"THE MATRIX RELOADED"
(2003) (Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Heavy	Extreme	Heavy	Extreme
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Extreme	None	Heavy
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	None	Minor	Moderate	Extreme

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QUICK TAKE:

Sci-fi: Various freedom fighters learn more facts about their existence as they prepare to do battle with their former oppressors, machines that enslave humans in a fantasy world known as The Matrix.

PLOT:

In a world where machines derive their power from unconscious human slaves who exist in a fabricated reality that seems normal to them, a growing number of freed slaves - including Councillor Hamman (ANTHONY ZERBE) and Commander Lock (HARRY LENNIX) -- hope to overthrow their former machine-based oppressors.

Things aren't looking good, however, as the machine world has sent a quarter of a million robotic sentinels to find the escapees and destroy them and their world that's known as Zion. Accordingly, Lock isn't happy that the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar - consisting of leader Morpheus (LAURENCE FISHBURNE), now all-powerful student Neo (KEANU REEVES), ally Trinity (CARRIE-ANNE MOSS) and pilot Link (HAROLD PERRINEAU) -- has been following their own course of action, including visiting the Matrix.

As they and the rest of the humans prepare for battle, Neo must also contend with Agent Smith (HUGO WEAVING), the anthropomorphic physical representation of the machine world who has similarly managed to escape the Matrix and wants his revenge on "The One."

After an encounter with him and his many duplicates, Neo visits the Oracle (GLORIA FOSTER), who informs him that they'll need to find the Key Maker (RANDALL DUK KIM) if they want to succeed. Unfortunately, he's been kidnapped by the powerful Merovingian (LAMBERT WILSON) and his goons.

From that point on, and with the help of Lock's lover, Niobe (JADA PINKETT SMITH), and Merovingian's wife, Persephone (MONICA BELLUCCI), Neo and his allies set out to do what they can to stop the machines and save humanity.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're fans of the first film or anyone in the cast, it's a good bet they will want to see it.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R

For sci-fi violence and some sexuality.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

KEANU REEVES plays "the one" who's been chosen by the freedom fighters to battle and overthrow a world where machines use unaware humans as sources of energy. He fights various villains, briefly uses profanity and has sex with Trinity.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE plays his mentor who disobeys military orders in his belief that he and his small team are doing the right thing to insure victory. He fights various characters.

CARRIE-ANNE MOSS plays their partner and lover to Neo with whom she has sex. She also battles various villains.

HAROLD PERRINEAU plays the pilot of their ship who returns to duty despite the protests of his wife.

HUGO WEAVING plays the now rogue and vindictive representative agent of the machine world who wants to kill Neo.

JADA PINKETT SMITH plays Morpheus' former lover who helps them battle their oppressors.

LAMBERT WILSON plays some sort of powerful figure who's kidnapped a key person in Neo and the others' quest for freedom.

MONICA BELLUCCI plays his voluptuous wife who agrees to help Neo and murders one of her husband's goons.

GLORIA FOSTER plays the Oracle who enlightens Neo about his quest.

RANDALL DUK KIM plays the imprisoned Key Maker who's literally a key to helping the freedom fighters.

HARRY LENNIX plays the military leader of the rebel force who briefly uses some profanity and is angry with Morpheus for disobeying his orders.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated sci-fi film. Profanity consists at least 2 "f" words, 13 "s" words, and other expletives and colorful phrases are present. Part of a sex scene is seen (the beginning and end show full body shots with some partial nudity, while the middle head and shoulders one includes implied movement and kissing, etc.).

Other passionate making out occurs, hordes of people participate in some clothed "dirty dancing" style activity (with what looked like a brief shot of bare breasts through a transparent shirt), and some sexually related dialogue is present.

Violence consists of a great deal of highly-stylized and occasionally brutal martial arts violence (done in an exaggerated comic book/sci-fi style) as well as gunfire where various characters (some of which really aren't "real") are killed. Other deaths and attempts on lives are also present. Some of those scenes have bloody results and, along with other moments, may be intense, unsettling or suspenseful to viewers. Property damage and destruction also occur.

Some kids may be enticed to imitate all of the fighting and stunts that occur in the film, one character has wine and various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Merovingian has wine.

BLOOD/GORE

Some blood comes out when Trinity is shot in the torso and we also see blood on her face (we later see this again).

Agent Smith jams his hand into a man's chest, resulting in what looks like black electronic "blood" flowing from the wound and covering the man's body (until he transforms into a duplicate of Smith).

A man uses a knife of some sort to slice the palm of his hand twice (with blood coming out).

