Top 10 Most Anticipated Action Films of 2017

It's the end of another year! And that means that it's time for me to lay out my list for what are my most anticipated action films of next year. Now that I've done this more than once, the best part of making lists like these is looking back on the previous year's and seeing how right or wrong some of my predictions were.

As you can see from my previous list, my predictions were all over the place. In fact, two of the films that I thought would come out in 2016 were pushed to 2017 (which will definitely pop up on this list now). Several of the films on my list met my expectations exactly (Ip Man 3) while some were flat out horrendous (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back). Overall, 2016 was a very middling year for action. Just about everything was watchable and enjoyable, but few left a major impact. It goes to show how huge an effect Mad Max: Fury Road had on us cinephiles in 2015 because we didn't get much like that in 2016, unless you saw my favorite action film of 2016, SPL II, which was technically released in China in 2015 so it kind of counts for both years. Either way, here are the ten action films coming out in 2017 that I am most excited for!

10) Kickboxer: Retaliation (dir. Dimitri Logothetis) - I'm not going to say that it was an amazing movie, but 2016's Kickboxer: Vengeance was a really good reboot of Van Damme's 1989 martial arts classic. It introduced more sub-plots and supporting characters to spice up the boring simplicity and monotonous training montages of the original. It also featured a stellar supporting cast of martial artists and professional fighters, such as Gina Carano, Dave Bautista, Alain Moussi, George St. Pierre, Darren Slaavi, and Jean-Claude Van Damme himself. While Moussi was far from a compelling lead, he showcased a physical commitment to the film that impressed me and earned him a spot on my radar. He was also kind enough to give my review of his film a shout out on his Facebook, so I can thank him for that. Now that the producers have the original story out of the way, here's hoping that the sequel makes for a fresh round of stories that will allow for more mixed martial arts fights and kickboxing. Teased appearances by Mike Tyson and Christoph Lambert should definitely spice things up a bit. 

9) Kingsman: The Golden Circle (dir. Matthew Vaughn) - 2015's Kingsman: The Secret Service was a wonderful breath of fresh air when it came out. It was a fantastic pastique of spy cinema with a mean spirited but gleeful tone ripe with sociological satire. It also featured a scene where Collin Firth murders an entire church full of people. Yeah, it went there. The sequel is looking to deliver more of the same, but this time with new actors (Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Elton John) all the while set within the United States. And with Vaughn back in the director's chair, here's hoping that the sequel offers up some more controversial action and daring storytelling. The sequel has also teased the return of Firth's character, which seems somewhat impossible, but sounds too silly to pass up, especially within the crazy world established.

8) Accident Man (dir. Jesse V Johnson) - One of two Johnson/Adkins collaborations in 2017, Accident Man is quickly shaping up to be the highest profiled low budget action film of the year. Adapted from the comic book series of the same name, Accident Man sees Adkins headlining a superhero property of his own, which is hugely exciting given the popular nature of the sub-genre and his previous turns in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Doctor Strange. While it has yet to be confirmed whether this will be yet another DTV venture or a limited theatrical release, it has all of the qualities of a bigger release, especially with its impressive supporting cast (Ashley Green, Ray Park, Ray Stevenson, Michael Jai White, Ray Park) and comic book source material. Even if it is just a DTV release, it will be arguably the biggest one of the year, and thankfully unique and varied, as it won't be just another DTV film about an assassin in drab Europe, but instead a comic book anti-hero.

7) Kill 'Em All (dir. Peter Malota) - Van Damme has been doing very well for himself as of late, starring in his newest Amazon series, Jean-Claude Van Johnson, which was just picked up for a full season, and co-starring in the new Kickboxer series. However, the Van Damme vehicles that always get me the most excited are the ones where he is the lead within a gritty or grounded action plot. Even when they disappoint, like Pound of Flesh, they're still interesting throw backs to the old days. His latest, Kill 'Em All, re-teams him with Peter Malota whom worked with JCVD on some of his most classic films like Double Team and Universal Soldier. As a co-host of the Van Damme It! podcast, you'd bet I'm excited for this new JCVD actioner even if it might suck. Daniel Bernhardt also appears in a supporting role. Here's hoping that the two action stars fight it out! Van Damme's official website also teases that his long in development directorial effort, Full Love, will finally come out this year, but I'm not going to hold my breath for that one.

6) Savage Dog (dir. Jesse V Johnson) - Johnson has not one, but two low budget action films for us this upcoming year. What I find most fascinating about both of his films is that neither one is your standard or average DTV affair where the action comes first and the simple plot and flat characters come second. Instead, both of his newest films will feature stories and settings not typically touched upon within the sub-genre or with the actors headlining them. Savage Dog is a period piece that takes place in 1950s IndoChina and features a great ensemble cast of martial artists in a martial arts/shoot em up throw down that promises to add some complexity to the genre with its period setting. Besides Adkins, who is arguably the greatest action star alive right now based purely upon his numeric and quality out put, it also co-stars Cung Le and Marko Zaror. I may be excited for the grander Accident Man, but Savage Dog sounds just too darn interesting not to be that much more excited for.

