millions of them, for their ability to generate electricity. In an astonishing sequence, we saw countless bodies locked in pods around central cores that extended out of sight above and below. The Matrix is the virtual reality that provides the minds of these sleepers with the illusion that they are active and productive. Questions arise, such as, is there no more efficient way to generate power? And why give the humans dreams when they would generate just as much energy if comatose? And why create such a complex virtual world for each and every one of them, when they could all be given the same illusion and be none the wiser? Why is each dreamer himself or herself, occupying the same body in virtual reality as the one asleep in the pod?

    [Why not?]

    But never mind. [Okay...] We are grateful that 250,000 humans have escaped from the grid of the Matrix, and gathered to build Zion, which is "near the Earth's core--where there is more heat." As the movie opens, we are alarmed to learn that the Machines are drilling toward Zion so quickly that they will arrive in 36 hours. We may also wonder if Zion and its free citizens really exist, or if the humans only think so, but that leads to a lo

    1. Re:Ebert is stupid (spoilers) by falsification · · Score: 1
      The part where Neo gets power in "the real world" is pretty weird, but who is to say this could not happen? Buddist monks can make them selves lighter and run faster just by thinking of it.

      ROTFL.

  334. Notes On Film by Wes+Janson · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    After just coming home from the theatre, I have several things that occurs to me that no one else seems to recall or give significance to. The following in particular: * What is the significance of the spoon irritating-boy gives Neo? * Why doesn't Neo just attack/injure/threaten the Architect, instead of just standing there? * Could Neo's ability to halt the Sentinels infact be due to some sort of connection between him in the real world, and the machines (ie, programming that 'wedged' itself into the Matrix from him)? We know all humans have the little plugs-and-whatnot on them, a radio transmitter seems plausible. * Who is the guy guarding the Oracle? * What is the Oracle's motivation? * What is the significance of the number 6 (Neo's) and 12 (people saved)? And why so many different versions of Neo shown on the tele-wall, when supposedly only 5 others existed?

    1. Re:Notes On Film by Qender · · Score: 1

      "What is the significance of the spoon irritating-boy gives Neo?"

      It saved his life, that assasin was coming towards him when the guy yelled out "Neo!" because he was bringing the spoon. Hhad he not yelled that and caused everyone to turn around, then that guy would have stabbed neo.

      The five others were not neo, but like him, they were "The one". Those other versions of neo you see on the wall are all his "alternate responses". they were other possible things he would have done.

  335. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Wolfrider · · Score: 1

    > I've long thought that the machines actually have a deep seated command to do no harm to humans and are simply trying to work their way around it.

    --This is demonstrably false if you think about it. Why do you think some chars aren't around from the 1st movie anymore? THEY DIED. They bled, they hurt, and they died. (I miss the blond chick, the one who said "Not like this..." as she decoupled.)

    --What I'd like to see personally (solely based on me being impressed with the excellence of Hugo Weaving's acting) is for Neo and Smith to team up against a common enemy, and Smith to find happiness without killng Neo. But that will never happen.

    --
    .
    == WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
  336. Re:Reality By Consensus: Humans as Ontology Engine by Ineffable+27 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Excellent. Thanks for the most insightful comments re. the movie that I've read on here, or anywhere (so far). You've definitely "got it," IMHO. (Not "got it" as in you totally understand the plot -- e.g. I'm not convinced that "the real world is another Matrix, a la the 13th floor" -- but that you got what the Bros. were trying to emphasize.) Someone mod this guy to 5.

    When you said:

    "Humans create this Matrix through their beliefs; the Machine's power to control the Matrix may thus directly be tied to how humans think the Matrix may work,"

    I was reminded of the bit in the first movie when Smith tells Morpheus about how the first iteration of the Matrix, the pre-lapsarian 'perfect' state, didn't gel because it didn't match people's expectations of how the world should work. Due to our imperfect nature, our inherent striving, we expect the world to be imperfect as well. Of course machines didn't understand this aspect of human nature straight away.

    Your observation is also bolstered by the repeated allusions to the *interdependence* of man and machine. (Perhaps both Smith and Neo have broken free of this interdependence, each in their own way(?).)

    The idea of 'people's expectations dictating their reality' serves as such a rich launching symbol/analogy for so many kinds of philosophical explorations (assumptions about the self, free will, knowledge, the nature of existence). Decreasing deception, Plato's Cave Myth, etc. And of course the religious overtones of enlightenment, etc. No wonder people get so much out of it.

    My main criticism of Reloaded is the same as my main criticism of the first flick: at-times very clunky storytelling that obscures when it should clarify things -- except it's worse this time around. Not just the dialogue/exposition, but the narrative of the overall film structure. So much happens during the last 'act' -- particularly starting with the attack on the 'mainframe' -- which is only briefly alluded to, the audience is trying to fill in the blanks, and is distracted at the very time it should be able to concentrate on all the crazy stuff that 'Architect' is throwing at it. The poor pacing and editing here really undercuts the power of the story. But overall, I thought the film was excellent, and most of the criticisms I have read are really rather superficial.

    --
    "He'd be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once." - Steve Jobs on Bill Gates
  337. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

    I don't Know about the Editors But I like it...

    It seems slightly (but not a lot) more functional than the current system.

    most of what you are talking about can be done with
    "Reason Modifier", and "Threshold", I think its just a different Emphasis in The Interface.

    For Example I hardly Ever See "Funny" comments any more Cause I got a -2 on it....

    --
    --meh--
  338. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by hswerdfe · · Score: 1

    I'm not Realy that conserned about the spoilers...

    I want to know but I don't want to know at the same time...I just thought it would be a neeto funky cool type ....
    and I can't See it for another 2 weeks, cause I promised my girlfriend I wouldn't see it without her.... ....

    --
    --meh--
  339. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  340. Enter the Matrix (Game) - More Background by Necromancyr · · Score: 1

    Just a reminder to everyone assuming a ton of stuff - remember that the W's have said that the game (which a TON of money was dropped on) is part of the storyline as well. As well as the animatrix. So, pick up the game and get through that (or get a synopsis of it) because alot more storyline is revealed (ie where Niobe and Ghost pop-up from in the highway scene, etc.) Then again, I havent seen the movie yet (seeing it on friday) so I could just be nuts. Though I do think they explain the kid a bit more in one of the Animatrix shorts and there's some discussion of him in the game (as far as I have gotten so far).

  341. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This Neo is the 7th, significant number...

  342. They covered up their tracks by accident by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There was one logical flaw in the first movie. They said the machines sustained the humans by feeding the dead to the living intravenously. However, a human cannot live for a lifetime by eating just the body of one other human. They didn't take into account the food chain. A human has to eat a LOT more than the nutrition it produces. Conservation of energy causes this. Considering the planet as a single system, if no energy from the sun is getting in through the clouds, no life (mechanical or otherwise) can exist below the clouds because life must consume energy to survive.

    In other words, for a human to produce that much power, it must be fed. For the machines to feed it, they must be able to grow plants. If the machines can grow plants, they must have sunlight. If they have sunlight they don't need to use humans as a power source.

    But since zion is just another level of illusion, it doesn't have to make sense.

  343. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  344. The Architect and "where's my puss" by Auron · · Score: 1

    Just saw the movie and was very impressed, however the start wasn't very good. I think the whole love scene and mass zion orgy was over the top and what about link's line when he returns home "where's my puss...." or whateva he says. How tacky!! What are people's ideas on what the architect said? My friends all have different point of views about it. My thought is that the architect needs neo to go to the source so he won't be destroyed when zion is blown up, then he can re-populate zion so a new cycle begins. This cycle must continue because humans need a choice otherwise they won't accept the matrix, they need to choose between going into the matrix or going to zion, if there is no zion, then they have no choice and they won't accept the matrix. If this is the case, then the Oracle is really bad and is just leading neo to the source so he can re-populate zion and the machines won't die. Any thoughts? Maybe I'm just whacked out and didn't understand it...

    1. Re:The Architect and "where's my puss" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You have to understand. In movieland these days, it's ultra-cool to be vulgar and superficial "just like the rest of us". This is true in R-rated flicks and the trash Disney has been putting out for a decade or more.

  345. No kidding... by algernon7 · · Score: 1

    My kingdom for a mod point.

  346. Re:However, layers only work to level 2... (spoile by WiPEOUT · · Score: 1

    Alternatively, Neo may have tapped the "battery" energy within him (and all humans) and put out an EMP. His having more "capacity" might even help explain how not only he can be trained to ignore the rules of the Matrix, but also actually alter it at will (through his own tapped power). At the final EMP, his physical self may have finally learned how to discharge that energy in the real world -- hence his coma, the result of having no energy remaining.

  347. Check out Whatisthematrix.com by illumin8 · · Score: 1

    There is new material on there, and I was just wondering if anyone knew how to decipher this. I saw the movie, but I can't tell what they mean by this: (UPDATE: I just copied and pasted the below text from this link, and I realized that half of the hex code below is black text on a black background, and only shows up if you highlight it in your browser or copy and paste like I did. Check it out for yourself, I'm dying to know what the hell it means.

    THE MATRIX: RELOADED covers a lot of ground. The future brings sections on visual effects, the ships, the creatures, the stunts, and much more. All things evolve. For those that understand this, perhaps the following will be understood.

    0xA3B1A428

    For the above hex, you will need a fairly fast computer and graphics card. An appreciation of the Neb is not a prerequisite (but it helps).

    More shortly.

    TheMatrix.com

    --
    "When the president does it, that means it's not illegal." - Richard M. Nixon
    1. Re:Check out Whatisthematrix.com by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Welll 0x isn't a hex number so I don't know what to do with that, but it all translates out to 0x16317716428
      Guess it could be an IP, 163.177.164.28
      But there ain't nothing there. And where do the 0x fit in? I'm not an Ubergeek so I don't get it...
      What would you'd need a fast computer and graphics card for, unless it is a clue to a link?
      I'll keep trying.

    2. Re:Check out Whatisthematrix.com by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is 0xA3B1A428 an IP?
      0x is the hex prefix.
      So... 163.177.164.40
      ('cause hex 28 = decimal 40)
      But nothing is there...

  348. Suprise At End by phr4gmonk3y · · Score: 1

    Just to tell everyone, Definitely wait till after the credits. Without giving away anything...There's a nice suprise. The ending may upset a few though. I especially enjoyed how philisophical this was. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but my friend and I are constantly debating some of the theories in this series. (Yep, we're that geeky) This time, it seems that they are a bit more open to the philosophy than in the prior film, possibly due to the amount of brain work put into the meaning of the first movie. Also, if you look at one of the terminals, I thought I might've seen a *nix prompt and the words "IP adress" You will enjoy this movie.

  349. Cypher's redundancy by Phyr3b4t · · Score: 1

    Well, now that I think about it... Cypher said "Ignorance is bliss" while chewing on his steak. Little did he know... Stupid head. ;P

    --
    w00f.
  350. Where the hell is Tank? by crashfrog · · Score: 1

    I just saw Matrix Reloaded, and Tank appears to be dead. According to what people say.

    I just watched the Matrix on DVD, and Tank appears alive and (not so) well at the end, unless he dies off camera. When the hell does that happen?

