The Great Matrix Debate

THE MATRIX RELOADED: THE ABRIDGED SCRIPT™

Got this on my email a few days ago and I thought it was really funny... :) Is posting this okay?

THE MATRIX RELOADED: THE ABRIDGED SCRIPT™
By Rod Hilton


FADE IN:

EXT. DARK, NOIR-ESQUE CITY STREET

A computer model of CARRIE-ANNE MOSS with an
inhuman-looking face flies out of a window, shoots
at an agent, and is killed.

INT. THE NEBUCHADNEZZAR - BLUE

KEANU REEVES wakes up from his nightmare.
CARRIE-ANNE MOSS, played by a human being, is laying next to
him.

KEANU REEVES
Whoa.

CARRIE-ANNE MOSS
What's the matter? Did you wet the
bed again?

KEANU REEVES
I had this dream. You flew out of
a window in slow-motion and shot at
an agent and he killed you.

CARRIE-ANNE MOSS
Well of course you dreamed that -
you've gone online and watched the
Matrix Reloaded trailer like fifty
times in the past two days.

KEANU REEVES
Did you see the computer generated
me fight all those Agent Smiths? It
was awesome! I'm gonna go hack in
and watch it again now.

INT. DARK, NOIR-ESQUE SEWER

LAURENCE FISHBURNE, CARRIE-ANNE MOSS, and KEANU
REEVES join
#SewerChat with all the other rebels.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Gimme ops! I want ops!
JADA PINKETT SMITH
Shut up. Listen everyone. The
Osiris has sent a transmission - the
machines are drilling straight down
to Zion. It's a wonder they didn't
think to do this sooner.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Ops! Ops! Ops!

JADA PINKETT SMITH
Fine! Jesus.

* SexyJada69 sets mode: +o TheOneBeliever.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Woohoo!

* SexyJada69 was kicked by TheOneBeliever (Don't hog
ops!)
* Joins: SexyJada69

JADA PINKETT SMITH
Not funny.
LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Sorry. Okay, everyone. I believe
the Gloria Foster will contact us
soon, so I need one ship to stay
back here and be available if she
makes contact. This goes directly
against the order of our military
commander, but he's a total dick, so
f**k him.

* SexyJada69 has quit (irc.logos.net
irc.thematrix.com)
* -[Ghost]- has quit (irc.logos.net
irc.thematrix.com)
* StokChar02 has quit (irc.rebels.net
irc.thematrix.com)
* StokChar01 has quit (irc.rebels.net
irc.thematrix.com)
* TheOne has quit (irc.nebuchadnezzar.net
irc.thematrix.com)
* Trin303 has quit (irc.nebuchadnezzar.net
irc.thematrix.com)

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Oh s**t.

* Joins: -[Ghost]-
* Joins: StokChar02
* Joins: TheOne
* Joins: AgentJohnson
* Joins: Trin303
* Joins: StokChar01
* Joins: AgentJackson
* Joins: SexyJada69
* irc.thematrix.com sets mode: +o AgentJohnson
* irc.thematrix.com sets mode: +o AgentJackson
* AgentJackson sets mode: -o TheOneBeliever
* AgentJohnson changes topic to 'Th3 M4tr1x h4s
j00h4h4!!1!'

JADA PINKETT SMITH
Agents! Get the hell out of here!

* Parts: SexyJada69
* Parts: StokChar01
* Parts: StokChar02
* Parts: Trin303
* Parts: TheOneBeliever
* Parts: -[Ghost]-

KEANU REEVES
I don't feel the slightest bit
intimidated, and as a result the
audience feels absolutely no danger.

AGENT JACKSON
That's a shame, since this is the
first fight scene and should really
get them hyperventilating.

They use kung fu and KEANU beats the crap out of the
AGENTS and flies away.

INT. ZION

All of the ships head to ZION. Nothing happens for
a while. Characters talk to other characters.
Eventually, there is an erotic rave scene, but it too is
somewhat boring. The AUDIENCE goes to sleep.