5) XXX: Return of Xander Cage (dir. D.J. Caruso) - The third entry in the nearly forgotten and hugely dated XXX franchise is finally upon us, and we are all going to be that much more thankful in our lives for its existence. While Fast and Furious has provided viewers with ridiculous stunts within a character focused soap opera, the latest XXX seems to be going purely for ridiculous stunts with an international cast that includes martial arts icons Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa. When I interviewed Jaa this year about the film and asked him if he fights Yen, he was tight lipped and unfortunately gave me nothing to work with. Either way, the return of such a dated series with such an impressive cast and absurdist stunts makes this one of the year's most underrated blockbusters.

4) Boyka: Undisputed IV (dir. Todor Chapkanov) - I'm starting to sound like a broken record with all of these Adkins ventures, so I'll just focus on the film itself. The Undisputed films are responsible for catapulting Adkins to stardom and for also restoring faith in DTV cinema in general. However, it has been a whopping seven years since the previous installment for Adkins' most iconic character. While Isaac Florentine is not returning to direct unfortunately, we can be thankful that Yuri Boyka is no longer in prison! However, Boyka seems to be more of a rejiggering of the franchise, as it comes up with an excuse for Boyka to take part within a fighting tournament whilst remaining out of prison. It also promises some street fights and even a moment within the trailer where Boyka gets his hands on a gun. Undisputed is one of the greatest franchises within DTV cinema, besides the Universal Soldier films, so here's hoping that the latest continues to set that shining gold standard for low budget action cinema.

3) The Fate of the Furious (dir. F. Gary Gray) - There is no other franchise that exemplifies the absurd possibilities of summer blockbusters than the Fast and the Furious series. A whopping eight films in, and somehow this series has pulled off the impossible of getting bigger with each series, originally being on the verge of shutting down to becoming one of the biggest pop culture relics of the last two decades. This new entry looks to pair Statham up with the team, while taking away Dom and turning him into a villain. It's a soap opera like no other and I can't wait.

2) John Wick 2 (dir. Chad Stahelski) - John Wick, much like Gareth Evans' The Raid, was a martial arts infused shoot 'em up actioner that captured the attention of just about all movie fans. It's rare that a pure action fest achieves such mainstream success, especially one with a plot that would typically be at home within a DTV film starring Seagal or Van Damme. However, I'm not complaining, as John Wick catapulted Keanu Reeves' back to stardom and re-popularized the art of gun-fu in action cinema. John Wick 2 promises to be more like the first, but on more of an epic scale, with varied locations in Rome, and action sequences that traverse subway trains. February couldn't come fast enough.

1) Logan (dir. James Mangold) - I might as well leave that picture there and say, "Nuff said." How could it not be Logan, the first R rated entry in the Wolverine franchise and Jackman's final turn as the character? I loved the unrated cut of James Mangold's previous collaboration with Jackman, The Wolverine, but this promises to be a more gritty and grounded action film in contrast to the sci-fi infused yakuza tale that was the previous film. Jackman is going full on Eastwood's Unforgiven with this one, operating as an old man with regrets whom lives in a world of violence that he simply cannot escape. In all honesty, Logan is the culmination of my coming of age with Jackman and the X-Men series, as I was eight years old when the first X-Men film came out in 2000. Now that I'm engaged and all grown up, here comes the final film in the series to star Jackman and the first to feature an R rating. It's shaping up to be a swan song like no other. I'd be lying to you if I didn't say I was hugely anticipating this. Screw Star Wars, screw Guardians of the Galaxy, screw everything else. This is the blockbuster I am living for.

Speed (1994) - Review

Director: Jan de Bont

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 115 min

Most Die Hard rip-offs are enjoyable in how they inhabit the shell of the Die Hard plot whilst offering up new settings and interesting action sequences. Under Siege offers up Steven Seagal's Aikido styled action on a battleship, Sudden Death places Jean Claude Van Damme and his charisma into a hockey arena, Air Force One makes Harrison Ford the President of the United States while upon a plane, and Olympus Has Fallen reverses the situation by making Gerard Butler a Secret Serviceman while inside of the White House. Although all of these movies are rip-offs of one of the all time great action films, they are still fun to watch for how shallow and entertaining they are. The key differences that set apart the rip-offs from Die Hard itself is their lack of interesting characters, failure to focus on story over plot, and an all around lack of tension or suspense. You don't watch Under Siege or Sudden Death to see if Seagal or Van Damme are going to stop the terrorists, you watch them simply to see how they take out the terrorists. Therefore, both the filmmakers and the viewers engage in a guilty relationship in which both know they are neither going to recreate, duplicate, or experience the successes of John McTiernan's masterpiece.

That being said, I think that Speed might by the only Die Hard rip-off that transcends its sub-genre and influences to the point where it nearly matches Die Hard for all of its action sensibilities, high tension, engaging romance, and memorable characters. Although I would not go as far as to say that Speed is as good or better than Die Hard, as Keanu Reeve's Jack Traven is no John McClane, just about every element of Speed matches Die Hard on a pure visceral and entertainment level. Speed not only certified Keanu Reeves' place in the halls of action cinema, but it also introduced director Jan de Bont to American audiences and certified Sandra Bullock as a movie star in her own right. With over $300 million worldwide and two Academy Awards under its belt, Speed is the perfect success story in every way possible. And it's a rip-off, sort of.

Not the best way to start off a shift.