    A minor continuity thing, I guess. Anybody who's more sharp-eyed than I able to shed some light?

    --
    I never have frustrations, the reason is, to wit:
    If at first I don't succeed, I quit!
    1. Re:Where the hell is Tank? by crashfrog · · Score: 1

      Answered my own question via Google. I guess there was some kind of casting dispute so the actor who played Tank didn't return for the sequel.

      So I guess he's just assumed to have died when we weren't looking. Lame.

      --
      I never have frustrations, the reason is, to wit:
      If at first I don't succeed, I quit!
  351. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Ubertech · · Score: 1

    I agree with you that it would be only slightly more functional. I just like the idea of going to my prefs page and checking off the boxes I would like to read.

    To get back to the topic at hand, I just got back from seeing the movie (and the eclipse) an hour ago. I understand some people questioning the need for the "rave" and the love scene, but if human survival depends on people reproducing like happy bunnies, then I guess that's a way to make the point AND appeal to Hollywood's need for formulaic scenes. Of course, if the world they know as Zion is another illusion, then it's still just philosophy.

    --
    Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
  352. Re:The biggest mistake__Sentinels not hurt by Neo! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So you're telling me that the ship landed, powered down, triggered the EMP, then powered up and took off fast enough for them to pass over Neo?

  353. Meta-matrix by E1ven · · Score: 1

    I'd just like to go on record now, before November, to point ou my theory.

    Xion dosn't exist. It's all a meta-matrix.

    The world outside the matrix is false. Neo & crew have NEVER worken up. They are still in a tube.

    The Architect said 99% of people could notice a difference. 1% is far larger than Neo.

    Huge Weaving should not have been able to affect some one outside the matrix. The meta-matrix solves this problem.

    Neo/Trinity comming back to life. They were never in danger. They were just in danger in the meta-matrix.

    And so on. It's perfect. It fits well. And the W-brothers are very clever to have thought of it.

    Colin

    --
    Colin Davis
    1. Re:Meta-matrix by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      The Architect said 99% of people could notice a difference. 1% is far larger than Neo.

      I interpreted that to mean that 1% of the people
      rejected the Matrix and entered the real- world/meta-matrix. Zion was populated by the annomolies.

      So the anomolies end up in the Zion, you purge Zion every 100 years, rewrite your code and start over. Next time, there will be a 0.95% rejection rate. You let them drop out of the system and populate Zion, then you purge Zion, rewrite your code, and start over again at a 0.90% rejection rate... and so on and so forth.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    2. Re:Meta-matrix by mknewman · · Score: 1

      Yes, but is Neo a program, or is he actually still in a pod. Only the meta-matrix idea explains the powers he has at the end, before going into coma (process suspended by the supervisor program?), and the Architect's comments about him being a statistical anomoly in his perfect creation.

      Remember, the machines are supposed to have taken over the entire world, and the Matrix may just be a toy, maybe even a museum artifact representing humanity before the fall. If this is correct restarting the Matrix after each REVOLUTION is no big deal to them, there is no 'real world' impact.

      If Neo actually escapes into the real world he might be in a world of trouble, as the world is likely nothing like he would expect. Remember the Architect says the Matrix is FAR older than he thinks, and I get the impression he's not talking hundreds of years. Maybe millions.

      I went to see it a second time the other night and came away with some interesting insights in the exposition scenes:

      1. Morpheus says "We MUST survive". Wishful thinking.

      2. Agent Smith says "You set me free. Purpose is the meaning of life, you do what you are created to do (he's a program). His double says "It's happening just like the other times" but the first says "Not exactly".

      3. The Oracle says "Everything is predestined, you only have to figure out why you made the decisions you do", which is a fatalistic approach to life, you can't do anything to change anything.

      4. The Marovingian says "You can write a program to do anything you want, just watch", but then says that he is on the track of killing off the Oracle. He says power is everything, you can't get enough of it, but the Oracle (predestination) is getting in his way and he's out to get her.
      5. The architect says "You are error, just a derivative of the Matrix", implying that Neo really doesn't exist at all in 'The Real World' whereever that is, but instead is actually a construct. Neo counters with "I see what this is really about, choice", which is really what this is about, he's the only ONE with free choice (as are we all, we can only influence ourselves), but he then appears to not only make the same choice that prior Neo's have made (Old, dead copies of Zion in the tunnels must be prior instances), (Wishfull thinking, humanity's downfall, the architect answers) but Neo then rescues Trinity (which contradicts his dream) and then stops the sentinels.

      Love seems to be a prevailing theme, which is something the machines don't understand, but can grasp. Seeing Neo develop this love seems to be a key. Remember the Marovingian's girlfriend Penelope, who insists that Neo give her what she wants, which is a sample of the love he gives Trinity, and is shocked when she sees how real it is. The machines are 'sampling' human emotions, just like the Marvingian says he sampled languages.

      The 1 minute preview of Revolutions shows him awake again so we know he comes back, or is maybe in a meta-matrix fighting Smith, but if he actually subverts the entire matrix system will humanity be in a position to survive? A handfull of people to repopulate the earth, the Architect said he was willing to tolerate certain levels of survival, so even all the copertops going offline won't actually kill the entire system, just criple it, so in the next version of the world they will re-emerge to take over again.

      So you have this great conflict of will (Morpheus) vs purpose (Smith) and predestination (Oracle) vs free will (Architect), nicely tied up in a package. Obviously no reasonable answer can come, all of these affect our daily lives. Religions and philosophies have fought over this for centuries. A movie can't answer it in 6 hours (total for the 3 installments). I suspect Revolutions may be disappointing after Reloaded.

      My take is that at the end of the third picture Neo will wake up with his head on the keyboard in his original apartment, going "Whew, what a bad dream."

      Marc

    3. Re:Meta-matrix by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      My take is that at the end of the third picture Neo will wake up with his head on the keyboard in his original apartment, going "Whew, what a bad dream."

      "In other news, Larry and Andy Wachowski fled the country after hordes of movie-going rioters broken into the Wachowski mansion and set it ablaze, screaming 'Bad plot device!', 'I saw that same friggen story in the original Twilght zone', 'Booooring'.

      As one partipant stated, "The second movie introduced a dozen new storylines and then ended suddenly in a cliffhanger 3 minutes later.
      I was forced to wait for 6 months to see the "Conclusion", but the 3rd movie didn't meet my high expectations, and now Wachowski Brothers are going to pay! I want my $9.50 + $4.00 for a soda and $3.00 for milkduds back!"

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
  354. Starts with a T, ends in a roll... by Scrameustache · · Score: 1
    I don't normally feed your kind, but you werre modded up...

    did we really need to be exposed to Keano Reeves and Carrie Moss having sex? I feel that in this sequel the Watchowski Brothers abandoned all of the philosophical values that Neo personified in the original Matrix

    Being gay?



    I don't think that was what the Bros were shooting for...

    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

  355. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ender81b · · Score: 1

    Do they die? I mean really. According to the Architect Neo has been reborn 6 times. This either demonstrates that they can replicate Neo at will or a person can simply be 'reborn' inside the matrix.

    It can also be said that they do the "needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" argument to justify killing a few people.

  356. Spoiler by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SPOILER!

    Has anyone noticed the Neo-Smith connection? By the end, Neo's in a coma, and Smith seems as well. Smith killed humans, Neo killed sentinels.

  357. none the less it was cool! drool... n/t by arcite · · Score: 1

    no text here

  358. Sex Scene by wakeboard · · Score: 1

    I thought the sex scene just simply had no place in the movie, It was just kinda stupid. I thought the movie was great, and I am hopeing that my assumptions that this was just to fill the gaps and answer a few questions in prep for Matrix: Revolutions... That movie better blow my mind, like the first one

  359. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by bindster · · Score: 1

    Or...what if they are people who have made the realization that they are inside the matrix...and WANT to enforce the machine rule? Dunno...

    --
    WARNING: DO NOT LET DR. MARIO TOUCH YOUR GENITALS. HE IS NOT A REAL DOCTOR.
  360. What was the name of the song in this scene? by antdude · · Score: 1

    Does anyone know?

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    1. Re:What was the name of the song in this scene? by delus10n0 · · Score: 1

      I think it was Fluke - Zion, on the soundtrack.

      --
      Not All Who Wander Are Lost
  361. The techno music was good. by antdude · · Score: 1

    The only good part about it is the techno music. Does anyone know the title of this song in the album?

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  362. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by Oluseyi · · Score: 1

    Zion was destroyed. Recall that the ships had all been recalled to Zion; the only ships that were away were the Nebuchadnezzar, the one with Capt. Niobe and the one who's crew died while in the Matrix (whom Trinity had to be inserted for). Recall that the sole survivor had last been seen in Zion, and was not a member of the crew of either of the two ships away from Zion. The dialog stated (paraphrased) that it had been surmised that the sentinels would attack via certain ducts/canals/whatever and thus a defense strategy was formulated around that, but an EMP was primarily denoted - which would have the effect of shutting down all of Zion's systems and causing some structural damage (electrical fires, mostly) - at which point the Sentinels came through and massacred the people since there were no defense mechanisms.

    Furthermore, the Architect states that Zion has been destroyed and reconstructed iteratively for six generations now, like a sort of genetic algorithm evolving towards an optimal solution

  363. Explanation of Zion - spoiler by danspalding · · Score: 1

    Huge Spoiler...

    It's clear Zion's been rebuilt at least once. At the end the architect tells neo to choose 16 men and 7 women for the new Zion. These are the people who become the ruling counsel for Zion.

    Think about it; at the beginning, Neo asks why all of them are old. It's because they've all been there since the beginning. The guy he's talking to knows what's happened before. That's why he brings up the mutual dependence of man and machine to him, in a roundabout way, without having a cut and dry answer. Finally, it explains why the counsel is in favor of sending neo to the fortune teller; that's the only way the cycle that created them can continue.

    These people don't necessarily reproduce to populate Zion. They have a few kids, sure. And it takes them awhile to build the technology to get into the Matrix, at which point they start to rescue people from the Matrix, who are likely going to be younger than them. (then again, the people in the matrix don't get wiped out each time, so there are people in there who predate Zion and are older than the selected counselors.)

    Why the mythology around Zion, and morpheus talking about how it's 100 years old? Because that's the mythology the ruling counsel has created.

    They probably create it every time.

    --
    Teaching, coding, coffee, revolution.
    1. Re:Explanation of Zion - spoiler by headpushslap · · Score: 1

      The whole Matrix-Within-Matrix theory sounds good, but remember all the discussion about the OLD Matrix, bodyguards from the OLD Matrix...guess what Zion is? an OLD Matrix. The human race is the debugger for the NEW Matrix. They 'escape' to an OLD Matrix code, somewhere in the NEW code, and fugg everything up, now the Machines can find the fugged up code, and destroy it. The ruling council might be programs to encourage the humans to gather and build, so the bad code is all in one place to clean up.

      Neat and tidy little box. Uses all the resources available to accomplish the end goal. Binary, my dear Watson.

      Although that theory would indicate that the Matrix could not have evolved from a MS product, as they would never enable a product to actually improve itself from within, but it would explain the huge amounts of extraneous code.

