The Matrix Revolutions

The eye-popping, heart-stopping last half of this trilogy-topper makes up for everything plodding and ponderous that has taken place since the mind-blowing first hour of the 1999 original. Astonishing in scale and momentous in scope, the film chronicles both a spectacular battle against the machines to keep Zion (humanity's last refuge city hidden deep beneath the Earth's scorched surface) and a simultaneous, nuclear-strength airborne-kung-fu final showdown between über-human messiah Neo (Keanu Reeves) and ruthless, self-replicating rogue program Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) inside what's left of the crumbling Matrix (the virtual world pulled over the eyes of the machine-fueling, comatose rest of mankind). Before The Matrix Revolutions gets to this action-packed payoff, however, it slogs through 40 minutes of the kind of loquaciously pseudo-philosophical prattle that hampered The Matrix Reloaded. But when the earth-boring sentinels lay siege to Zion, the picture picks up exponentially, and the writing-directing Wachowski Brothers never take their foot off the gas until the closing credits roll, following a finale that boldly asks at least as many questions as it answers. Recommended, overall. [Note: Available in both widescreen and full screen versions, DVD extras on this two-disc set include “Revolutions Recalibrated” and “CG Revolution” making-of and special effects documentaries, a six-minute “Super Burly Brawl” behind-the-scenes multi-angle segment of Neo and Smith's final face-off, the 11-minute featurette “Future Gamer: The Matrix Online” on the multiplayer online game, an extensive five-section “Before the Revolution” Matrix timeline text segment, a “3-D Evolution” stills gallery including concept art, storyboards, and final scenes sections (all can be viewed in slideshow format), four “Operator” visual effects segments (7-12 mins. each), trailers, and weblinks. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a once-promising franchise that ends on a strong note.] (R. Blackwelder)