Although I am not a fan of plot, as character should always drive story, Speed has one of the all time great movie plots. Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves), an L.A.P.D. Officer, picks a bone with psychopathic ex-cop, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), when he stops him from blowing up an elevator full of people and prevents him from receiving his ransom money. Although Traven believes the ordeal to be over, his partner, Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels), believes that Payne will strike back again. Payne decides to engage in a game with Traven the next day when he calls him and informs him that a bus on the freeway is in danger of blowing up. The game: once the bus goes over 50 miles per hour, the bomb is armed. If the bus goes under 50 miles per hour, the bomb will blow. And if anyone tries to get off of the bus, it will blow. Once Traven makes his way onto the moving bus full of people, he and Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock), an adorable citizen turned bus driver, do their best to keep everyone calm and communicate with the police in order to keep the bus moving at all times and to get Payne his ransom money. It's non-stop action for two hours. You literally could not ask for more as an action fan.

At the time of its release, Speed heralded the arrival of the hottest new voice in action cinema. De Bont, who had been a cinematographer for decades, had strong experience in the film business before tackling Speed. He had previously photographed such action films as Die Hard, Lethal Weapon 3, Black Rain, The Hunt for Red October, and Total Recall. With such quality films like those under his belt, it only makes sense that De Bont knocked Speed out of the park with excellent direction that even the likes of his fellow compadres John McTiernan and Paul Veerhoven would tip their hats too. De Bont showcases incredible directorial abilities here, crafting both inherent tension, exciting action, and engaging romance all within the same picture. It's hard to believe that this is the same director whose career would end as soon as it began, but de Bont's direction for Speed is still exemplary and outstanding, especially for a debut filmmaker.

After the success of Speed, De Bont directed Twister, another hugely successful action/disaster film that certified his action dominance. Unfortunately, De Bont's directorial career ended just as quickly as it begun, as he immediately ruined his career with 1997's Speed 2: Cruise Control, one of the worst reviewed films in cinematic history. Failure after failure followed, as De Bont went on to direct similarly cheesy films such as The Haunting and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. 

De Bont has to yet to direct another film since 2003, which might as well confirm his departure from blockbuster cinema once and for all. While it's a shame that de Bont's career ended early, I find his career very interesting. If it weren't for Speed 2, de Bont easily could have gone on to become a major A-list director. One could even compare de Bont's minor success to other Dutch filmmaker Paul Veerhoven, whose most successful films, RoboCop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers, are still considered to be some of the greatest of the action genre, while the rest of his career is lukewarm and forgettable. It's no coincidence that both of these Dutch filmmakers collaborated on Basic Instinct and Total Recall, as each had a unique vision at the time that seemed to flourish in the Hollywood of the early 1990s. And while we're on the subject of foreign filmmakers turned Hollywood directors, how can de Bont be put into director's jail after all of these years, but Finnish director Renny Harlin is still allowed to make whatever action film he wants? Have you guys seen The Covenant or The Legend of Hercules? I rest my case.

Reeves brings the chops to one of his greatest action films.

According to screenwriter Graham Yost, Speed's plot was meant to be an amalgamation of Silver Streak and Runaway Train, but with the high tension of a Die Hard picture. There's no denying it, few movie plots are as exciting and thrilling as one about a runaway vehicle that cannot be stopped, lest it explode. While Speed may be his calling card, Yost would eventually go on to write other big concept blockbusters involving terrorists, bombs, and Die Hard centric plots like John Woo's underrated Broken Arrow and the waterlogged Hard Rain. However, his Speed screenplay is made all the better because of the witty repertoire courtesy of cult favorite Joss Whedon (Firefly, The Avengers). Whedon was apparently responsible for 95% of the dialog according to Yost, as Yost felt that Whedon knew how to write dialog better than him. Therefore, Speed's excellent script can be chocked up to both Whedon, who knew how to write characters, and Yost, who knew how to place said characters into an exciting situation.

All of Whedon's witty dialog and Yost's tense situations play off of the page as well as they do because of the film's stellar cast. Reeves plays Jack Traven, a John McClane type police officer who puts his life on the line for the innocent people of Los Angeles. Although Reeves had previously shown his action chops in Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break, he shows great stride here as a far more intense and confident action hero that showcases his best acting abilities. Much like McClane, Traven takes a lot of pain and physical suffering throughout the picture, thereby making him a much more relatable and cheer worthy protagonist. It's a real treat to watch a likable hero constantly overcome hurdles, as it makes the viewing experience all the more tense and excitable. Reeves may not be one of the greatest actors on the planet, but his stalwart dedication and professionalism within his performances has proven him time and time again as one of the screen's greatest action heroes.

The other pair of lead performances from Hopper as the film's psychotic mad man and Bullock as the funny and adorable bus driver are also stellar. Hopper's Payne engages in a great revenge rivalry with Traven that makes his villain all the more fun to hate. It's easily Hopper's best villain performance this side of the 90s. Bullock gives a star making performance here, exploding off the screen with a great repertoire with Reeves. Even the smaller supporting performances shine, especially from Jeff Daniels and Joe Morton (T2, Executive Decision) as Traven's fellow officers. 

"You actually paid to see the Super Mario Bros Movie?"

And of course, who can forget all of the passengers on the buss, who become memorable players in their own right. Yost and de Bont place a great emphasis on the interactions between these smaller supporting characters and the police in order to drum up a great sense of community throughout the picture. You'll find yourself cheering along with the passengers for every small victory they achieve, whether it be in the form of them making a tight turn or jumping an impossible gap. If you ever need your faith restored in humanity through an action film, pop on Speed, as well as Die Hard With a Vengeance for good measure.

