May 19, 2003

The truth is, I am a little burnt out after two weeks of fighting about The Matrix Reloaded with all forms of life.  Over the weekend, I spent over 3000 words debunking Adam Gopnik’s critical (and critically flawed) assessment of The Matrixes in The New Yorker. 

I spent a little time looking over Rotten Tomatoes’ assessment of the critical response to Reloaded versus the inside-the-viagraway sense of what critics think and found that only 8 of the site’s 33 "cream of the crop" critics gave the film negative reviews.  It was an odd list - John Anderson, Mark Caro, Paul Clinton, Rick Groen, Kirk Honeycutt, Geoff Pervere, Ken Turan and Stephen Whitty.  I have real respect for a few of these guys, yet…  Sometimes, there is a distinct difference between the “cream” list and the broader list.  But not so here.  94 positive versus 33 negative for a 74% positive rate… actually 2% lower than the “cream.”  But statistically, pretty much equal. 

X2: X-Men United and Spider-Man both fared a little better, scoring 88% positive reviews.  (Spy Kids beat them both.)  Do we think it is a coincidence that both high-profile action films were the first of the summer? 

Anyway… The Matrix Reloaded is hardly a critical disaster, as some are suggesting. 

The box office success suggests to me that The Matrix Reloaded will pass $300 million domestic on the first weekend of June.  But then again, maybe not.  It is impossible to tell.  There is no doubt that Reloaded will pass $300 million… but by how much?  Despite the massive opening, some of the concerns about the film going in – the R rating, a passionate minority of angry reviewers and a loaded summer season – may become significant in time.  Only time will tell. 

In any case, Reloaded is also a virtual lock to pass X2: X-Men United’s total box office to become the summer’s biggest grosser before next weekend is over.  In fact, even conservative box office guessers will probably admit that Reloaded is likely to pass $200 million by the end of next weekend as well.  Again, Spider-Man’s 9-day box office record for getting to $200 million is probably safe.  Reloaded will have to settle for 2^nd place again.  The horror.

I was toying with the idea that Warner Bros. should be persuaded to keep outlets that came after this film out of all early screenings of The Matrix Revolutions.  After all, it isn’t blackmail, since everyone acted freely this time out.  Why would anyone expect a critic who beat up Reloaded to cotton to Revolutions.  There is a certain inevitability.  So let them see it… on the night before the release. 

Of course, that would never fly… because a negative review of a Matrix film sells as many papers/magazines as a positive one, maybe more.  Time Magazine may have spent two weeks smacking Reloaded, but they were sure happy to stick the film on its cover.  (So much for editorial integrity.)

And for those of you who were so ready to tamp down the dirt on Eddie Murphy’s alleged career grave… sorry.  The estimated 33% drop for Daddy Day Care may increase a little when Bruce Almighty arrives in town next weekend.  But the drop will be relative to a four day holiday weekend.  My earlier guess that Daddy Day Care would pass $100 million by the end of Memorial Day Weekend has been destroyed by my lack of awareness that next weekend is Memorial Day Weekend and not the weekend after next.  Duh!  But I do expect the film to pass $75 million by the end of next weekend and to pass $100 million in the wake of Finding Nemo. 

DOWN WITH DOWD:  Did Maureen Dowd have her doorman write her Sunday column? The Matrix Reloaded without women warriors… Down By Love without the women actually taking power over the men by clear design… and a tether to Bush-ian politics as thin a pair of post-collagen lips.   It is possible… likely, really… that Dowd saw neither movie and is basing her insights on advertising. 

The funny thing is that an actual interesting column on Bush Vs. Neo seems like an easy place to go.  Neo is The One in great part because he believes he is The One.  The Burly Brawl with Neo fighting The Smiths almost as a form of arrogance and abandoning the fight when convenient.  Neo fighting for human kind while mindlessly killing many Matrixed humans in the process.  You have to admit that it’s a rich vein, regardless of your politics.  But somehow, Ms. Dowd just had to try to squeeze in a relationship to feminism that just doesn’t exist.  Here’s a tip to the doorman… don’t give up the day job.

NOW:  As I promised on Friday, I’m going to start to give you some of the other readers opinions of Reloaded to chew upon.  Spoilers will be the norm.  Also, letters that deserve to be published that will not end up published will be too much the norm.  My apologies.  (Just because you don’t show up today does not mean that I don’t think you wrote an A-List letter or that it won’t turn up later this week… it is a lot of mail.)

Click here to reader Readers Get Reloaded: Day One.

NON-MATRIX READER OF THE DAY:  PK Of LINE writes:  “End credit version of "Beyond The Sea is by British rocker Robbie Williams, not Bobby Darin.  Can't wait for this one.”

THE KATS writes:  “Congratulations on a palpably beautiful review of Finding Nemo.  It sounds like another masterpiece from the geniuses of Pixar. Which leads me to another point...

I have one problem with your article. You give Disney far too much credit for it. Pixar is a separate entity from Disney and is the creative and technical force behind all their movies. Disney is merely a distributor and co-producer (money-wise) with Pixar, acting more in a fairly distant advisory capacity. As you may know, Pixar and Disney may or may not continue their relationship. Whichever way they go, the consistent excellence

of Pixar movies will scarcely be touched without the Disney connection (though it may lose some marketing muscle).

It is Pixar's ‘voice,’ not Disney's, which ‘would have made Walt proud.’“

E ME:  Go back to The Matrix or find a whole new place to travel.

 

"There Are No Matrix Pieces"
What Would Neo Do ..||||...Character Arcs (spoilers)
Review.. |||..Spoilers .

PHYSICIAN HEAL THYSELF
The New Yorker & The Matrix Reloaded ......