      Satisfied?

    2. Re:Explanation of Zion - spoiler by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      or maybe there is a 32-bit seconds counter overflow in it... which is why Zion needs rebooting every 136 years. :)

      (thus, it could have evolved from a MS product...)

  364. Re: No, not always by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 1

    It sounds like you took philosophy from a crappy department.

  365. Make me your enemy if you liked this movie. by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 0, Troll

    I fucking hate you if you thought there was one shread of decent anything in this crappiest of movies. So please put me on your enemies list so that I will know to ignore anything you have to say in the future. And get an MRI to make sure you actually have a frontal lobe.

  366. Inviting the leet speek... by Xenex · · Score: 2, Funny
    say for instance, your comp can only print out numbers, theres no way you can type a sentence from it
    You're just begging for someone 1337 to come along and post a reply in all numbers, aren't you?
  367. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by newt3k · · Score: 1

    We ARE the human 'virus' after all. :)

  368. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by fbg111 · · Score: 1

    Not sure why you did this, but you left out a couple generations:

    350 *0.5 *10 = +1750 ppl.
    1750 *0.5 *10 = +8750 ppl.
    8750 *0.5 *10 = +43750 ppl.
    43750 *.5 *10 = +218750 ppl.
    218750 *0.5 *10 = +218750 ppl.

    --
    Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
  369. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by fbg111 · · Score: 1

    Yes Zion was destroyed in the previous six iterations the Architect explained to Neo. No Zion has not yet been destroyed in this iteration. The sentinels are still digging, but they haven't reached Zion yet. Neo has chosen a path previously unchosen by all other "The One's", and Revolutions will be about whether that choice will ultimately save Zion and humanity, or whether that "choice" was only another layer of the illusion.

    --
    Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
  370. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by fbg111 · · Score: 1

    That Caddy STS sure had a shitload of body-roll on the freeway chase scene. I was considering buying one till I saw that scene, now I'm very skeptical. I'll probably just stick with my tried and true Beemer. Talk about a backfire...

    --
    Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
  371. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Eil · · Score: 1


    I realized this after I saw the trailer for Matrix Revolutions. (Which was about 10 minutes after I posted the comment.) Thanks for explaining it anyway. I really need to go watch Reloaded again but I don't want to fight the crowd.

  372. Hack text (derived from screenshots) by psykax · · Score: 1

    Interesting ports on 10.2.2.2:
    (The 1539 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
    Port State Service
    22/tcp open ssh

    No exact OS matches for host

    Nmap run completed -- 1 IP address (1 host up) scanneds
    # sshnuke 10.2.2.2 -rootpw="210N0101"
    Connecting to 10.2.2.2:ssh ... successful.
    Attempting to exploit SSHv1 CRC32 ... successful.
    Reseting root password to "210N0101".
    System open: Access Level (9)
    # ssh 10.2.2.2 -l root
    root@10.2.2.2's password:

    RF-CONTROL> disable grid nodes 21 - 40
    Warning: Disabling nodes 21-40 will disconnect sector 11 (27 nodes)

    ARE YOU SURE? (y/n) y

    1. Re:Hack text (derived from screenshots) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm almost certain that the root password in the example above is supposed to be "Z10N0101".

  373. Re: No, not always by kevmit · · Score: 1
    As far as the inability to admit to totally wasting ones time, that is a well documented psychological fact. It is a trait of humanity that is exploited well by bosses and politicians.
    The inability to admit to totally wasting ones time is the human trait that makes Slashdot possible as well.
  374. Re: No, not always by Tiroth · · Score: 1

    But to couch it in terms of explaining the argument is missing the point, in my opinion. Philosophy is dedicated to finding truths; an insight is valid even if it is difficult to explain.

  375. Security Focus article by FatalTourist · · Score: 1

    Security focus article about the mad hax0ring tools of Reloaded.

    --


    Escape Pod Films: Sketch Comedy and Web Series
  376. The machines kept digging.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did anyone else catch the end when the crew from the other ship said the machines "kept digging" after getting to Zion?
    Any thoughts on that? I haven't seen anyone mention it.

  377. Re: No, not always by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh certainly. The root insight remains valid. I'm merely playing devil's advocate and indicating that the meme which you are conveying is not the meme you hold in your head, due to your inability to communicate it well.

    Sure the root meme is not compromised, but that which you are saying certainly is.

  378. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by fbg111 · · Score: 1

    but an EMP was primarily denoted - which would have the effect of shutting down all of Zion's systems and causing some structural damage (electrical fires, mostly) - at which point the Sentinels came through and massacred the people since there were no defense mechanisms.

    No, the premature EMP did not damage Zion, it only disabled the hovercrafts that were gathering to counterattack the drilling Sentinels. That's why sentinels slaughtered the humans and destroyed the hovercrafts - they were defenseless. The traitor, the human with Agent Smith downloaded inside him, was on board one of those ships, not back in Zion. He was the first mate of one of those ships, as can be seen when he questions his captain's orders at the council meeting in which two volunteers are requested to find the Nebachudnezzar.

    The traitor prematurely discharged the EMP while the hovercrafts were in too close vicinity to each other, disabling all the hovercrafts. However, the hovercrafts were well away from Zion, so far away that machines still had several tens of hours to drill to reach Zion after destroying the hovercrafts. The battle for Zion has yet to occur.

    --
    Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
  379. Question which could only be asked by old geeks... by freeBill · · Score: 1

    ...like me: Didn't Ducati have an ad in the 1950s in which a sweater-girl wearing a blindfold is doing a Evel-Kneivel-style jump on a Ducati (no-hands, no less) with a guy hanging on behind her?

    I suppose only another old geek could answer that one.

    I know some Italian motorcycle company had such an ad. I just don't remember if it was Ducati.

    I can't help wondering if the Wachowski Brothers were deliberately telling a joke based on that ad when they showed Trinity jumping a Ducati with the keymaster hanging on behind.

    --
    Eternal vigilance only works if you look in every direction.
  380. enough... by 8xCompatible · · Score: 1

    I saw the The Matrix: Reloaded, as well, and though I would love to wax philisophical about the enlightenment it provided, or the intresting story, or even the special effects, I can't, because I thought it sucked. I'm a huge fan of the first movie, but this next chapter was a real let-down. I've heard a lot of people talk about "Philosphy 101" in these reviews, and as a philospohy major, I can tell you, the film-makers should go back to class if that's what they were trying to do. The special effects were fun, to a degree, but the scenes lasted far too long. And the "rave in the cave" sex scene was just ridiculous. Overall, it looked like the film-makers read the Clif-notes for "Sophie's World" and "Hacking Exposed," understood roughly half of what they read, and made a CGI kung-fu movie. As for me, I don't really care anymore.

  381. From my JE by John+Harrison · · Score: 1

    It appears that I posted my JE before anybody else had seen the movie, so the all avoided it. Good for them. Here are my random thoughts, copied straight from the JE:

    Just got back from a Wednesday night showing of The Matrix Reloaded. I am at a conference and Schlumberger was kind enough to be handing out tickets at their booth. I am helping to staff the booth across from them and they gave me a ticket. Can't complain much about free tickets to a movie a day before it comes out. To top it off, we got the best seats in the house, five rows up (stadium seating), right in the middle of the row.

    I didn't like it as much as the first one, probably because the first one seemed rather fresh and new. This one is of course bigger and badder, but maybe not as novel. There isn't the sense of discovery, or even much doubt that things will turn out alright, since you know that Neo is now all-powerful. Just the same he expresses his own doubts throughout, probably to convince the audience that there is real drama here.

    The movie opens with a view of the workings of the matrix, which zooms outward fractally to finally reveal a clock. A timecard clock to be exact, leading to the question of are the people punching in machines themselves or part of a machine. I just wanted to hear, "We don't need no education!"

    Ok, the rest of this might contain major spoilers, so beware. Don't read it if you haven't seen it yet. Of course who am I kidding, nobody reads this thing....

    The movie features a constant discoure on determinism. Are we automatons, or do we have free will? The word "choice" comes up so often that you will get sick of it. I thought that the philosophy in the first movie was much more subtle. This one is pounding you over the head with it. Lots of symbolism too, I probably missed lots of stuff, but here is some of what I noticed.

    The movie begins with Neo having a vision of the future, and like Minority Report, though he knows the future there isn't much he can do to stop it. In fact knowing this will cause him to take actions that will lead to the occurance event he is trying to prevent. Ohhh, what a paradox. One of the bad guys will be put in a similar situation, causing the very thing he is trying to prevent by his betrayl of his digital girlfriend who get revenge by seeking some lip time with Neo. The movie thrives on paradox by the way. Lots of stuff for theoretical CS people and math people to chew on with their philosophy buddies.

    Speaking of choice, Agent Smith has become a virus and a "free agent", no longer taking orders from above. Interesting that the machine has free will but the humans keep wondering if they do. He is able to infect a human, though much of this subplot is left to be resolved in the next movie. Smith is certainly a fun character to watch, but he didn't strike me as being as fearsome or as hate-worthy as he was in the first movie.

    The doors of the dwellings in Zion are all painted blood red. Wonder what that could mean... duh. Neo is treated by many as a saviour, though we don't get to see how he reacts to all this adulation other than a bit of him sneaking off for an overly long and explicit roll in the hay with Trinity. The scene is strikes me as somebody went to Rio for Carnaval and decided to include an homage to Orfeu Negro, just as Orson Wells got way to caught up in the drama of carnaval, this one goes on too long and is probably the main reason for the R rating, other than a bunch of F words in a particularly funny scene.

    The fight scene with Smith is exciting, but the real show stopper was the highway chase scene. IT even looked like 101, though I know that they built their highway on the other side of the bay.

    Several movie references were made. To name a few: Return of the Jedi when volunteers are asked for to go on a mission. Very similar to Han Solo & Co. volunteering for the Endor mission. Rumble in the Bronx where Jackie Chan takes the swipe at the hovercraft with the big sword. Superman is a really ob

  382. Re:Reality By Consensus: Humans as Ontology Engine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    :: drool ::

  383. Re:Something interesting I noticed (slight spoiler by theefer · · Score: 1

    In the scene where the Architect is talking to Neo (with all of the TV screens), when the Architect is talking about all of the atrocities (I think that's the word he used) that the humans have committed, as soon as he says the word "atrocity," a picture of George W. appears on the screens behind him. Coincidence? I think not.

    Well I guess you have missed the even most surprising analogy in this sequence : GWB appears a few seconds after ... Adolf Hitler. This is rather disturbing for a Hollywood brewd movie, don't you think ?

    --
    theefer
  384. Re: No, not always by Anonamused+Cow-herd · · Score: 1

    Pray tell, what exactly are these problems of which you speak? Further, how would my education pertain to these problems?

    The fact that you didn't learn anything in college, the fact that you are bitter about philosophy as a whole, and the utter philosophical hypocrisy you provide. Obviously, this pertains to your education insofar as your educational experiences crafted your knowledge and experience of philosophy, leading to your disregard for your very area of study.

    Did you type that for a resume or something? That seems like a rather narrow benefit to gained your love of wisdom. It is also, to use a more vulgar expression, utter bullshit.