Speed has the characters, the script, and the plot to hook any cinema goer, but the whole thing comes together thanks to its exhilarating cinematic style. One of the most over used lines to describe a good action film is, "It's a non-stop thrill ride!" While that is rarely the case, as many action films take lengthy breaks in between suspenseful sequences, Speed is truly a non-stop thrill ride in every sense of the phrase. There are a whopping two scenes of breather in between each major action plot, thereby making the entire experience as action packed as they come. 

For a film with almost no shootouts, no henchmen, one villain, and a minimal body count, Speed is still more exciting and bad ass than most Die Hard rip-offs. De Bont extracts as much action and tension as possible out of the film in order to make up for the lack of superficial action entertainment that one would find in most action films. Examples include Reeves trying to get onto the bus while on a busy freeway, a criminal shooting the bus driver which causes Bullock to take over, ramming the bus into parked cars, moving everyone to a side of the bus in order to make a tight turn, and forcing the bus into a situation where it must jump a ridiculous gap that no vehicle could make. All of these tense moments are made all the greater thanks to composer Marc Mancina's excellent score, the one key ingredient that even Die Hard itself is missing. You'll have this score stuck in your head for days after watching the film, and most likely while you are driving down the road.

How about that second date?

At the beginning of this review, I stated that Speed is the best of the Die Hard rip-offs because it's only partially a rip-off. While the main bus plot may resemble Die Hard beat for beat, the initial elevator hostage situation and closing subway train face off prove that there is more than just an exploding bus plot at the center of this film. Speed has three movies worth of entertainment within it, and two of these three movie plots are merely bookends. If you take into account the romantic sub-plot as well, Speed offers up more entertainment than ten films combined, and it's merely two hours long. 

Rediscovering Speed after all of these years has been a real pleasure, as the film should be mentioned alongside the grandest of action pictures from the 90s more often. My theory for the film's minimal discussion is most likely due to its lack of old fashioned action tropes (i.e. muscled bound hero, big guns, massive body count, etc). However, Speed more than makes up for said tropes with the key elements that make up a great film nonetheless, such as an engaging plot, memorable characters, and fantastic action sequences. 

Rating: 10/10 - A stupendous summer blockbuster that proves that small scaled plots with inherent tension will always be more exciting than any grand scaled epic.

Franchise:

Speed (Jan de Bont, 1994)

Speed 2: Cruise Control (Jan de Bont, 1997)

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Director: The Wachowski Siblings

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Colin Chou

Country: United States / Australia

Rating: R

Run Time: 129 minutes

*spoilers abound*

While I have always loved The Matrix Reloaded since its initial release in 2003, The Matrix Revolutions has always been the sequel to escape me. After having seen once it in the theaters in 2003, I never got around to seeing the film again. I don't know what was wrong with me but I know that somewhere along the line I developed the opinion that the film sucked and jumped on the bandwagon for the film's hate. For my excursion into the much maligned Matrix sequels, I decided to watch The Matrix Revolutions back to back with Reloaded. This was also my first time viewing the film in over 10 years. And you know what, I think that The Matrix Revolutions is an awesome and underrated finale that gets an unfair bad rap. 

To be honest, I think that Revolutions is a film that needs to be watched back to back with its predecessor. For starters, both films were shot and written at the same time. Therefore, both films were envisioned as a two part finale. Second, both films were released within the same year a mere six months apart; something that is unheard of in today's cinematic world. They were envisioned to be seen very close together. And third, Revolutions picks up from the moment that Reloaded ends on. In a sense, Reloaded is act one and two of the Matrix finale while Revolutions is the third act drawn out to movie length. This is why watching Revolutions on its own may make for a detached and distanced experience if one does not have the events or characters of Reloaded fresh in their mind. Therefore, I believe that Revolutions holds up better when paired back to back with Reloaded (much like the Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace).

Revolutions takes what started as a small scaled franchise and turns it into a massive science fiction epic the likes of Star Wars with its plentiful characters, epic action scenes, and grand storytelling. The two final battles of the film take place on such a grand scale that I couldn't help but get swept up into their proceedings. It's hard to resist massive machine wars and a grand one on one fist fight when the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Unfortunately, Revolutions has more issues than Reloaded does. However, I still find the film to be thrilling in parts and serviceable as a whole despite its flaws. 

Why do people dislike this movie again? All I see is beautiful double gun fisted action.

Revolutions falters from the get go as it struggles to wrap up the loose ends of Reloaded. After Neo used his powers in the real world at the end of Reloaded, he passed out and mentally landed inside of a train station that serves as the go between for the Matrix and the real world. In the real world, Neo was placed on a table next to Bane, a human controlled by Agent Smith of the Matrix. Therefore, Revolutions spends nearly 25 minutes of its run time resolving Neo's imprisonment at the train station.

And while this sub-plot results in a stupendous action sequence that homages and resembles the iconic lobby shootout in The Matrix (arguably the best action sequence in the film), the search to rescue Neo puts us back at square one concerning the war with the machines. It's as if the Wachowskis didn't want to end Reloaded without leaving a cliffhanger for audiences to ponder over until Revolutions. In the grand scheme of things, the opening act of Revolutions is entirely pointless and feels more like cinematic homework than it does an enjoyable viewing experience.