AUDIENCE
This is what they're fighting to
save? It sucks! Wake me when they're
back in the matrix.

Eventually, GLORIA FOSTER contacts KEANU, and they
visit her.
 
Last edited:
Abridged Script Continued

EXT. WELL-LIT, NON-NOIR PARK

KEANU sits down next to GLORIA FOSTER after fighting
SING NGAI for no good reason.

GLORIA FOSTER
Hello Keanu. My dialogue this time
around isn't anywhere near as well
written as the last time we talked,
so let me get to the chase. I'm a
program, all of your decisions have
already been made, Trinity is going
to die, and you need to find Randall
Duk Kim. Gotta run!

KEANU REEVES
Got it. Hey, have you seen that
spoon-bending kid from before? There
haven't been any cool quotable
phrases in this movie and I think he
could help.

GLORA shakes her head and leaves.

HUGO WEAVING
Mr. Anderson.

KEANU REEVES
That's good, but it really came
from the first movie. Got anything
else?

Suddenly, a bunch of other HUGO WEAVINGS show up.
They FIGHT to VIDEO GAME MUSIC. Despite all of the
enormous hype, it is extremely clear when the scene switches
into CGI-mode.

HUGO WEAVING
Why are you using kung fu? Can't
you jump inside us and delete us
like in the last movie? Isn't that
one of your super awesome powers?

KEANU REEVES
Nah, the only real new power I have
is flight.

HUGO WEAVING
That sucks.

KEANU REEVES
Not as badly as my appearance when
I do my little mid-air spin move
with this pole.

He fights and fights and fights and eventually gives
up and flies away.

INT. WELL-LIT, NON-NOIR RESTAURANT

LAURENCE, CARRIE-ANNE, and KEANU enter the
restaurant and talk to LAMBERT WILSON.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
We want Randall Duk Kim. I am
totally dead serious here, as I
always am.

LAMBERT WILSON
I won't give him to you, but you
can use my girlfriend, Monica
Belluci to go behind my back and get
him. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm
going to go have some matrix sex.

MONICA BELLUCI
Grrr, I get so mad when he cheats
on me. To spite him, I will give
you Randall.

KEANU REEVES
Wait, you're a program right? So
some machine actually specifically
programmed you and gave you the
ability to be jealous, conniving,
and spiteful?

MONICA BELLUCI
Not only that, but they made me a
hornball. I will only help if you
make out with me.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
What? It's bad enough that the
agents no longer pose any threat at
all, but now these are the kind of
obstacles we must overcome to save
Zion? Make out with Monica Belluci?
What will we have to do next, eat
our way through a prison wall made
of chocolate?

MONICA helps them and they escape with RANDALL DUK
KIM in a car.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Hurry, we have to get Randall out
of here!

CARRIE-ANNE MOSS
And take him where, exactly?

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Uhhhh.. away from the bad guys? It
doesn't matter, we're just waiting
for Neo to save us.

CARRIE-ANNE MOSS
Don't you realize that without any
real goal, this scene is utterly
without tension, regardless of how
cool it is, stylistically?

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
This is a matrix film, there's no
point to anything other than style.

They are CHASED by TWO ALBINO RASTAFARIANS. More
video game music plays in the background.

ALBINO RASTAFARIAN #1
We are utterly pointless.

ALBINO RASTAFARIAN #2
Yes we are.

Eventually, KEANU REEVES saves them all and takes
them to a secret hideout.

INT. DARK, NOIR-ESQUE CONFERENCE ROOM

LAURENCE, KEANU, CARRIE-ANNE, JADA, and VARIOUS
OTHER REBELS meet with RANDALL DUK KIM.

RANDALL DUK KIM
To save your world, you must strike
at exactly midnight.. it will
require a complicated three-pronged
attack...

AUDIENCE
Holy s**t, we're at the climax of
the film! I haven't seen anything
from this in the trailer - it must
be fucking amazing, especially since
it has to top the burly brawl and
the car chase.