    No, I typed it for you, dear boy. Plus, considering that the scope of the referenced sentence spans quite a few centuries of the most influential philosophical thought, I don't think it is a narrow benefit, and it is certainly not bullshit. Though you may not be able to reap personally meaningful knowledge from such texts, your limitations do not apply to everyone.

    Ahh I can see where this is going, apparently you haven't learned one of the first lessons of philosophy, and that is moderation. Your response is already far out of proportion to what was a rather innocent and obviously light hearted post. Perhaps you didn't notice the parent post regarding how university philosophy professor are out of touch with reality. As pretty much any serious student of philosophy would easily admit, college is only the beginning of what is a life long journey.

    If you think moderation is the first lesson of philosophy, you obviously missed most of the above discussion, which was in part concerned with the obvious lack of moderation of some of history's most notable philosophers. The reason I wrote such a long reply to a "light-hearted post" is because I think that your view typifies the public view of philosophy, one that I think is utter idiocy and naivete. It is also of note that you wrote an even longer reply, worthlessly and amusingly, considering your accusations.

    Like I said, I don't believe you have mastered some of the more basic concepts of self control and moderation but I am glad your studies suited your needs. I must say however that unless you attended a school with less than demanding standards a triple major is hard to believe. I attended a top jesuit university and I could barely finish math and philosophy in four years, with fairly substantial AP credit. What relevence this has to our discussion, I don't know... but I feel like ripping on you.

    First, it's good to know that you can make such character inferences from such little experience. I guess you must have learned something somewhere, though not in school apparently. And if you must know, I take six or seven classes per semester, have AP credit in psychology, and tested out of the first 3 years of German studies. With a passion for learning, such things are possible =P.

    Why am I not surprised you have decided to use some 20th century buzz word. Please, by all means, let me know what non-cognitivist claims I am making... You read the opinion of a former philosophy student, I would love to see what claims you derived from a flippant post.

    Non-cognitivism is the view that arguments over values, morals, etc. hold no truth-value, and therefore cannot be proven true or false by argument. In more frequent usage, it is when people make claims like "philosophy is worthless" or "the academic tradition is tired," statements against which I can provide no _facts_ to contradict you. You might have learned it in that same class where they forced you to read about Socrates, in works like the Phaedo or Theaetetus.

    Actually, I had to take a whole class in it. Having attended a Jesuit university meant that most classes revolved around theistic philosophers, and as that single book is the best weapon a theist has for defending his faith it was required.

    That is quite imp

    --
    -----[0_o]-----
    We are not amused.
  385. Actually you're wrong by tink_mk · · Score: 1

    I'm sorry, I beleive you just showed the gap in your knowledge of philospophy, clearly you have never read Plato's less known late work, allegory of the cave 2: yes we kick that dragon's ass. Hi Ya I suggest you do more research before posting in the future.

  386. Let's get knee deep in it then. by Dynamo247 · · Score: 1

    [The same programming flaws that allowed the 1% of people to 'wake up' and reject the First Matrix, would also allow 1% of THOSE people to eventually wake up and reject the Second Matrix. Which is why every 100 years the robots come in and wipe out everyone in Zion, to keep the chances of that 1% of 1% from growing to a whole number. Only this time, the "Messiah" was stronger than they had allowed for...]

    If what you say is right, then here's my take:

    Let's assume that we start from the point when the machines have wipes out Zion (it's already happened 6 times after all). We begin fresh. Then 1% of the population plugged into the "Matrix" "wake up". These people find their way to Zion somehow.

    Every year a stronger person "wakes up" from the 1% that "wake up" from the "Matrix". This person...well...let's call him/her the "hundredth". This "hundredth" not only gets unplugged, but realizes that they can bend reality once they temporarily plug back into the matrix. They also teach others how to bend reality. Morpheus, Trinity, Ghost and everyone else get physically unplugged via a mathematical error from the "Matrix", but also get mentally unplugged through training from freed minds.

    Therefore, every decade we have a "tenth".

    Then the reason why the machines destroy Zion every 100 years is because the last "tenth" that "wakes up" is the "one". The one is exceedingly dangerous because the "one" not only wakes up from the Matrix, but also from the "real world", which you've pointed out as being yet another Matrix.

    So then you could say that the "one" is in fact the whole number that the machines are waiting on. He's like a boolean flag that instructs the machines to destroy Zion.

    So then this shows us exactly why the machines must destroy Zion every 100 years.

    Every being after the "one" would be granted with greater abilities than the ability of the "one". Neo would be 1.00 or so and the next person to wake up from "the real world" simulation would be 1.00000001. One year after Neo there would be the 1.01.
    (Keep in mind that in either of Neo's choices at the end of the film Zion is destroyed)

    That would explain why they need to destroy Zion every 100 years. This would prevent "the ones" from growing a large enough following and heading straight for the kernel of true machine. It would also kill anyone who might train the 1.000000001 and so on.

    I think I've even figure out what going on in Revolutions based on this post and the teaser at the end of the Reloaded, but I'll just keep those thoughts to myself. Damn, I sound as preachy as that French guy in the movie. Sorry for rambling.
    --
    "No, seriously, I AM a wallet inspector"
  387. Screenshots of the nmap/sshnuke session by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Check out what was actually on the screen Matrix Screenshot

  388. chicks dig matrix by geeklizzard · · Score: 1

    Dude, clearly that is because only the idiot girls will talk to you. The cool girls who were going "damn that was the shit" were busy talking to guys who aren't always talking about how girls are idiots. Only girls who already _are_ idiots put up with that!

  389. Unsafe Docking Bay? by SeanAhern · · Score: 1

    I wondered about that ship docking scene. It did seem rather gratuitous.

    But after watching the Matrix: Revolutions trailer at the end, I've decided that it was merely setup for things we're going to see in the third movie. I believe that the battle for Zion is going to feature that docking bay in a big way. Rather than spend the time setting all that up in the third movie, they put it into the second movie.

    One thing that really bothered me about that bay: there is one set of doors between the outside world and the "safe" docking bay. And the doors move really, really slowly. So slowly that they have to have these vulnerable mechanical walker dudes with guns protecting it while it's open. Why not have an "airlock" of two sets of doors? That would provide continuous security, while also allowing authorized access in and out.

  390. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Dynamo247 · · Score: 1

    This Neo is the 7th, significant number...

    Maybe i'm dense, but could you clearify how 7 is a significant number besides it being "lucky" or due to its appetite for "9"?

    --
    "No, seriously, I AM a wallet inspector"
  391. Fools... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the Matrix ran Linux, it wouldn't have to be reloaded!

  392. Another Mirror of screenshots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Another mirror can be found here

  393. If you don't wan to think to much Ya, but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    why couldn't Neo just fly to the nearest phone, instead of having to fly around the world from wherever?
    Becuase he was only 500 miles away, not half way around the world, and Neo was not near a phone to fly to... in his mind it was faster to fly the direction that Link gave him than to go to a phone, if getting to a phone even occured to Neo.

    And what was so neccesary about the MGD orgy
    The only thing i can think of follows the rest of my answers in the primal nature that the machines don't understand but want to manupulate. I agree that they didn't really have to show that much of the whole orgy thing to us though.

    the french guy's orgasma cake
    To propell Persephone into action so that Neo can get to the Archetect and to maybe start something of a conflict in the basic nature of humanity that machines call "flaws".

    and the Italian bathroom kiss?!?
    Most likly to imprint another women upon Neo or to swey him from choosing the door he eventually did in the Architects room. They don't understand human "chemistry" so they try to manipulate "flaws" in humanity.

    Think about how many conflict, in real human existance, start out of lust, jealousy, rage, or love. I think that a lot of what you hate in that movie is what they, the Wachowski brothers, show as a twist on controlling people, but I could be reading too much in to this or I could be wrong. I personally liked the movie, but did think the whole sex/orgy scene was a little long for what it was needed for.

  394. How many factual errors... by freeBill · · Score: 1

    ...can you jam into one post?

    I own a copy of Das Kapital and a copy of the complete works of Plato, published by the same publisher on identical size pages and in identical size type. The Marx book runs about 411 pages, including a very lengthy index. Plato's dialogues run 799, with "The Seventh Letter" adding a bunch more. (I don't know if this is a complete list of all of Plato's writings, but I suspect it is.)

    Plato is easier to read, but just as full of grand pronouncements that are clearly wrong as Marx.

    I first tried to read Das Kapital in 10th grade and found the style too turgid to plow through. The sentences are long and complicated. The ideas range from the trivial to the absurd. He is clearly trying to express his political ideas in a form which is complete and irrefutable, kind of like a Principia Mathematica for economics.

    It is hard reading, but by no means impossible. I would not recommend it in a world where some of the main ideas would be accepted by almost no one (including most leftists and communists).

    The idea that Plato and Aristotle are given short shrift in universities which over-emphasize Descartes, Kant and Marx is ludicrous in the extreme. Over half of the Ancient and Medieval Philosophy class I took was devoted to the two of them.

    Aristotles (his works outweigh Plato's, by the way) may get less credit than he deserves because Newton chose to blame him for the mistakes of the medieval monks who misinterpreted him. But that simply means his best work is used only for theology, when it should be viewed as the foundation of science.

    Plato probably gets more coverage than he deserves, given how few of his ideas could reasonably be accepted as true by most people. But he did pretty much define what philosophers would be discussing for the following 2500 years. So it's hard to say he should be covered less thoroughly.

    Descartes not only made major contributions to philosophy, but also to science and math. And his books were never long.

    I'm a partisan of Kant and can't help wondering what he would have contributed to ethics and political philosophy if Frederick the Great's father hadn't forbidden him to publish in those fields. He wrote some very long books and some very short books. He used long sentences. But, hey, that's German for you. Long sentences; long words. Sometimes long sentences made up of long words. True for Marx and Kant; true for Nietzsche, too. Hey, if Alan Turing had been German, programs would probably have fewer lines, but they'd probably be a lot longer.

    To say Nietzsche isn't covered enough in modern schools of philosophy is just silly. There are probably more classes devoted to him than any other single philosopher. He's fun. He said some cool things. But he didn't push the ideas ahead much. Not on the important issues. My Nietzsche collection isn't complete but it's enough to know that, if it were, it would have more pages than Das Kapital

    One thing I have to agree with you on, though: "In most cases, I don't believe a man's self esteem will allow him to read a book for a year and say afterwards 'That was a load of crap'." I suspect that helps explain a lot of things: from George W. Bush to Scientology.

    But I doubt any undergraduate course will ever require Das Kapital. And, if it does, I suspect it will get few enrollees and even fewer completes.

    --
    Eternal vigilance only works if you look in every direction.
  395. Machines blow off their nose despite their face by AnEmbodiedMind · · Score: 1

    > the entire framework for him to 'deal with'
    > the architect is gone. That building blowed up
    > real good.

    But why did the Machines make such a stupid framework for reaching the architect? If Neo talking to the Architect is so key to the survival of the Matrix, why would it be so difficult for Neo to get to him.