Once Neo is freed from the clutches of the Train Man (Bruce Spence of The Road Warrior fame in a nice cameo), he and Trinity decide to head for the source of the machines in the real world in order to stop the attack on Zion. However, the machines have already begun their war with Zion. Unfortunately, the humans have no ships or EMP's to their name in Zion. Therefore, Morpheus and Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) pilot the last remaining ship with an EMP to Zion in order to help out with the grand battle of Zion. Neo ultimately realizes he must make a pact with the machines in order to destroy their common enemy, the program Agent Smith, and to save his people. What follows is an epic and massive one on one battle between Neo and Agent Smith inside of the Matrix that puts the Superman vs. Zod fight at the end of Man of Steel to shame (just saying, anything puts the Man of Steel fight to shame, it sucks).

I'd be just about speechless if I witnessed this first hand.

Once The Matrix Revolutions arrives to the meat of the film, the war in Zion, the film kicks into gear and never lets up. What results is a fantastic and awe inspiring battle between human controlled mechs and terrifying machines. This anime inspired battle features incredible special effects and visuals that I will never forget. The Wachowskis conjure up some of the most beautiful and horrifying imagery I have ever seen in a science fiction epic during this massive machine battle. You'll never see a more terrifying machine once you have seen the sentinels form up into a worm-like shape in mid-air (pictured above). I want to specify that the Wachowskis do an incredible job at crafting some of the most terrifying robots in cinema history. We all agree that the T-800 in its skeletal form in The Terminator is a terrifying robot. However, the sentinels in the Matrix films are absolutely terrifying in both their design and their actions. Don Davis' score reaches terrifying heights during the many robot heavy sequences of the film in order to reflect the machines' menacing nature.

Even though the massive battle between the machines and the humans makes for a stupendous array of special effects, thrilling action beats, and memorable character moments (The Kid!), it is not the be all end all of the film's action sequences. Instead, the Wachowskis posit the face off between Neo and Agent Smith as the grand finale of the film. Even though I am typically for as much action as possible in a film, I think that the Neo vs. Smith fight is too much to handle after experiencing the incredibly tense and jaw dropping machine battle. The Wachoswkis go from a truly massive set piece to yet another massive set piece within 10 or so minutes of one another. Because of this, the fist fight between Neo and Smith feels monotonous and exhausting instead of tense and gripping as it should be. Still, the fight scene is cool and showcases more of those computer rendered characters that I "loved" so much in The Matrix Reloaded.

Unfortunately, this final fist fight is rendered completely useless when reflected upon. In order to enter the Matrix to fight Smith, Neo allows the machines to plug into his body. Once Neo lands face to face with Smith, the two engage in a ridiculous 10 minute fight scene that pails in comparison to their previous fights from both The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded. At the end of the fight, Neo stands still and allows Smith to duplicate him. Once Neo is taken over by Smith, the machines destroy Smith using their mechanical connection through Neo's physical body. Therefore, both Smith and Neo die. However, the entire fight between Neo and Smith was completely useless than. Why didn't Neo simply allow Smith to duplicate him from the start? The machines could have destroyed Smith in a matter of seconds instead of having to wait 10 minutes for Neo to stop fighting Smith. It may seem like a silly error to some, but I found it to be a laughably silly excuse for a fight scene once reflected upon.

"Should I bother fighting him even though I want him to win? Oh, whatever."

Unlike The Matrix Reloaded, there isn't much to say about the final Matrix film. Revolutions is essentially a third act finale dragged out to movie length. And even though the film wastes its opening act, features a hilariously over the top performance by Hugo Weaving, and rushes to the credits before you know it, I still enjoy it. Plot holes aside, The Matrix Revolutions is a grand and epic finale to a series mostly forgotten by today's movie goers and movie buffs. Once the film arrives to the battle of Zion, the film kicks into gear and never lets up. And even though the film is mostly special effects fueled, the imagery is beyond beautiful (except for the slow motion shot of CG Hugo Weaving being punched in the face, what were they thinking?).

In my personal opinion, the Matrix trilogy is one of my favorite movie franchises, warts and all. I love the characters, the action scenes, the music, the cinematography, the story, and the franchises' plentiful inspirations ranging from Akira, to Ghost in the Shell, to the cinema of action maestros John Woo and Yuen Woo Ping. And even though Revolutions is easily the most flawed of the franchise, it still stands as a serviceable and awesome finale that kicks more ass than any one of Michael Bay's Transformers films. In all honesty, I don't believe that movie fans will ever get an R rated blockbuster franchise like the Matrix series ever again. Therefore, I hope to be one of those movie fans who reminds people why the Matrix films are so special and why haters be damned.

Rating: 7/10 - Unnecessary story and plot errors aside, The Matrix Revolutions is a damn awesome finale that deserves a second chance after all of these years.