Smith does the above chest thing with Neo (with the resultant black electronic "blood" coming out), but Neo overcomes that. Later, another version of Smith does that to another man (with resultant black "blood") and that happens again with another man.

Persephone shoots one her husband's men in the head (with blood squirting out).

Some blood drips onto a floor during a fight.

Trinity shoots a goon in the arm (with bloody results) and then has some blood on her arm following a knife attack.

An agent has a slightly bloody cut on his face after Morpheus gets him there with a sword.

A man falls when the structure beneath him gives way and another man is impaled by an object (we don't see the impact, but do see blood splatter and then see the dead and bloody man with the object sticking from his body).

A man is shot and mortally wounded (with bloody results).

We see a computer-digitized view of a character putting his hand inside another character's chest to restart their heart (nothing bloody, gory or realistic).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

As a rogue representation of the machine world, Mr. Smith wants to kill Neo and others. Other such agents also have the same agenda, and various mechanized sentinels (robotic squid-like machines) want to wipe out the humans.

We hear that Morpheus disobeyed orders from Lock.

Merovingian has kidnapped the Key Maker and then sends his goons to kill Neo and the others.

Persephone shoots one her husband's men in the head (with blood squirting out).

Persephone states that she knows her husband is cheating on her and tells him he's still wearing the other woman's lipstick. When he says there's none on him, she states that the other woman was not kissing his face.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be unsettling, tense or suspenseful to some viewers (particularly the occasionally harrowing fight sequences and various close calls, etc.).

A man uses a knife of some sort to slice the palm of his hand twice (with blood coming out). He then approaches Neo as if he's going to do him harm, but nothing happens.

Two goons turn into monstrous looking apparitions that sink into the floor, chase after, and fight with Neo and others.

A prolonged fight and chase sequence on the LA freeway will probably be rather intense for some/many viewers in an exaggerated action fashion (including a motorcycle swerving through traffic while going the wrong way and a fight atop a moving semi-truck with precarious moments).

Neo just manages to catch Trinity before she falls to her death.

A wounded character dies, but is brought back to life.

Various characters must flee the squid-like robotic sentinels that are pursuing them.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Handguns/Machine guns/Shotguns/Knives/Swords/Various medieval weapons: Used to threaten, wound or kill various characters. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Bullsh*t," "Pompous pr*ck," "Piss off," "Wiping your ass," "Take a piss," "Go kick his ass" and "Screwed it up."

All of the wild and spectacular fighting and stunts (such as standing on and jumping from moving cars as well as driving a motorcycle through and then against traffic on a busy freeway) might be enticing for some kids to try to imitate.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

An extreme amount of such music (along with the action-oriented type) plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

At least 2 "f" words, 13 "s" words, 2 slang terms using male genitals ("pr*ck"), 3 damns, 2 asses, 2 hells, and 4 uses each of "G-damn" and "Oh my God," 2 of "Oh God" and 1 use each of "Christ," "Jesus" and "My God" as exclamations.

There's also an incomplete "How's my pus..." when Link enters his home and playfully starts to address his wife but then realizes some kids are present.

In addition, Merovingian states that he likes to cuss in French and then says something (that may or may not be cussing) in French.

SEX/NUDITY

Niobe shows some cleavage, as does another woman later.

Neo and Trinity do some passionate making out in an elevator (with some heavy breathing).

Neo and Trinity have a brief but passionate kiss.

From a distance and partially in some shadows, we see Neo lying on top of Trinity (with a partial glimpse of the side of a bare butt) and kissing her. We then see a head and shoulders shot of them kissing, with sex implied by the movement of the parts of their bodies that we can see (that includes the top of her bare breast). We also see her pleasured facial expression. After they're done, we see a shot of their sweaty bodies intertwined along with a partial view of his bare butt (as the camera zooms out and away from them).

At the same time and inter-cut with the above, we see throngs of people dancing together, with some of them doing some sensual, body grinding against each other (clothed). This alternates between full and close-up shots of the dancing bodies and there appeared to be a brief shot of bare breasts through a transparent shirt.

Persephone shows quite a bit of cleavage and another woman also shows some.

We see the camera point of view as it speeds down and then between a computer-digitized version of a woman's legs to her crotch beneath a restaurant table (nothing explicit or realistic is seen).

Persephone offers to help Neo and the others, but not before he passionately kisses her like he means it (so that she can once again feel what it's like).

Persephone states that she knows her husband is cheating on her and tells him he's still wearing the other woman's lipstick. When he says there's none on him, she states that the other woman was not kissing his face.

SMOKING

None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Link's wife isn't happy with him being away from home (she states that she lost two brothers in the same cause he's involved with).