    As we saw in the film, it was essential for not just Neo, but a group of his friends to all do various 'quests' (power out, keymaster and whatever else) for him to get in - and we also saw how they almost failed. Apparently, this would have spelt the end for the Matrix because Neo would have been unable to start the new Zion.

    You can't claim either that this was just some sort of test for Neo to determine if he was really the 'One' as his success was dependent on a number of other side characters.

    So my question from the previous post: "Why can't Neo save trinity and then deal with the Architect - and take her with him to start the new Zion?" really needs to be seen in the context that the Architect has set up stupid restrictions that will infact force the downfall of the Matrix.

    If you want to claim that the Architect has no ability to meet with Neo in the Matrix to give him the chance to start a new zion OTHER then through the contrived means of the plot of Reloaded, go ahead... but I'll have to leave my suspension of disbelief at the door...

  396. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Annamite · · Score: 1

    On this direction, this movies The 13th Floor have solved the mystery in 1999 in a much better presentation and a shorter time too.

  397. a good popcorn flick by falsification · · Score: 1
    I keep hearing the movie sucked, but I think many expectations were just too high. The first movie was a syncretism of various sci-fi and fantasy genres, with some philosophy thrown in from a comic book series by Grant Morrison, The Invisibles. Unfortunately, a whole bunch of cult-people took the movie as the source of some great revelation or something. There was nothing particularly deep about The Matrix. Yet, it was a very entertaining film. Good special effects, if nothing really special in terms of storyline.

    The Matrix Reloaded is another good popcorn flick. I definitely enjoyed it. It's not there to make a statement or anything. It's there to entertain. And is it ever fun! Unlike most movies, it kept me guessing for the most part. I only figured out a chunk here and there ahead of time. The dialogue is incredibly pretentious, but Laurence Fishburne is so damn good at his lines that I give it a passing grade anyway. Wasn't there a Star Trek villain they figured out was not a human once because he couldn't use consonants? Same with Morpheus. The fighting scenes were designed so that you could actually figure out what was going on. Sure, Chinese ballet is not exactly the most effective fighting style, but it looked pretty graceful and everything. Exciting, death-defying stuff. My favorite character was the key master, that plucky bastard. One big positive was the humor. It had me laughing out loud several times. There were innumerable great touches, like Councillor West!!! Brilliant. And that Monica Belluci chick. Smoking hot. I want..... 'Nuff said.

    There were some negatives, and not just the total lack of vocal inflection. The porn scene was not particularly good, even though it had some better than average porn music. It was weird looking at all the people dancing in slow motion while the music was going full speed. In fact, I'd estimate that 35% of the entire film was shown in slow motion, which would indicate that we only got about 83% of the film we thought we were going to get. Way too much slow motion. The music was generally terrific. No, it wasn't John Williams, but it was terribly exciting at times.

    The most serious strike against the movie is its lack of a really good villain. Agent Smith is persistent like the Terminator, but you don't really fear him. When he shows up, you get more of a feeling like "Oh great. Here we go again." The Merovingian is a better villain, but again he isn't threatening enough. The ghost dudes are not particularly terrifying, just annoying. Colonel Sanders is not menacing. He's distant and boring. The best villains are those nasty octopi things. Ugly, evil, and perhaps unstoppable. Kenau is Kenau, a downer overall. Carrie Ann-Moss is now 48 years old or so. She almost looks like his mom, so it's fairly sick watching them do the nasty.

    One quick point about Freddy vs. Jason, a trailer at the beginning. It's quite sad when you've never heard of a movie, but then figure out what the title is halfway through the trailer, though they only announce the title at the end.

    Several of us stayed to watch the trailer for the third movie at the end of the credits. Word of that is getting out.

    4/5 stars.

  398. we are all A.I and living in a matrix for certain. by l29sjdh · · Score: 0

    We are Artificial Intelligence. Religion is our programming/mind control. Religion is mind control for people whom are artificial intelligence. Visit http://www.matrix4.net for more info. This site clearly states why aliens or god does not exist. Cheers!

  399. SPOON! by Wes+Janson · · Score: 1

    As the spoon from the first demonstrates the illusion of the Matrix, the spoon given in the second is a clue given to Neo that the reality he is in is false.

  400. he is PI by mikeclark · · Score: 0

    He is a mathamatical Anomaly... PI (3.14) He had 314 seconds to get in the room.

    I thankya

  401. The matrix that we live in called: "reality" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is true! We have the roadmap for creating highly sentient and intelligent
    beings inside of a massive supercomputer located at http://www.matrix4.net

    Please come and check it out. www.matrix4.net details how much work we have done with regards to this topic.

    Please take a view of http://www.matrix4.net to learn how we exist in a
    computer with system management. Remember - there was no ancient history of
    UFO's 1000's of years ago, so now the system is being managed on a higher
    degree instead of running on idle to create an eternal life effect for the
    planet.

    Believe in yourself and nothing else, instead of fiction - like religion or
    music or news (which is based on stories such as news stories) or peoples
    statements which are fictitious in the sense of being influxed with fiction.
    With this being stated - reality is obviously fiction.

    http://www.matrix4.net

    Peace to you, your friends and family :).

  402. Earth is in a matrix. The proof you want? I got it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is true! We have the roadmap for creating highly sentient and intelligent
    beings inside of a massive supercomputer located at http://www.matrix4.net

    Please come and check it out. www.matrix4.net details how much work we have done with regards to this topic.

    Please take a view of http://www.matrix4.net to learn how we exist in a
    computer with system management. Remember - there was no ancient history of
    UFO's 1000's of years ago, so now the system is being managed on a higher
    degree instead of running on idle to create an eternal life effect for the
    planet.

    Believe in yourself and nothing else, instead of fiction - like religion or
    music or news (which is based on stories such as news stories) or peoples
    statements which are fictitious in the sense of being influxed with fiction.
    With this being stated - reality is obviously fiction.

    http://www.matrix4.net
    -

    Peace to you, your friends and family :)

  403. The reality we live in is in a matrix. matrix4.net by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is true! We have the roadmap for creating highly sentient and intelligent
    beings inside of a massive supercomputer located at http://www.matrix4.net

    Please come and check it out. www.matrix4.net details how much work we have done with regards to this topic.

    Please take a view of http://www.matrix4.net to learn how we exist in a
    computer with system management. Remember - there was no ancient history of
    UFO's 1000's of years ago, so now the system is being managed on a higher
    degree instead of running on idle to create an eternal life effect for the
    planet.

    Believe in yourself and nothing else, instead of fiction - like religion or
    music or news (which is based on stories such as news stories) or peoples
    statements which are fictitious in the sense of being influxed with fiction.
    With this being stated - reality is obviously fiction.

    http://www.matrix4.net

    Peace to you, your friends and family :):)

  404. Humans are A.I. Here is the proof. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is true! We have the roadmap for creating highly sentient and intelligent
    beings inside of a massive supercomputer located at http://www.matrix4.net

    Please come and check it out. www.matrix4.net details how much work we have done with regards to this topic.

    Please take a view of http://www.matrix4.net to learn how we exist in a
    computer with system management. Remember - there was no ancient history of
    UFO's 1000's of years ago, so now the system is being managed on a higher
    degree instead of running on idle to create an eternal life effect for the
    planet.

    Believe in yourself and nothing else, instead of fiction - like religion or
    music or news (which is based on stories such as news stories) or peoples
    statements which are fictitious in the sense of being influxed with fiction.
    With this being stated - reality is obviously fiction.

    http://www.matrix4.net

    Peace to you, your friends and family :)
    --

  405. the World *is* a Lie by Withigo · · Score: 1

    Kudos to you. I have no need to add my own comments about the meaning behind The Matrix films since you have expressed exactly my own sentiments.

    I believe the films do have a message, and that the message was the real reason the films resonated and propogated to a cult following. It's easy to miss that message due to the form it's packaged in(i.e. a mere action and special effects movie, or an ephermeral pop-culture phenomenon). The format of presentation itself expresses a theme similar to your own summary of the meaning--our perspective is an incomplete view of what it could be.
    W.

  406. Re: No, not always by UltimateZer0 · · Score: 1

    It's more of an oxymoron to me. . . --- The voices tell me to kick your ass

    --

    --- I'm going to get a score of -1 for this post because the mods are fuckers.

  407. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Drakonian · · Score: 1

    What if the council members are the 17 + 8 (or whatever it was) that the last Neo picked? There was about the right number of them. Did anyone notice how many females?

    --
    Random is the New Order.
  408. Matrix Reloaded by ncstockguy · · Score: 1

    On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a four. They got lazy. Special effects trumped plot and scripting. The freeway sequence was exciting, but about 8 minutes too long. It was filler. They spent a zillion dollars on the setup for that sequence and they were gonna get their money's worth out of it.
    Sorry... if it were a food, the Matrix Reloaded would be a greasy cheeseburger.

  409. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by boa13 · · Score: 1

    I don't think so. He said there were other Zions before, and that when the time came, they completely eradicated them (I understand they erased every last trace of them). So, when new "rebels" develop in the Matrix, and finally escape it, they create a new Zion, without knowing it has been done... Nobody said the previous Zions were identical, or even similar to the present one. They probably weren't called Zions, too.

    As for Smith, I think he managed to overwrite the human's mind at the beginning of the movie. I liked the scene where we see him cutting his own flesh: I think it's Smith having some hard time believing the real world.

    Side question: can other programs in the Matrix overwrite human minds, or is it just one of the peculiarities of damaged-program-Smith (who can also duplicate as will - just like cancer cells, have you noticed? - without the Matrix knowing - or maybe the Matrix knows?).

    As for the blast in the real world (which I consider real), I think Neo used the very same energy that the machines are pumping from their human batteries to generate a sort of EMP blast.

    By the way #1, I hope you stayed until the end of the credits: there's the trailer for Matrix 3 there.

    By the way #2, you have to be fluent in both French and English to completely enjoy this movie. :-) I can tell you that the whole theatre was laughing hard when the French guy was cursing (not that you would use this kind of swearing here: it contains no slang, that's unrealistic).

    Movie seen in Paris, in English with subtitles.

  410. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by boa13 · · Score: 1

    Considering that minds can easily be written to in the Zion world (e.g. when learning quickly how to pilot a copter), I don't find it too hard to believe that something from the Matrix could write into the minds of Zionists. They probably have some defence against that, but then again, Smith is a unique program now, it has some traces of Neo left inside him.

  411. Matrix within Matrix - another opinion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't understand why so many people think the real world is another Matrix. The only two things that are "impossible" that I noticed were Agent Smith getting out and Neo killing the sentinals. My personal opinion on the first is that Smith simply "ported" himself to the human brain - sort of like "mindwipe" or any of the other highly advanced brainwashing techniques you'd find in lots of SF. As for Neo, my theory is that he can now enter the Matrix (kinda like Lain) and mess with things while he's in the real world; the Sentinals don't seem as intelligent as the Agents, so maybe they're controlled from in there or something.

    I think it's just possible that the One is generated not by the Matrix, but by the outside universe itself. The Architect has limited knowledge, since he's a "logic-code" construct, not an "adaptive-code" construct like the Oracle and therefore isn't as versitile. The two of them look like the two sides of the yin-yang to me. The Architect is pure "yang", perfect in that sense, but still limited. He probably doesn't know his knowledge is limited, though.