Franchise:

The Matrix (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 1999)

The Matrix Reloaded (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 2003)

The Matrix Revolutions (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 2003)

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Director: The Wachowski Siblings

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Colin Chou

Country: United States / Australia

Rating: R

Run Time: 138 minutes

Even though The Matrix Trilogy consists of three films, the series is truly split into two parts. When the Wachowski Siblings set out to make their Matrix trilogy, the two had to deliver a successful Matrix Part One before they could be guaranteed a Part Two or Three. Therefore, when The Matrix blew up in 1999 and set a new precedent for action filmmaking in Hollywood, two sequels were obviously commissioned. These sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, were shot back to back and released within the same year, 2003. However, both of these sequels featured numerous new characters and a grander storyline previously unexplored in the small scaled The Matrix. Even though The Matrix introduced us to a post-apocalyptic world run by sentinels, The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions were the films that directly dealt with the issue head on. The Wachowskis essentially crafted a focused and small scaled Part One that led into two large scaled Parts Two and Three shot at the same time. Therefore, I have always viewed the two sequels as being separate from the original for this reason.

However, many other movie fans view the sequels as being separate from the original because...well, they hate them. The Matrix sequels are notorious amongst movie buffs as being inferior and unnecessary in comparison to their amazing predecessor. The general consensus is that the sequels favor special effects and plot over the focused character work of The Matrix. Personally, I also think that the sequels' choice to dive head first into the heavy themes teased at in the original alienated audiences as well. Action is fun and all for audiences, but not so much so when you have to listen to heavy conversations about predestination, artificial intelligence, and causality. 

Is there anything more awesome than leaping out a window firing guns?

I remember seeing The Matrix Reloaded at midnight with my dad when I was in the 5th grade in 2003. Even though I probably didn't fully understand what was happening, I can tell you that the action scenes blew my mind as a kid. I don't know if my childhood history with the film clouds my opinion, but I think that The Matrix Reloaded is an ambitious sequel that falters in parts but mostly succeeds. Even after 10 or so viewings of The Matrix Reloaded, I still find myself picking up on ideas that I previously forgot the film explored. Regardless of how good or bad you think the sequels are, the fact that the films jog your brain after each viewing is a testament to their lasting value. Therefore, I have decided to revisit these two massive and complex sequels in order to determine my opinion on them once and for all. Also, I am going to go into mild spoilers for the two films. 

The film begins six months after the events of the first film. Neo (Keanu Reeves) and friends continue their rebellion against the machines in both the Matrix and the real world. The machines have begun to drill into the human city of Zion in order to attack the humans back for freeing so many minds from the Matrix. When Neo speaks with the Oracle for help, she tells him to locate a Key Maker who can lead them to the source of the machines within the Matrix. However, Neo's journey for the source of the machines is complicated thanks to the likes of antagonists Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) and The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson). 

The Matrix Reloaded heavily expands upon the mythology of the first installment by introducing numerous new characters and tackling a large scale story hinted at in The Matrix. If anything, The Matrix Reloaded is one of the biggest sequels ever next to The Chronicles of Riddick in terms of expanding upon the mythos and scale of the small scaled original film. The film also dives deeper into themes of artificial intelligence, identity, reality, predestination, creation, religion, and causality dealt within The Matrix. However, Reloaded and its sequel devote entire scenes and conversations to discussing such themes. Therefore, modern audiences may find themselves bored and distant from such complex scenes that come in between slam bam action set pieces that please the eyes. The Wachowskis clearly took advantage of The Matrix's success and decided to go full philosophical and intellectual with their sequels. When I look back on the Matrix sequels, I almost can't believe that a studio like Warner Bros. funded such deep and complex R rated action films.

"Surprised, Mr. Anderson?"

While ambitious and positively epic, The Matrix Reloaded bites off more than it or its audience can chew. The film relies so heavily on plot, and a weird one at that, that it leaves its characters in the dust at points. The sequel also incorporates such a massive amount of sub-plots that it becomes difficult to keep track of them all even after all of these years of viewing the film. You've got the threat of the duplicating Agent Smiths, the Smith induced Bane character who wants to kill Neo within the real world, the threat of the machines' imminate attack on Zion, Neo's journey for the source of the machines, Neo's desperation to stop his visions from coming true, the tension between Morpheus and Commander Lock, to even the stories of the littlest of supporting characters like Link or Kid. Because everyone has a story of their own amidst the grand scheme of things, it becomes a lot to take in for only a two hour film. And while I love the ambitious nature of Reloaded and find some of its sub-plots to be truly riveting, the film's ambition turns it into a somewhat bloated epic that lacks The Matrix's tight focus.

Even though the film features far too many characters for its own good, I still enjoy some of them. My personal favorite is the Oracle's bodyguard, Seraph. Not only does Seraph have a great character design and purpose within the film's narrative, but he is even played by Hong Kong action star Collin Chou (Flash Point). Chou does a great job with his few minutes in the film and even takes on Neo in a great one on one fight a top several wooden tables. I also love the design of The Twins, two of the Merovigians henchmen who have the ability to turn into ghosts in order to phase through walls and to heal themselves. Other character highlights include the stern Commander Lock (Harry Lennix, Man of Steel) who will do anything to protect Zion, the cold but sexy Persephone (Monica Bellucci, Brotherhood of the Wolf), and the kind and helpful Key Maker (Randall Duk Kim, The Replacement Killers). Returning franchise characters Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, The Oracle, and Agent Smith are all well played by their respective actors; especially Laurence Fishburne (Death Wish II) who turns in an incredibly emotional and physical performance.

Praise the action movie gods.