Persephone states that she knows her husband is cheating on her and thus aids his enemy.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

What constitutes reality.

The concept of whether we control machinery or it controls us.

Cause and effect.

Fighting for freedom.

VIOLENCE

A now rider-less motorcycle explodes upon landing on a small building (that also explodes).

Trinity fights with various people, hitting and kicking them. She then leaps out a window, firing back (in slow motion) with machine guns at those who are shooting at her. An agent then leaps out after her and the slow-motion shooting continues as they fall toward the street. One of his bullets then hits her torso (with some blood) and she slams into a parked car on the street (all of which turns out to be a dream). We later see most of the above two scenes later in the film again.

Three agents dent and then smash through a door. They then fight with Neo who blocks their punches and kicks, and delivers his own back to them (including smashing some against walls, etc.).

Some guys break through a glass ceiling. One is "beamed up" via a telephone call, but Agent Smith then shows up and jams his hand into the remaining man's chest, resulting in what looks like black electronic "blood" flowing from the wound and covering the man's body (until he transforms into a duplicate of Smith).

Neo gets into a martial arts battle (block and delivered punches and kicks, etc.) with the Oracle's bodyguard.

Smith does the above chest thing with Neo (with the resultant black electronic "blood" coming out), but Neo overcomes that. Later, another version of Smith does that to another man (with resultant black "blood").

Neo then gets into a several minute fight with Agent Smith and a growing number of duplicate versions of him. During this, many punches, kicks and other blows are blocked and delivered by Neo and the many Smiths. Many of the blows are rather brutal in nature, including when Neo rips a pole from the ground and smacks its concrete base against various Smiths. He then uses the pole to hit and knock around the Smiths and appears to impale one with it. After more fighting, all of the Smiths pile onto Neo who then blasts them off and away from him.

Persephone shoots one her husband's men in the head (with blood squirting out).

Goons fire a massive amount of bullets at Neo who stops them with some sort of energy field (causing the bullets to fall to the floor). All sorts of martial arts violence ensues (with punching, hitting and throwing others around) with some property damage occurring (statues being smashed, etc.). During this, the many goons try to hit Neo with various medieval type weapons and all of the goons apparently end up dead (occasionally by brutal blows by those weapons).

Trinity shoots a goon in the arm (with bloody results) and Morpheus smashes a door against that arm. More martial arts fighting ensues (including a knife attack that cuts Trinity's arm) and a goon then holds a knife to Trinity's throat. One of the ghostly goons is then shot in the head (but that doesn't kill it).

A car crashes into the back of another car and machine gun fire then riddles one car. A lengthy car chase, attack and fight sequence then occurs on a busy freeway. More bullets riddle the fleeing car, while another car flips over and lands on its roof.

One of those ghostly goons then flies into the car and Morpheus and it exchange blows as they battle inside it. It tries to hit him, Trinity and the Key Maker with a knife. During this, an agent jumps on another car, smashing its front end and causing it to flip over as he jumps off it and onto the fleeing car. More vehicles crash while the agent shoots at those inside the fleeing car that's then smashed up against a wall.

Morpheus slices a passing truck with a sword and then repeatedly shoots at its underbelly as it turns over. The truck then explodes.

A great deal more martial arts fighting takes place atop a moving semi-truck (between Morpheus and the agent), including with Morpheus trying to hit him with a sword (and slightly cutting his face).

A person lands on another car after falling off a moving truck and another person falls off and smashes into a windshield.

A truck tries to smash a motorcycle into a wall.

A truck smashes into the back of a car while more crashing occurs.

Two semis crash into each other and explode, with Neo flying through and saving two people who were thrown from the top of one.

A woman hits and kicks several security guards.

A man falls when the structure beneath him gives way and another man is impaled by an object (we don't see the impact, but do see blood splatter and then see the dead and bloody man with the object sticking from his body).

Something hits a ship and it explodes.

A nuclear power plant explodes.

Neo and Morpheus get into a fight with many Smiths (punching and kicking). One of them jabs Morpheus in the body and the black "blood" stuff starts to come out.

A man is shot and mortally wounded (with bloody results).

An agent and Trinity battle (with punches and kicks) and he smashes her into and through walls. He also picks her up by the throat and pins her to a wall before throwing her hard to the floor. He then smashes her into a wall and we then see the second entry from above replayed.

A building explodes.

As Neo flies past various buildings, they are damaged by the resultant wind/force.

A wounded character dies, but is brought back to life.

A ship is hit and explodes.

Neo destroys many robotic sentinels that are chasing them, but is spent after doing so.

Reviewed May 12, 2003 / Posted May 15, 2003

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