The Matrix... Re-something or other

Ok. I finally saw Matrix Reloaded.

What it was and what it could have been... It's not a bad movie, but I don't think it's a great movie either.

I think as a first part to the "bigger picture" picture, it stands up pretty well. But if I had never seen the original Movie, I wouldn't have liked it.

A few things about it irked me:

1) The pacing....was... a.. little bit.. offduringthe... whole... thing...
2) What was with the "Elfquest/Wolfrider-esque" rave/bonding scene? It really didn't forward the plot at all (unless you consider the fact the were celebrating life in general).
3) Way too much exposition in the movie. Almost everything had to be explained to you.
4) You really don't need to watch the movie a second time. Unlike the first movie, where you learned the plot along with Neo, things were explained to you (see No 3), so the only reason to see the movie a second time is to watch the fight scenes (and the gorgeous girl in the restaurant scene)

But on the plus side

1) Almost ever fight scene rocked.. Even the one with the multiple cloned Elrond's...err.... Mr. Smith's :)
2) The movie had a lot of quasi-religious undertones (but then again so did the first movie), that I thought was pretty cool.
3) Seeing the world through "Neo-vision" was really cool.
4) Lawrence Fishburne say "It is our destiny" - I could almost here Darth Vader's breathing in the background.
5) The 2 guys in white. nuff said

So was it good? Yes and no. Considering it's really the first part of a larger movie (like a big episode of Fox's "24"), I can't really judge it until the second movie is released.

Quote of the day - "French is the best language to swear in. It's like wiping your ass with silk.." - Merovingian from Matrix Reloaded