We see a montage of shots from the important mission
while RANDALL and THE REBELS discuss the plan in
voiceover. Once the discussion is over, the problem is solved.
KEANU enters a ROOM OF LIGHT.

INT. WELL-LIT, NON-NOIR WHITE ROOM

KEANU enters a white room, the walls of which are
covered in monitors. A chair spins around to reveal THE
EXPLAINER.

KEANU REEVES
Who are you?

THE EXPLAINER
I am The Explainer. I designed the
matrix screenplay. Unable to
decently explain the convoluted plot
well, I have resorted to putting
myself here in the final act and
having you ask all of the questions
the audience wants to ask.
(dramatic pause)
You must begin by asking your own
questions then gradually switch to
asking those of the audience, in
order to not make this scene any
more awkward than it already is.
Concordantly, while your first
question may be the most pertinent,
you may or may not realize it is
also the most irrelevant.

KEANU REEVES
Why am I here?

THE EXPLAINER
Many years ago, shortly before the
success of Speed, you sold your soul
to the devil in exchange for a
promise of notoriety that your
piss-poor acting skills do not
deserve. This series is the
actualization of this promise.

KEANU REEVES
What was the Osiris? And who was
that kid in zion who kept pestering
me?

THE EXPLAINER
You will find the answers to these
questions by purchasing The
Animatrix, a collection of nine
animated shorts from some of Anime's
top directors.

KEANU REEVES
Alright. Well, what was that crap
Glora said about vampires and
werewolves? And how did Jada Pinkett
Smith get to Laurence Fishburne
during the car chase? And what the
hell happened during the power plant
takeover climax that-wasn't?

THE EXPLAINER
You will find the answers to those
questions by purchasing the Enter
The Matrix game, available for
Windows, Playstation2, Xbox, and
Gamecube. Enter the Matrix features
awesome gunplay and spectacular
martial arts that bend the rules of
the Matrix. This game isn't just
set in the Matrix universe--it's an
integral part of the experience,
with a story that weaves in and out
of The Matrix Reloaded. Enter the
Matrix is the story behind the
story.

KEANU REEVES
Fine! Then tell me this, what the
hell is with Hugo Weaving saying he
and I have some special connection?
And how come I can control machines
in the real world? And will we win
the war if I don't choose the door
to my right?

THE EXPLAINER
You will find the answers to these
questions when you watch The Matrix
Revolutions, coming later in 2003.

KEANU REEVES
I hate you.

THE EXPLAINER
Perhaps you should drink more
Powerade.

KEANU REEVES
Just answer me one question. We're
not going to find out that the real
world is in another matrix, are we?

THE EXPLAINER
Christ I hope not.

KEANU leaves and flies to save CARRIE-ANNE MOSS from
being shot. She is SHOT anyway. Then KEANU reaches into
her matrix code and pulls out the bullet in a comical
fashion.

CARRIE-ANNE MOSS
That was preposterous.

KEANU REEVES
Wait till you see what I do outside
of the ship.

THE CREDITS roll, as DISC ONE of the soundtrack is
played in its entirety. END
 
LOL!
Fantastic stuff Kyria!
That piece said it more eloquently than any of us lot. and hit the nail on the head until it hurt!
Nice one!
 
Last edited:
"LOL". Oh, that was good. Good cause it was so true! Thanks! :)

"Don't you realize that without any
real goal, this scene is utterly
without tension, regardless of how
cool it is, stylistically?

LAURENCE FISHBURNE
This is a matrix film, there's no
point to anything other than style.

They are CHASED by TWO ALBINO RASTAFARIANS. More
video game music plays in the background.

ALBINO RASTAFARIAN #1
We are utterly pointless.

ALBINO RASTAFARIAN #2"


The whole movie seemed pointless. Exactly what I was thinking. :D

Oh, I liked all that animatrix and powerade stuff too.

