"Reloaded": YOU ARE NOT READY!
By James Hill, BET.com Staff Writer

Posted May 15, 2003 -- Except for Will Smith who's done it three times (with some help), saving the world has mainly been the White man's burden. At least that's what movies tell us (history may say something else), hence countless Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford films showing them as earth's savior. In 1999, Keanu Reeves stepped into that role-playing Neo, a modern "slave" rescued by Morpheus from the most elaborate and evil hoax ever created in the genre-defining hit "The Matrix."

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Four years later and "The Matrix" has been "Reloaded." Actually, it's been upgraded as the sequel expands the first film's relatively small story into a lengthy, but very satisfying epic filled with more kung fu and special effects than should be humanly possible. Fans should be happy as it not only ups the ante for thrills, but for all you philosophy fans out there, "Reloaded" digs deeper into the true nature of Neo's heroism and seriously ponders the existence of human choice - a tall order for bombastic summer fun.

But before I get to the story, I have to give it up to the directors, Andy and Larry Wachowski, for recognizing that the world, unlike the Manhattan shown on "Friends" and Woody Allen movies, is not lily-white landscape. Other science-fiction flicks have made half-hearted attempts at diversity with token characters, but only "Reloaded" has the smarts for knowing that adding Jada Pinkett-Smith, Harry J. Lennix, Nona Gaye, Harrold Perrineau, Jr., Roy Jones, Jr. (Yes, that Roy Jones, Jr.) and even Cornel West to the cast won't turn away White audiences. Add in the returning Fishburne and Gloria Foster as the Oracle and "Reloaded" could win a NAACP Image Award. (For those looking for the return of Tank, stop.)

But herein lies a double-edged sword. American hero narratives often get a bad rep for NOT including Black folks, but when they do they follow the typical storyline of "White man as savior for the helpless Black masses." Short of making a Black man the hero (there's a novel concept), the Wachowskis have been smart about how to portray their Caucasian savior. Despite Morpheus' prophecy, Neo doesn't feel he can save the world alone and not only wants the help of his comrades but needs it as the machines who have enslaved humanity have begun drilling into the earth in order to find and destroy the last city of free men - Zion. Not to mention no one here seems helpless.

"Reloaded" actually starts fairly slow as it, like many sci-fi sequels, reaches for more epic proportions. In Zion, we not only see how the free people live but we see that everyone does not dig Morpheus' prophetic ravings about "The One." Namely, it's his boss, Captain Lock (Lennix), who feels the stakes are too high to pin all of humanity's hopes on Morpheus' gut. In truth, Lock is sipping from a Slurpie-sized cup of haterade seeing how Morpheus used to date his new squeeze, Niobe (Smith). Though played tough, Niobe is thankfully not the sassy caricature you'd expect.

Meanwhile, Neo and girlfriend and comrade-in-leather Trinity (Carrie Ann-Moss) have their own love thing going on shown in detail in an unprecedented love/dance scene. As the two get busy, Zion parties like its 1999 in preparation for the coming war. The scene either works for you or not -- it worked for me. All is not well with Neo though. He has nightmares of Trinity's death, only adding to Neo's nagging doubt about him saving the world. Sure he can fly now and kick ass like nobody's business, but what kind of digital messiah can't save his own girlfriend?

It's Neo's doubt that actually keeps "Reloaded" interesting. At the end of the first film, Neo finally begins believing that he is "the one" as we watch him fly INTO evil Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) and make him go boom! So, if Neo is the savior, what's the point of two more films? Exactly.

Personally, I didn't want to see a sequel as the first film ends with the obvious conclusion - Neo can and will free humanity and kill the machines. While it might have made for an interesting 20 minutes, watching Neo bend the matrix to his will and kill agents without moving does not sound like a good movie. "Reloaded" knows that without adversity there is no struggle and thus no fun. Why else would the Wachowskis throw 100 Agent Smiths at him in a jaw-dropping fight sequence? Why else threaten the life of Trinity? To keep him human and therefore interesting. Look at it this way -- Jesus figured he was the son of God at age 12, but for all his water-walking miracles he didn't save humanity until he was 33, so let's give Neo a break, huh?

But let's say you don't care about all the high-falutin' philosophy talk or the religious undertones. Well, like "Star Wars Episode 2," I'd say keep watching for the last reel when you'll be privy to, and this is no hyperbole, the best car chase/fight sequence ever committed to screen. Morpheus, Trinity, Neo, Niobe -- everybody gets their thing off in a sequence that should win an Oscar on cool points.

And if, for some reason, you're still not satisfied with "Reloaded," make sure to sit through the ending credits for a peek at "Matrix Revolutions



Rating: 4 stars









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