It's no surprise that The Matrix Reloaded's strongest aspect is its fantastic action sequences. The Wachowskis and choreographer Yuen Woo Ping (Kill Bill, The Grandmaster) up the ante by delivering the kind of bigger and crazier set pieces you expect in a sequel. Reloaded showcases fist fights, car chases, and gun fights galore. The melee fights in the film are uniformly perfect, ranging from a massive brawl between Neo and numerous Agent Smiths to a small one on one fight between Morpheus and Agent Johnson (Daniel Bernhardt, John Wick) atop a moving 18 wheeler. The epic car chase in the middle of the film stands as the biggest and longest set piece in the entire franchise. Filmed entirely on a newly constructed freeway specifically for the film, the Wachowskis deliver a grand and massive cavalcade of vehicular destruction.

I especially adore the Vampire Chateau fight between Neo and The Merovigian's henchmen set to music by Rob Dougan. The sequence features pitch perfect camera work, excellent editing, and stunning fight choreography. The sequel's many action sequences are made all the better by composer Don Davis' score. Davis continues to expand upon the musical themes heard in the first installment by upping the ante and delivering a broader and grander score. Additional tracks by Rob Dougan and Juno Reactor are just as fantastic as Davis' musical themes. I truly could go on and on about Reloaded's exquisite action scenes and how I have watched some of them well over twenty times. But I will leave these few short words to express my adoration and obsession with them. When Yuen Woo Ping is the fight choreographer and Bill Pope is the cinematographer, a film's action scenes are going to look damn good.

Unfortunately, I have to fault Reloaded for its terrible incorporation of CGI during a few shots of the burly brawl between Neo and Smith. While most of the film's fight sequences feature real stunt men performing real stunts, the burly brawl between Neo and Smith requires up to 100 actors to be seen on screen at once. Therefore, some of the characters are rendered entirely with computer animation for a few choice shots in order to deliver complex moments of fight choreography. Much like Guillermo Del Toro's Blade II, The Matrix Reloaded shoots itself in the foot with these painfully obvious moments of computer graphics. It doesn't help either when the Wachowskis cut from a shot of a CG Keanu Reeves to a shot of the real Keanu Reeves within the same fight sequence. The jarring difference between computer graphics and human actors pulls the audience out of the filmic experience whenever it is apparent in the film. And believe me, it is extremely apparent when the characters in the film look like something out of an early 2000's PlayStation 2 video game.

"Well that's a neat trick."

Entertainment Weekly declared The Matrix Reloaded the 25th worst movie sequel of all time in 2007. Their paragraph on the film directly attacks the film's rave sequence and mocks it as a Lenny Kravitz music video. In all honesty, how can this be the one thing that Entertainment Weekly wrote about? Did they not see the amazing action scenes, brave storytelling, and incredible ambition that I saw? Yes, I admit that Reloaded is a somewhat bloated epic that falters from poor CGI and heavy reliance on plot. But I find that its positives greatly outweigh its negatives. I adore The Matrix Reloaded warts and all. It's an incredibly entertaining and massive science fiction epic that I have been watching for more than 10 years now and hope to continue revisiting for as long as I live. Tune in next time for the finale that movie fans hate more than The Matrix Reloaded...The Matrix Revolutions!

Rating: 8/10 - Haters be damned. The Matrix Reloaded has everything I love about an R rated blockbuster.

Franchise:
The Matrix (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 1999)
The Matrix Reloaded (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 2003)
The Matrix Revolutions (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 2003)

The Matrix (1999)

Director: The Wachowski Siblings

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Hugo Weaving

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 136 minutes

In 1999, American audiences were introduced to the blockbuster phenomenon that was The Matrix. It was the ultimate cinematic blender that found a way to fuse aesthetics from Alice in Wonderland, Doctor Who, Hong Kong action films, Japanese Anime, various religions, cyber culture, and much much more. Much like Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Matrix was a huge hit that combined blockbuster special effects with old fashioned rated "R" shoot 'em up and beat 'em up action. Thanks to the Wachowski Siblings directing, writing, and innovative camera work, The Matrix turned out to be one of the greatest American action films of all time.

Aw yeah. Praise the movie Gods.

The Matrix tells the story of a hacker named Thomas Anderson / Neo (Keanu Reeves). Anderson's world is turned upside down when he is introduced to the truth: the world as he knows it is only a computer program called The Matrix. Long ago, artificial intelligence enslaved humanity and now feeds off of our bodies in order to fuel their existence. Since than, a few humans have unplugged themselves and have made it their mission to find "The One", the prophecized savior of humanity. Neo is introduced to Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Trinity (Carrie Anne Moss), and a group of rebels who have made it their mission to find Neo and stop the sentinels that have overthrown the world.

This epic plot sounds like it could span three movies (and it eventually did). However, what makes The Matrix great is that this epic plot is not the main focus of the film. Instead, Neo must learn whether or not he truly is "The One" while training himself in martial arts and guns. He also must come to grips with the fact that his life has been nothing but a farce. Neo and friends must also combat Mr. Smith (Hugo Weaving) and his fellow Agents; essentially computer programs built into The Matrix who fight for the sentinels. These small and personal character arcs and storylines help make The Matrix a more focused and emotional film.

"In the Matrix, we all wear tight black leather."

As I stated before, The Matrix excels as an action blockbuster much like Terminator 2: Judgement Day because it focuses on characters that we actually care about and places them within small scale action scenes that raise the tension. The beauty of the final act of the film is that each action sequence focuses on just a small group of characters. There are no large and confusing Transformers-styled city battles here (that's right, I am taking a stab at Michael Bay's Transformers). Therefore, we really feel like we are on the adrenaline ride with each character and care for their fate at the same time.