You know what irritates me too? I watched this hour long pbs interview with Keanu, Moss, Fishburne, and the director and they almost promised that all who liked the first one would like the second. Drrr....:rolleyes:
 
Well I liked it and I don't think I'm in a minority ;) So you think it was bad - the answer then is simple, don't watch the next one ;)
 
Originally posted by kater
Well I liked it and I don't think I'm in a minority ;) So you think it was bad - the answer then is simple, don't watch the next one ;)
Click to expand...

You're right Kater. I'm definately not knocking you or anyone who liked it, although it might sound like I am. ;) Its just a big disappointment to me because I really liked the first one. That's why I'm still talking about it...because I am not interested in the last installment. Oh well...
 
Thanks SJ, Kahn.
Originally posted by Pluvious
"LOL". Oh, that was good. Good cause it was so true! Thanks! :)
Click to expand...
You're welcome :)
 
Last edited:
The new matrix was a great movie, everyones expectations were too high because of the first movie. i think that this movie did a great job of setting up a lot for the next movie and an incredible job with the fights, which i dont believe will be outdone for some time (unless they do it in the next matrix)
 
I don't think people's expectations were too high as there are without doubt more people who liked it than didn't.

However there are a few dissidents (like myself) who found the movie quite flawed and failing to fulfil it's full potential.

Also, as well pointed out in Kyria's "Abridged Script" the Matrix has been heavily marketed and franchised now, with the game and the "Animatrix" filling in the blanks for the second film.
A game was inevitable and I was in fact looking forward to thew potential it also had. I think that some of the animatrix shorts are pretty good, particularly the "Second Renaissance" episodes that detail the start of the human/A.I conflict.

However those two stories could just as easily been "The Rise of the Machines" in the "Terminator" saga, as there are some obvious similarites.

In fact if you watch "A.I." followed by the "Terminator" series and then the Matrix films, you may feel you are watching one long story, as they are all very derivative of each other.
 
Originally posted by kahnovitch

However there are a few dissidents (like myself) who found the movie quite flawed and failing to fulfil it's full potential.
Click to expand...

what flaws? also, i think that the main purpose of this movie was to set up for the next whereas the first movie was to introduce and explain the basic ideas behind the matrix. This movie did a great job of setting things up as we see from agent smith, the oracle, the last scene and with Neo stopping machines in the real world. I also found it interesting to see morpehus in a new persective, in the first movie he was the captin, and thus viewed as a god but now that we watch him among other captins we see their oppinion that he is in fact insane, it seems to me that the only problem that reloaded could have had was that it preented to many new thigns to fully accomplish in the next.
 
what flaws?
Click to expand...


A few too many to mention. if you read the "abridged Script" that Kyria posted on the 2nd page of this thread , it explains them fair better than I can.
 
there still arent flaws

that was horrible, everything they pointed out was completly stupid, and as an example the reason Neo doesnt do the cool "stick my hand in the agent" move any more becasue it set Smith free, thats how Smith learned to duplicate himself. . so whoever wrote that seriously needs to watch the movie again
 
The thing I wondered aftered reading Kyria's post is, does the game really fill in some of the plot holes? Is it really an integral part of the story? If so, I might have to seek out a game synopsis.
 
hclark, I believe Milamber posted a link to a review for it on the "enter the matrix" thread in the games section.
 
Re: there still arent flaws

Originally posted by Korienth
that was horrible, everything they pointed out was completly stupid, and as an example the reason Neo doesnt do the cool "stick my hand in the agent" move any more becasue it set Smith free, thats how Smith learned to duplicate himself. . so whoever wrote that seriously needs to watch the movie again
Click to expand...

That was the one part I felt didn't work myself.
 
Originally posted by Eurytus
But its quality grounds that rules Reloaded out for me. I really tried to find anything good about it but I'll admit that I failed. So much so that I did not even go to see Revolutions, something I would not have believed 2 years ago.
Highlander II still displays the greatest degredation of quality for a sequel as far as I am concerned but Reloaded runs it close.
Click to expand...