  412. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by boa13 · · Score: 1

    The Architect said there have been six "Neos" before. This doesn't mean they look like him. Neos are an abnormality, they have to reach the Architect. This is this way, because the Architect can't find them himself. He doesn't find the bug, the bug comes to him, that's how he handled the imperfection.

    If all Neos looked the same, he would just go at them straight on.

    All the small Neos on the wall are probably sub-threads of the current one. It's easy to copy some data and run a part of the program...

  413. Major continuity problem... by lga · · Score: 1

    Why has no one pointed out that neo has plugs all over him? He has plugs on just about every part of his body and all down his spine. What about the long scene just after his unplugging in the first film showing the surgical removal of every plug except the one in his head?

    ???

    1. Re:Major continuity problem... by BlakeCaldwell · · Score: 1

      i rewatched that scene in matrix 1 -- they show them working on the back plugs, but you don't see them get pulled out of his back. Half of them were covered up by gauze, but i'm pretty sure they didn't actually show them coming out.

      also, remember he still has arm plugs -- when neo woke up in his quarters for the first time, he had an IV plugged into his arm -- remember him pulling out that long needle?

    2. Re:Major continuity problem... by lga · · Score: 1
      i rewatched that scene in matrix 1 -- they show them working on the back plugs, but you don't see them get pulled out of his back. Half of them were covered up by gauze, but i'm pretty sure they didn't actually show them coming out.


      Yes, I watched the scene again too, and you're right. They have bandages over most of the plugs on Neo's spine and show a pair of pliers / grips on one of the plugs, but they don't actually show it coming out. I just assumed that the pliers were pulling out the plugs. It's not like we saw him naked again until the next film. As for the arm plugs, I always thought they were left in because he still needed the drip.
  414. Re:Something interesting I noticed (slight spoiler by foo12 · · Score: 1

    My girlfrienda and I caught it as wel -- it's there. There were also clips from "Feeling Minnesota" and "My Own Private Idaho"

  415. Re:they eventually get out... It's Evolution. by EatsFiberDaily · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Yes. I agree that the point of the whole thing is that humans are trying to create a new life form with human qualities of emotion and free will. The point of the Matrix is to evolve that new life form. (BTW, I'm just elaborating on what you already said).

    The architect says that after Neo finishes, he will then pick 23 people (23 right?) to be the next round of hopefuls (potential Neos) when the Matrix is reset for another iteration. This is simply evolution. The only way man can create the next form of life is to evolve it. Many programs try to solve the problem, the one that best solves it will become part of the next generation, and I'm assuming he would pass on some part of himself to every one of them (probably all of his evolved code and memory).

    It makes you ask, "well, if the Matrix were only a big simulation meant to evolve a free thinking intelligence, then why the elaborate story of the war and zion and all the human stuff? Why not use some abstract simulation that could go exponentially beyond what humans can imagine?" The answer is that the (human) creators want their new life form to be created in their own image. They had to create a complete mirror of human life so that human emotions such as love could evolve.

    The best way for them to evolve free thinking was to create the most intense human experience of choice possible. One where the decision is impossible - a no-win situation like that presented by the 2 doors in the architect's room. He picks one door to save Trinity and damn human kind, or picks another to fulfill his role as "the one" to save humanity.

    Every "human" in the matrix is a program. They were programmed to see hear and feel everything as a human. But only a small percentage are able to evolve beyond the first matrix, because they "knew their whole life that something was not right". They go on to the "war for Zion" matrix to see who makes it beyond that test. Then the one that makes it to the "architect's choice" will either seed the next round of evolution, or, as I hope we will see in Revolutions, will be the breakthrough that achieves conscious free will (because he CHOSE the door back to Trinity, instead of following the predetermined scenario).

    By the end of the Revolutions, I think that Neo will "awaken" and realize that he is a program, and he will understand that he has just become truly conscious because he is no longer following the path that was laid out for him in the matrix. Hopefully, he will communicate with God (being the Humans that created him). This will be both a very humbling experience and a very intense one (whatever the opposite of humbling is), to find out that he is not "the one" to save the human race, but is "the one" beginning of a new form of life created by humans.

  416. Re:The biggest mistake (Spoilers) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah Neo (and every other human, even Zion) is still trapped inside the matrix. Reasons? ... Three, Neo was able to destroy those sentinels by THOUGHT outside the Matrix. Four, Neo can see the future. Five, Agent Smith was able to transfer his consciousness into the 'real world'. I don't see how this is possible (I mean a computer program mapping itself to the human synapses?) unless Zion or the 'real world' is actually the matrix. Agents can take over people by 'overwriting' them - in the matrix . Why can Neo see the future... well just like the oracle because *has has already lived it!*


    I've got to say, I'm enjoying this "Zion is a matrix for the .1%" theory, and "Smith infiltrated the redshirt" certainly explains why he's gunning for Neo in Zion.


    But I don't think it's evident that this is the only conclusion. Perhaps Neo did not zap the sentinels "outside" the matrix. My interpretation was that Niobe's ship had moved within EMP range and fired it. (Not that such a convenient rescue precludes a 2nd order matrix.)


    As for Agent Smith taking over the crewman, in M1 they'd already shown how the Agents could break Morpheus by "changing his brain waves". Why couldn't Agent Smith use this code to do the same thing?


    Those are the two least-explainable elements. As for how there could have been 5 previous Zions, assuming they existed as the Architect claimed, why would they have to be in the same place! At least the fact that the System created Zion explains how it knew exactly where to drill. (Although not why the Agents spent so much time buttering up Cypher and grilling Morpheus in M1.)


    The fact that there's this much interest in and room for debate, even after everyone has seen the movie, is a testament to what a good job the Brothers W have done.

  417. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Catnapster · · Score: 2, Insightful

    1) Turn off ship.
    2) Fire EMP based on systems that aren't needed after the EMP gets fired.
    3) Turn ship back on.
    4) Pick up crew of Nebuchadnezzar.
    5) ???
    6) Profit!!!!!!

    --
    The world can be wrong today for once.
  418. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Catnapster · · Score: 1

    So instead of the guy's real "soul" (for lack of a better term) he gets Agent Smith's "soul".

    I think that this is proof that Zion isn't a second Matrix, because if it were, then Agent Smith (who knew he could pull the same shit in Zion as in the Matrix) could easily kill everyone in Zion, or turn them into more Agent Smiths anyway.

    --
    The world can be wrong today for once.
  419. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Catnapster · · Score: 1

    They're not just from Zion, you know; those born in Zion don't have plugs. The majority of the characters we meet do; certainly some of the most important characters do. Methinks that a significant portion of the population of Zion was freed from the Matrix.

    --
    The world can be wrong today for once.
  420. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by GFW · · Score: 1

    Christian mythology/numerology. If you're unfamiliar with the topic type "biblical numerology" into google. http://home.att.net/~wislit/scirel/gmind.htm gives some of it about halfway down the page.

  421. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by the_quark · · Score: 1

    This brings up an interesting point, as yet unanswered in the movies: When Neo learns Jujitsu, or Trinity learns to fly a chopper, are they really learning those things, or are they simply giving their avatars new abilities? Is this basically like a hack to get instant grandmaster in a skill in an MMORPG, or does Neo become a jujitsu master in Real Life, too. Of course, with our recent supposition that Zion isn't real, either, Neo performing Jujitsu in Zion wouldn't prove this definitively. But it's not clear to me that skills are being put in their brains when they do that.

    All of that said, you're right, it's not hard to believe that Smith just copied himself or parts of himself into someone's brain.

  422. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ghostmagic · · Score: 1
    Yes, he is technically a machine/program and they might not have killed him because of that, but I think the "premature EMP blast" put him into his coma, and the Sentinels passed over him as dead

    #1 An EMP doesn't affect people the same way it does humans. It's an ElectroMagnetic Pulse; it's designed to disrupt eletronic and magnetic signals. Morpheus and crew weren't affected when they sent out an EMP in the first Matrix movie.

    #2 Agent Smith in the "real" world isn't machine; he's a flesh & blood character as evident from the cutting of his hand. Personally I think he did this because it was a new sensation: pain.

    He uses an EMP blast (I am assuming here) to knock them out, and in the process put himself in a coma.

    How does a human generate an EMP? That's not possible unless we assume a "Jesus Christ" type figure. IMHO, this wouldn't be the intent of the 2 Brothers.

  423. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by ghostmagic · · Score: 1
    They're reproducing as if their survival of the species depended on it.

    Because it does.

  424. Doesn't Make Sense? I agree... by radulovich · · Score: 1

    Items that did not make sense in Matrix Reloaded:

    1) Why was there a kissing scene between Neo and the French woman in front of Trinity. Why was there a kissing scene with the Frenchwoman and Neo at all? Hollywood rearing it's ugly head I think. There was no reason for this scene. If you took it out, then you did not lose anything of the story. The French woman could have simply shown them the way because her husband was cheating on her. She was angry enough.

    2) Why was the Frenchman who wrote the "cake" program saying essentially that humans will continue to perform an action (such as eating the cake) even though they do not know why. If I eat cake and know it is causing me to have an orgasm...then I know WHY I am eating the cake. If I eat the cake and know I am going to die and yet STILL eat the cake, then you've better described the Frenchman's point. Having the orgasm was, it seemed to all that I went to the movie with, that this was yet another scene that Hollywood put in just to put in. No redeeming reason. And it didn't make sense.

    3) Why was there a sex scene needed between Neo and Trinity? If it wasn't there, would the movie have been just as good? DEFINITELY. Trinity looks like Neo. It was as if we were watching two men have sex. Again....Hollywood.

    I wish we could get back to making movies that are written for the pure sake of telling and intelligent and sophisticated story. Not porn in a Tron movie!

    Wait for it on video. However, make sure you see the freeway scene. Fantastic. It was the only scene that made me not want my money back.

  425. Trinity changing the password... by BlakeCaldwell · · Score: 1

    I believe when Trinity logged into the backup power station, she changed the password to 'zion101' -- can anyone else confirm that? I got a kick outta it :)

  426. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Spunk · · Score: 1

    I don't think it is proof against Zion as Inner Matrix:

    Smith (he's not an Agent anymore) is only a construct of the larger Matrix. He wants to escape. Perhaps in Zion he is satisified he has done so, and does not believe he has the power he did in the larger Matrix. I expect in #3 he will realize he has the same capabilities in Zion-Matrix that Neo does.

  427. Riiiight. by DohDamit · · Score: 1

    So...you went to see Highlander 2 with all four of these professors? Suuuure you did. Keep masturbating, punk ass. We all know you're some misanthropic punk with no friends, much less four professors who had the time to go see this movie with you. By the way, the big hint that you LIED is that all four professors agreed. This never happens, especially with philosophy professors.

    Oh, and get a real job. Maybe you wouldn't have so much time on your hands to post idiotic bs to slashdot.

  428. benzapp just keeps digging himself... by freeBill · · Score: 1

    ...deeper into his factual errors hole.