I have stated before on this blog that I am not a large fan of "third act build up" action films. These are the kind of films that save all of their action and special effects for the final act of the film. Therefore, the first two acts are very slow and heavily reliant upon their characters and story. Some flawed action films that use this technique include Man of Steel, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Max Payne, and Death Wish 3. By the time these films reach their epic finales, you won't care about the characters or story anymore. The action becomes exhausting to watch and you'll be dying for the film to be over. I know this is a controversial opinion of mine and some people love these big finales and that's great for you but they aren't for me.

However, The Matrix is a successful "third act build up" action film because the first two acts of the film are extremely interesting, unique, creative, innovative, and gripping even without action. You'll love the film so much that by the time you reach the action, you'll be jumping out of your seat.

Best action movie couple of the '90's?

And how about that action? The Matrix is a Hong Kong action movie fan's dream come true because the fight scenes are choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping (The Grandmaster, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, etc) and the gun fights are modeled after the films of John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, etc). Readers of my blog know that I consider the action scenes of Hong Kong cinema to be the absolute best there is. Therefore, I love this film for introducing American audiences to the types of martial arts and gun play that H.K. audiences have been so familiar with.

While there are some very small fight scenes during the first two acts of the film, the best action scenes are saved for the finale. The lobby shootout that kicks off the finale is one of the greatest shootouts of all time. It's beautifully shot, scored, edited, and sound designed. Everything flows perfectly. We are than treated to another great action scene where Neo fires a minigun from the side of a helicopter into a room in order to save Morpheus. All of the film's shootouts are a sight to behold. I can't rave enough about how gorgeous the slow motion shots in this film are.

The Matrix also delivers on the big confrontation between Agent Smith and Neo that we have all been waiting for. And what a fight it is! They start off by shooting at one another and than leap into the air and continue to fire! A beautifully choreographed Yuen Woo Ping fight proceeds after this and it is just so great. I could write a whole article on just the action scenes of this film. I'll leave these three paragraphs to convey my love for them though. There is so much more to talk about in this film.

"Mr. Anderson."

The characters and performances in this film are all fantastic. Keanu Reeves is great as Neo, a quiet and stoic action hero that suits Reeves' calm sensibilities. Reeves has since become a joke on the internet as a bad actor and many people mock him for being one noted in his films. However, I think Reeves is very good in this film and many other films. While not normally associated with the genre, I think that Reeves is an interesting and notable action icon to study. With films like Point Break, Speed, Johnny Mnemonic, The Matrix Trilogy, Constantine, Street Kings, Man of Tai Chi, and 47 Ronin under his belt, Reeves is an action icon in my eyes.

Carrie Anne Moss (Memento), Joe Pantoliano (Bad Boys), and Laurence Fishburne (Apocalypse Now) all give great performances as well. Moss is great as the sexy and kind Trinity, Pantoliano is great as the devilish and wise ass Cypher, and Fishburne is darn near perfect as the wise and calm Morpheus. I want to single out Fishburne's performance specifically because he portrays Morpheus so well that I actually view Fishburne as Morpheus in real life! However, the scene stealing performance of the film goes to Hugo Weaving. He is flat out perfect in every way as Mr. Smith. Smith is an unforgettable character because he talks slow and pronounces his words very carefully. I love the Wachowskis' decision to make the Desert Eagle the signature side arm of all of the Agents. It's a beautiful looking gun and it looks even better when fired in slow motion. Overall, Hugo Weaving gives the villainous performance of the film and will ingrain his presence into your psyche forever.

The Matrix is also a technical marvel. The cinematography by Bill Pope is absolutely excellent. His shots are gorgeous and I love every single one of them. I love the choice to depict the Matrix as green and the real world as blue. Some of the shots in the first third of the film feel like they are straight out of a film noir. There is also a great shot during the final Neo and Smith face off that feels straight out of a Euro Western. Pope's photography heightens the film to an Oscar level quality of filmmaking. 

Composer Don Davis also delivers a breathtaking score. After re-watching the film for this review, I couldn't get any of the film's tunes out of my head. For example, I love the track that plays before Neo and Trinity enter the lobby. It sounds like repeated metal smashing on the ground. I also love the music that plays during Smith and Neo's big fist fight. It's an incredible track that will get your heart and adrenaline running. I also adore the Wachowksis' admiration for Japanese Anime. Many elements of Ghost in the Shell and Akira resonate throughout The Matrix. 

Neo takes aim at the detractors of The Matrix sequels.

The Matrix is simply a cinematic landmark. It's an incredible science fiction tale, an action fest, and a philosophical feature too. The Wachowski Siblings crafted a beautiful action film with memorable characters, an awesome story, incredible cinematography, a perfect score, and excellent action. 15 years later, the film still holds up and stands as one of the contemporary action greats. Tune in next time for the even bigger, larger, and crazier...The Matrix Reloaded.

Rating: 10/10 - One of the best action films of both the 90's and of all time! Highly recommend for all to see!

Franchise:

The Matrix (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 1999)

The Matrix Reloaded (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 2003)

The Matrix Revolutions (dir. The Wachowski Siblings, 2003)