What he said. Naff acting, naff plot and an excuse for a special FX bonanza. ( I never get tired of ribbing that film :D )

Originally posted by Archren
Eurytus, I hate to be seen as putting words in your mouth, but would it be fair to say that you feel that ROTK was unsuitable to win so many Oscars, particularly Best Picture, because of its inherent logical flaws in plotting, editing, etc.?
Click to expand...

The problem with Return of the King (despite the fact I haven't seen it yet :eek: ) is that because of time constraints i.e. actual run-time in the cinema, it would have been hacked up a bit in the editing room and lo and behold (sorry, couldn't resist ;)) could have lost some of it's cohesion.
It's pretty easy to pull apart any film if you put your mind to it, even oscar winning epics.
There is a good chance that RotK was given so many awards as a result of the cumulative work done on all three movies rather than it's merits as an individual entity in truth we will never really know.
 
But its quality grounds that rules Reloaded out for me. I really tried to find anything good about it but I'll admit that I failed. So much so that I did not even go to see Revolutions, something I would not have believed 2 years ago.
Highlander II still displays the greatest degredation of quality for a sequel as far as I am concerned but Reloaded runs it close.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


What he said. Naff acting, naff plot and an excuse for a special FX bonanza. (I never get tired of ribbing that film)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Well what to say? I guess I'll settle for "how unfortunate...." :)
 
Originally posted by Bond
Well what to say? I guess I'll settle for "how unfortunate...." :)
Click to expand...

It is Bond.
Moreso as I really wanted to like the film. I loved the first one and it was the first DVD I ever bought and I watched it a LOT, but I couldn't help feeling they could have do so much more with it (the sequel and series as a whole) and it's true potential was never realised or fulfilled.
Anyway I'll not pollute this thread anymore with off-topic ranting.
 
Bond,

Yes it was unfortunate that I spent my money on the film with all the quality of a Robin Reliant. What amazed me most was how the sequel crapped on the internal logic of the original in a manner not seen since Terminator 2 and the aforementioned Highlander 2.

What was it that Morpheus told Neo during the first film? You know about dodging bullets.

“Soon you won’t have to”.

At by the end of that film it has proved true.

However by Reloaded apparently a demi-god who can alter the flow of time and bend reality (unreality) to his will, as well as “explode” agents has to go back to using Kung Fu.

Why?

Because it’s cool I guess. Although how fight scenes that drag on for what seems like ages, have all the weight and power of ballroom dancing and contain no sense of danger are cool is a mystery to me.
To be fair to the film it gave warning of this early on with the appalling “Burley Brawl” (as soon as you give parts of the film names that sound like video game levels its obvious there are going to be problems, see also Freeway Chase).
How anyone thought it would be nice for the audience to sit through a never-ending fight that actually takes the plot nowhere is a mystery to me.

And don’t even get me started on the whole Zion rave……

A pity because the sequels could have been a whole lot more. I would far rather have seen more development about the fact that many people (perhaps even a majority) would rather live in the Matrix than Zion as touched on with Cypher in the first film. Where it is the “heroes” who are misguiding and out of touch with the majority.

Instead we got a film where the morals of the “heroes” are increasingly disturbing. A universe in which everyone else in the Matrix is totally expendable. A point highlighted in the first film during the rescue of Morpheus in which we were supposed to be cheering Neo and Trinity for slaughtering other human beings. Considering the fact that Morpheus and Co are terrorists why should we be cheering them killing other humans whose only crime is not to be aware that they are living in a simulated reality?

This reached even more ludicrous heights in the second film during Neo’s flight to save Trinity. Basically if you lived in any of the buildings along the street he was flying along you were dead.
The same way in which you were dead if you worked in any of the power stations.

How many people had Morpheus and Co released from the Matrix? Judging by the population of Zion (and the fact that some of the people of Zion were born there) it is not a great many. What was the casualty rate amongst bystanders and security guards etc in order to achieve this? Why weren’t the moral aspects of this addressed?

That would have made for a more interested film than all this cod philosophy and wire-fu nicked from Hong Kong films.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsors


We try to keep the forum as free of ads as possible, please consider supporting SFFWorld on Patreon


Your ad here.
Back
Top