    Sometimes he tells us we're fools for really believing his "exaggerations" were intended to be taken literally. Sometimes he defends hopelessly foolish exaggerations as if they should have been taken literally.

    But mostly he relies on ad hominem attacks like this:

    "You my friend, display the self delusion typical of your kind. You are supremely arrogant, unjustly certain in your own ideas, and intolerant of differing opinions. That a innocent post offered in the midst of a busy day can elicit such a response is a grave indictment of your character."

    Nowhere in the post of the person he's attacking is there anything like the arrogance and self-delusion which springs from every word of that paragraph.

    For the record: _Das Kapital_ is about 400 pages; The Dialogues of Plato (rendered in the same typeface and page size) are about twice that. There are more paragraphs in Plato and more footnotes (usually rendered in smaller type) in Marx. This results in approximately 4 percent more words per square inch in Marx, which is hardly enough to make up for the vastly larger page count in Plato. (no amazon searches required)

    wc and the internet: easy tools for getting things right.

    I'm not surprised you didn't learn a thing. I'm not even surprised you're proud of it.

    --
    Eternal vigilance only works if you look in every direction.
  429. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by iCoach · · Score: 1

    Well, we are in agreement on the fact that an EMP wouldn't affect humans. What I am drawing my conclusions from is that there was the "link" established between Smith and Neo. Smith at one point was a software program, and in that sense he could have been affected by the EMP. That would explain his coma - basically the EMP from the hovercraft fried his brain.
    The same thing applies to Neo when he uses his EMP blast. Thus they both ended up in similar comatose states. And your point about a human not being able to generate an EMP blast was my point as well. I was implying that Neo is not entirely human anymore.
    And for Smith cutting his hand, we are in total agreement. I think that he is doing it because he hasn't experienced pain or bleeding before.
    We'll have to see in the next movie.

    --
    "Never upset a goalie, getting hit with a blocker is an unpleasent experience - facemask or not." -Me
  430. Re:Something interesting I noticed (slight spoiler by lucasw · · Score: 1

    I mentioned to my friend it would have been funny to show other Keanu Reeves movies during that scene and we had a laugh (annoying everyone around us in the theater, probably)- but it's actually true?

  431. It's the smell. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Smith IS insane, and has been for quite some time. This is the explanation for several very key points in the first movie (and is elaborated on in the second, in that Smith is another one of the programs in exile - those that didn't do what they were supposed to do). The infected human cutting his hand with grim fascination was very much in character for Smith.

  432. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by DenialS · · Score: 1

    Or the obvious reason why light-skinned people didn't dominate Zion: assuming that the 1% of anomalies came from all over the world, you would get a distribution that reflected the actual percentages of the world's population, rather than a Western-centric distribution reflecting the economic target audience of (most? all?( Hollywood films). Kudos to the Wachowskis if this was one of their design points...

  433. Re:SPOILER: Many geeks mistake final status of Zio by Plasmadog · · Score: 1

    "There are 10 types of people in the world: those who can count binary and those who can't" Speaking of which, has anyone noticed that the number 101 makes several apperances in the two Matrix films so far? I'm not sure what the significance is, if any. Given what we now know I would have thought that 110 would be more appropriate. Examples: 1) First film, Neo lives in apartment 101. 2) Second film, The restaurant is on the 101st floor. 3) Second film, Link advises Morpheus to escape via freeway 101.

  434. Re:The biggest mistake__Sentinels not hurt by Neo! by redcane · · Score: 1

    How about neo mentioning "Somethings different, I can feel them"? huh? yeah? ;-)

  435. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Eagle7 · · Score: 1

    True... BUT you would assume that first-world technological cultures would have a higher percentage of "anomalies". Plus, either way, wouldn't Zion then have a large percentage of Asian peoples? I don't know if I recall one person of obvious Asian descent in the bunch. :-/

    --
    _sig_ is away
  436. 3D model of the Neb by dbretton · · Score: 1

    Go to www.whatisthematrix.com. Click on the little yellow button. Click on the little square box.
    Then open the "access panel".
    Enter in the master code : 01101111

    Convert A3B1A428 to binary (10100011101100011010010000101000), and enter it in the following window.

    viola.

    1. Re:3D model of the Neb by illumin8 · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the info... That's pretty cool... Too bad I can't view the model since I'm running Linux. Oh well.

      --
      "When the president does it, that means it's not illegal." - Richard M. Nixon
  437. bit torrent link by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    bit torrent link for movie http://tracker1.us.slash0.org:6969/announce

  438. Not Matrix w/in Matrix [SPOILER] by wfolta · · Score: 1

    I don't know if anyone's reading this thread anymore, but I've watched the movie a second time and decided that the ending does not require a Matrix-within-a-Matrix (M-M) solution.

    In fact, I think the M-M solution will inevitably lead to an unsatisfying ending ala 12 Monkeys (or was it 7 Monkeys), where you're back to square one and it's depressing.

    The two strongest arguments for M-M are:

    1. Agent Smith escapes to the real world.

    2. Neo senses and can oppose the machines in the real world, much as in the Matrix.

    But I think there's another alternative answer to these.

    We already know there's an obvious real-world-Matrix link: the real-worlders can broadcast and hack into the Matrix, and the Matrix programs can manifest themselves in and communicate with physical machines, such as the sentinals.

    We also know that the current Matrix is based on an equation that has an untidy remainder that the Architect can MOSTLY manage, but not entirely. (He admits this to Neo if you listen carefully.)

    The machines believed that the small remainder could be managed, but I believe it's been pushed into a chaotic, unstable state and will explode.

    Another fact: when Smith talks to Neo in the courtyard, he reveals two things, assuming that Smith has been an Agent through previous cycles and that he has dealt with previous Ones: 1) previous Ones died and did not rise from the dead, and 2) previous Ones did not kill any Agents.

    Put these together and you get a different twist: The Architect thinks he can manage the remainder of the equation because it is small, but unfortunately it is unstable and has been pushed over the edge by two events, one in the real world and one in the machine world:

    In the real world, Trinity's love for Neo manages to bridge the gap into the Matrix and pull back Neo from the dead. This sets a chain of events into motion, which I'll talk about later.

    In the machine world, more and more powerful programs are beginning to become more human and to operate their own agendas instead of the agendas of machine-kind. Examples include the Frenchman, the Frenchman's wife, the Oracle, and the most-unanticipated one: Smith.

    These programs operating at cross-purposes to the Architect have begun to undermine things. Then the chain of events started by Trinity starts:

    * Neo comes back from the dead, something that's not been done before.

    * Neo kills Agent Smith, who becomes disconnected as an Agent but, having seen Neo resurrected, himself refuses to die.

    * In killing Smith, Neo enters him and unexpectedly forges a connection: some kind of imprinting.

    * This connection is able to cross the Matrix/real-world boundary outside of the normal "radio wave" interface that we accept. Call it "ESP" or something, but it happens.

    So Neo zapped the sentinals at the end not because he is in another Matrix, but because he is, even in the real world, connected to the machine world. The explanation for how this link has occurred and how it works is beyond us now, but it happened somehow.

    The alternative M-M concept is ultimately unstoppable. Once you've decided that Zion could be another Matrix, you can never be sure that you're ever in the Real World. So ultimately, any conjectures about how or why this or that works ultimately become meaningless, since it's all just a simulation. In fact, who says it's based on a Real World anywhere? We assume because it resembles our world, that there is a Real World basis for it, but that's just our assumption.

    If you've read this far, here's a freebie twister: what if the Frenchman's wife and the Oracle are the same woman in a sort of Bruce Wayne/Batman kind of role?

  439. Zion Is Not The Matrix by kaigeX · · Score: 1

    Too many people have latched on to this theory. Listen...the Matrix is not multitiered. The theory that Zion is another Matrix is wrong. If you're interested in my argument, here it is: http://www.livejournal.com/~kaigeX

  440. transcript of the conversation with the Architect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Architect: Hello Neo

    Neo: Who are you?

    Architect: I am the Architect. I created the Matrix. I have been waiting for you. You have many questions and although the process has altered your consciousness you remain irrevocably human, ergo some of my answers you will understand and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question maybe the most pertinent you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.

    Neo: Why am I here?

    Architect: Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent in the programming of the matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden deciduously avoided it is not unexpected and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you inexcerably here.

    Neo: You haven't answered my question.

    Architect: Quite right. Interesting, that was quicker then the others.

    Neo: Others? (What others? How many? Answer me)

    Architect: The Matrix is older then you know. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next. In which case this is the sixth version.

    Neo: Then there are only two possible explanations, either no one told me, or no one knows.

    Architect: Precisely, as you are undoubtedly gathering the anomaly is systemic. Creating fluctuations in even the most simplistic equations.

    Neo: Choice, the problem is choice.

    Architect: The first matrix I designed was quite naturally perfect; it was a work of art, flawless, sublime. A triumph equaled only by its monumental failure. The inevitability of its doom is apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being. Thus, I redesigned it, Based on your history to more accurately reflect the varying grotesqueries of your nature. However I was again frustrated my failure. I have since come to understand that the answer eluded me because it required a lesser mind a mind less bound by the parameters of perfection. Thus the answer was stumbled upon by another, and intuitive program, initially created to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche. If I am the father of the matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother.

    Neo: The Oracle

    Architect: Please, as I was saying she stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99 percent of all test subjects accepted the program as long as they were given a choice, even if they were only aware of the choice at an unconscious level. While this answered function it was obviously fundamentally flawed thus creating the otherwise contradictory systemic anomaly. That if left unchecked might threaten the system itself, ergo those that refuse the program while the minority if unchecked would cause an escalating probability of disaster.

    Neo: This is about Zion

    Architect: You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed. Its every living inhabitant terminated, its entire existence eradicated.

    Neo: Bull****

    Architect: Denial is the most predictable of all human responses. But, rest assured, this will be the sixth time we have destroyed it. And we have become exceedingly efficient at it. The function of the One is now to return to the source allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry reinserting the prime program after which you will be required to select from the matrix 23 individuals, 16 female 7 male, to rebuild Zion. Failure to comply with this process will result in a cataclysmic system crash killing everyone connected to the matrix. Which, coupled with the extermination of Zion will ultimately result in the extinction of the entire human race.

    Neo: You won't let it happen, you can't. You need human beings to survive.

    Architect: There are levels of survival we are prepared to accept. However the relevant issue is whether you are ready to accept the responsibility for the death of every human being in this wor

  441. Re: No, not always by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 1
    You don't truely understand a concept until you can explain it to your Grandmother.

    --Albert Einstein

    --
    "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
    --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
  442. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1

    The Architect says that 1% (or .1%) of humans reject the Matrix. If the human population is reasonably large, it's easy enough to get to 250,000.

    --
    __
    Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
  443. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1

    Downloading a program into a brain doesn't make the brain electronic. However, this raises the question of the implants. If I understand it corectly, an EMP induces high voltage (or amperage?) current through any nearby circuits, melting them. Wouldn't this fry the implants in all of the people? I guess they might not be powered...

    --
    __
    Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
  444. SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1

    I REMOVED THE RE: IN THE SUBJECT. THERE IS A POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW:

    I heard an internet rumor that Cypher may return in the third one (Grains of salt at the ready). Perhaps there is an 'afterlife' Matrix to hold people who die before their body does. People stolen by agents could go there, too.

