I finally watched The Matrix Reloaded today on IMAX. Overall, the movie wasn't too bad. The special effects were nice, as usual, but nothing different from the first movie, and I felt that far too much time was spent filming the special effects. For instance, in the rooftop fight scene with the many Agent Smiths, there was a lot of gratuitous slow-motion filming. Also, given that I'm rather fatigued right now, the philosophical comments about choices (or lack thereof), destiny and free will was a little too much for me. Granted, I have studied those topics before, so it's not like it was unfamiliar ground for me, but I was a little too tired to try analysing things just then.

Other observations:

The opening scene was cool. The way Trinity landed after leaping off the motorcycle was impossibly graceful. But without a doubt, the motorcycle chase scene was the most entertaining and attention-grabbing. It was fresh, unlike the other fight-scenes, and it was cool seeing a female do all that. She kicked a**. Although I am wondering why it is that all of them wear black, and black leather at that. Sexy but kind of impractical for fighting. Or even moving.

There were a disproportionate number of African-Americans in Zion. As my American friend put it, either these people have a predisposition towards disobedience, or the film-makers just wanted them to make the dance scene better. African-Americans sure know how to dance very sexily. If I danced like that over here, I just might be arrested - or labelled as loose and slutty! But yes, I do want to dance like that... someday... when I'm still young. I really wish I could find a guy who can dance - and dance sexily. They're very few and far between. In fact, I don't think I've met any yet!

I'm glad they restored the censored love-making scene - although my friend who had watched the movie in non-IMAX format informed me after the show that they had cut parts of the rave scene instead, so I'm not sure if that scene was indeed restored even if they said so in the papers! I'm glad there weren't too many mushy scenes in the movie (the downfall of Attack of the Clones) but the romantic parts were quite okay, and didn't seem out of place. I liked the way Trinity and Neo started kissing each other desperately in the lift. Oh come on, you know you were wondering when they were ever going to get the time to do it, since they were always on the ship! :P

I like Persephone's character as well - the intelligent, vengeful betrayed woman. Since her husband was cheating on her for a bit of skirt, she went ahead to give away his most treasured possession. And yet, all he can do in the end is say, "Woman, you'll be the death of me!" instead of actually doing anything to her. And her wanting a little sample of what Trinity and Neo had, with Neo having to make Persephone believe that she is Trinity when Neo kisses her? That was cute. I read somewhere that her "I envy what you have, but such a thing is not meant to last" was a comment on passion and love between two people. Since Persephone and her husband once experienced such a love, and now, they are older and embittered, wouldn't the same thing happen to any other couple? I admit, I wouldn't have read so much into that line upon first viewing, but the reviewer does have a point.

And if Neo is so darned powerful, why the heck does he need to kung-fu fight everyone? The flying thing was neat, but got annoying since it seemed like a rather contrived solution to fit every scenario that the main characters were going to face.

Anywhere, herein ends my review of The Matrix Reloaded. I don't know if the IMAX version was any better than the normal cinema version. The fight scenes were better, and the special effects were enhanced, but seeing Morpheus's face enlarged to such an extent that you found yourself distracted by the pockmarks on his face definitely wasn't a plus point.