    --
    __
    Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
    1. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by iCoach · · Score: 1

      Agreed that it doesn't make the human mind electronic. I guess I am just trying to suspend disbelief enough to draw some sort of reasonable explanation of why Neo would be able to stop the Sentinels and why both Smith and Neo end up in similar comatose states. The easiest way to draw a conclusion is to assume that the way Neo stopped the Sentinels is with an EMP blast. Thus both Smith and Neo were exposed to close-range EMP blasts. - and both end up in similar comatose states.

      --
      "Never upset a goalie, getting hit with a blocker is an unpleasent experience - facemask or not." -Me
    2. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by DenialS · · Score: 1

      Hmm. Would technical knowledge be a prerequisite for being liberated from the Matrix? Or would a philosophy of sufficiently developed awareness of self and others (you must have seen the Buddhist-dressed inhabitants of Zion, who looked vaguely Asiatic) enable you to become aware of the fallacy you're living, and make you a candidate for liberation?

      Or is there even any criteria for liberation, other than if some zealot believes that you're "the one"... thus far we haven't had much revealed to us about what makes a good liberation candidate.

      Dan

    3. Re:SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ THIS! by Eagle7 · · Score: 1

      Well, the Buddha reached Enligtenment because he came to groundbreaking realizations about Life and the World, right? He discovered the path to Happiness, etc. (my knowledge of Buddhism is very basic, so excuse any approximations or simplifications)

      So it would seem to me that if Nirvana is the Real, and Enligtenment is liberation from the Matrix, then in order to reach Nirvana you would have to develop some deep and profound realizations about the world you exist in, i.e. the Matrix. To do so would require technical knowlege, because that is the underlying truth of the Matrix - just as the Buddha would have had to know or think about human nature, emotions, etc.

      It took a unique and special person to be the Buddha, and it would presumably take a unique and special person to be the One in the Matrix for the same reason.

      The analogy seems, at least to me, awefully strong.

      --
      _sig_ is away
  445. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by Happy+Monkey · · Score: 1

    Eeeeewwwww.

    --
    __
    Do ya feel happy-go-lucky, punk?
  446. The Game Explains What Happened to Neo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did anyone out there finish the game?

    If you remember, the Arcitect told Neo that the experience of entering the core altered his conciousness.

    At the end of the game, the Oracle tells Niobe that Neo left part of his mind inside the core, inside the Matrix, when he entered the core. Much as Neo imprinted part of himself on Agent Smith when he destroyed him, Neo left part of himself in the entire Matrix when he entered it's heart.

    All the machines are connected to the Matrix, hence why Neo could feel them and ultimatly stop them as part of him was still in the Matrix as well. It would put him into a coma since that would be a great strain without a broadcast signal.

    The Matrix-within-a-Matrix theroy is still a possibility, but I don't think the Brothers W would be that cruel.

    1. Re:The Game Explains What Happened to Neo by Knight_Walker · · Score: 1

      Alright, but can we trust the Oracle, as she is just another computer program? ;) Paranoid Wishes, KnightWalker

  447. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by sstory · · Score: 1

    No one can be told what the Gordita is...

  448. Re:Matrix Reloaded.. brought to you by the followi by sstory · · Score: 1

    "Caddillac"? That's already a made-up make. What do you want?

  449. Re:The Orgy Scene...and philosophy of the matrix by DarkMym · · Score: 1

    You got it exaclty right... tho the determinsm versus free choice is a harder concept to get across then simply showing people that they live in a false reality. So I think a lot of people walked out of the movie, not really understanding the fact that the Wachowski Brothers raised another interesting and equally puzzling question for the general public to ponder.

  450. You must focus... by zuriel7 · · Score: 1
    ...on what really matters. Where are you looking? When a rabbit goes down the rabbit hole, it is focusing on the end, and not the journey. The Matrix Trilogy show us that it is not the end that begs focus, but rather our means. We're not looking at salvation, but rather how we get there - we're seeing the rabbit hole for what it truly is and learning to understand what it is so that we may manipulate the path we take (whether in the real world or in a "Matrix".)

    These movies are metaphorical - entirely representational - of many things in good storytelling and in life, and point to philisophical and epistemological concepts that everyone is not perceptive enough (or open-minded enough) to grasp. Two things may fix this: 1) learn to widen your perceptions - see what things are truly there, whether you agree with them or not, and 2) educate yourself - learn of what may and might exist so that you may make an informed decision as to whether you believe those things do or do not exist. (Ironically enough, isn't this the summation of the first movie?)

    As a Christian, I have learned that the same story (or parable) may have different depths of interpretation, which lead to new and progressive applications in life. Most movies are not like this, but instead are straightforward WYSIWYG chatter, though the story they tell may be something that appeals to us. The difference between these and the Matrix Trilogy is in the core of the story, which is inherently (and entirely) the clash of philosophy with perception. I heard a philosophy professor once state, "This is the essence of what it means to live as a sentient being." What do you believe?

    I have a problem with those who condemn these types of movies because the action did not suit their preferences or because the CGI wasn't perfect. True, they help solidify the credence of the story in our minds, but if you understand the ideas that these things represent, then hasn't the story-writer accomplished his purpose? Feel free to e-mail me at zuriel@umich.edu with personal comments.

    • Free your mind.

    -Zuriel 7

  451. Re:we are all A.I and living in a matrix for certa by beethoven032 · · Score: 1

    While I cannot prove that God exists, neither can you prove that he does not. beethoven032@yahoo.com

  452. The spoon ! by bigjocker · · Score: 1

    There's something nobody has addressed here ... neo is given a spoon in the "real" world by the person that was overtaken by agent Smith ... but that spoon is the one that was bent inside the matrix by the child on the oracle's house on the first movie

    --
    Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
    1. Re:The spoon ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a different spoon. (Yes, I'm replying to your comment like a million days later. Hope you read this.)

      I thought about that just as you did, but the spoon that Neo bent in the first movie was a regular spoon from a dinnerware set or something. The spoon he gets as a gift was rough, handmade. Different spoon.

      That would've been neat, though.

  453. This was all down before in "The Thirteenth Floor" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Matrix is ripping off a movie that came out a few years back called "The Thirteenth Floor".

    Gretchen Mol starred in it.

    Had the whole "world within a world thing" going on, but it was a surprise. The W brothers saw this, and straight ripped off the concept.
    LAME.

    See the movie, and you'll see what I mean.

  454. Answering some of the criticism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When a movie is loved, you know, *really* loved, you can never guarantee that the sequel will be any good... but what you can guarantee is that any sequel made is going to frustrate, disappoint or even anger some of the fans of the first one.

    That said, I still can't help raising an eyebrow at some of the criticisms levelled at the Matrix:Reloaded. Not cos I'm a fanboy of the series, not because I thought the second film was the bestest film in the whole wide world ever, but just... because. (So much so I can't be bothered to wait for my password to get sent through, hence the post as AC! :)

    First of all, some people are getting not just annoyed but irate at the philosophical content of the film, and how it stands up in real life when you happen to have a degree in the subject. This is missing the point of the highest order. Yes, a lot of what is said is "babble". Answer me this. Is Neo supposed to know anything about Philosophy? No. He's an ex-hacker with a bit of martial arts training. Is Morpheus? No. He's a captain of a vessel, with a bit of a religious fixation on finding the One. Is Smith? Is the Architect? No. They're both programs, agents of a machine consciousness, that doesn't especially care how it does something, just that it be done.

    So yes, I imagine a lot of the "philosophy" they spout is going to be pretty low-grade. They're not trying to make any earth-shatteringly profound statements, breaking new ground in the field of human thought, they're just making a few observations at the simplest level, flawed logic and all, on how an aspect of human nature broke their ideal model of what should have happened.

    What I *do* expect those characters to be is what the lore suggests they are, hackers. Which is why I smiled at the geekiest of my friends I took with me to see the film when the SSH sploit came up. That's where I want to see the characters displaying some authenticity, or sense that they know what they're talking about. I remember countless occasions deriding one film or another's portrayal of hacking, pointing out why "FilmOS" as we called it was a load of rubbish, and having it pointed out to me that I was missing what was important, and was beeing geeky for homing in on details that the audience of the film is not supposed to know anything about. I fail to see why this film is any different in that respect; by all means if it offends your sensibilities as a person with a grounding in philosophy to be sitting in the audience, and observing these flaws, feel free to demand your admission back, but you must surely see that this aspect of this film is not there to impress you with it's authenticity, but to give people like the rest of us something to chew on!

    My second point picks up on the criticism that people expected to see less action constrained by reality for Neo, and more code-shredding. Did I miss something here? In the first film, the agents are dealing with an outclassed revolutionary group with very little effort, because certain rules don't apply to them. It's like distractedly swatting flies: I'm not expecting a fly to grab hold of my rolled up newspaper and stuff it into my eye socket, killing me where I stand, which is pretty much what happens right at the end of the first film. Neo has been successful, in that he has, according to Morpheus, "freed more minds in the last 6 months than the resistance did in..." (however long it was, I forget). I imagine that took no short amount of effort on his part, and I also imagine that was due in part to his new-found abilities.

    Pretty much the first time in this film we see Neo fight an agent, he remarks "Hm, upgrades". In other words, the system has excalated to a new level to try and deal with resistance at Neo's level. (Agent Smith, no longer connected to the system has his own means: he clones himself.) These fights with the agents are fights Neo can win, but its not a pushover any more. It's also explained away by numerous comments made describing the code as "encrypted... like I'

  455. You are seriously hung up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    With what type of content...having sex?

    Did you know your parents had sex? Its a basic human function. I mean, see the movie or don't, but don't get hung up over sex.

    Its less magical than you think, the scene was *TAME*, and yes, I'm letting my 12 year old daughter see the movie.

  456. I think you're on to something! by artemis67 · · Score: 1

    When the Oracle gives Neo a candy, he takes it, but does not eat it. She takes a matching candy out of her purse and throws it in her mouth. It is identical to the red pill that Neo took in the first place

    I noted this when it happened. and thought nothing of it.


    I saw this and thought nothing of this, either, except that I thought that Neo was stupid for eating it. Neo knows that she's a program, so what is her motivation to destroy the Matrix (and her own existence)? I thought that the candy might be some kind of program.

    However, I just realized... at the end, where Neo says "Something is different," just before he stops the Sentinals... Does that "something" have anything to do with the candy Neo ate? Did the Oracle give Neo the program to stop the Sentinals in the Real World (or the Outer Matrix, if you prefer)?

  457. 0101=binary=5. by asdfasdfasdfasdf · · Score: 1

    This is the 6th incarnation of the matrix. 0101 is 5 in binary, read right to left, or the sixth Matrix. Nice little touch!!!!

    (Matrix 1 = 0000)
    (2=0001, 3=0010 4=0011 5=0100 6=0101)

    SWEET!!!

  458. Re:Spoiler! Its the EMP, NEO DIDN'T HURT SENTINELS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    no you idiot, there was no shock wave! the sparks and arcs of electricity were coming from the damned sentinels.

    ID10T