The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Well, it looks like we’re less than a month away from the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in theaters across the country. Who is planning on catching a screening? Who is sitting this one out? I am curious to hear what your expectations are—or if you have any particular reservations about it.

I just watched the trailer available on the official website, and it looks fantastic. Personally, I can say I am counting down the days until release!

Check out the other forum dedicated to The Matrix just down the way—it’s got everything you need to know about what you're asking.

The Matrix is great
The Matrix Reloaded is pretty bad
The Matrix Revolutions is just tragic

Why is it that people would much rather spend their time speculating about a movie before it even drops than actually bothering to say anything—or even anything at all—once they’ve actually sat through it?😕

I'm also leaning toward the idea that the third installment is going to be a total disaster, potentially even worse than the second one, if that’s even possible...

In my estimation, this will be the best entry in The Matrix franchise yet. At least, that is what I am hoping for.

granitesailor98 said:The Matrix is good
The Matrix Reloaded is bad
The Matrix Revolutions is evil

I mean, I feel like you really ought to watch them before passing judgment... personally, I’m planning on checking them out first and then I'll give my two cents... as far as the first movie goes, I don't think I even need to waste my breath, but maybe people just expected too much from the second one? Like, they were looking for something revolutionary in terms of the plot that just wasn't really possible because the first film went so deep into the lore. I guess I don't actually think the second part is terrible, it just has a few little things that probably could have been handled a bit better...

So, for instance—and this might not be a perfect comparison—but I watched The Animatrix recently and I gotta say, it was totally legendary (and honestly gives you a way more complete picture of how the Matrix world works)...

Jessica Nguyen85 said:Why is it that people would much rather just speculate about a movie before it even comes out, yet almost nobody actually says anything once they've actually sat through it?😕

Look, I’m definitely not one of those types, and if you’re actually hoping for some decent discussion after a screening, then yeah, count me in... though I don't really feel like starting a whole new thread or anything—just as a side note, what I'm actually dying to see is LOTR.🙏

I honestly can't wait,😎

Despite all the hate, I actually thought the second one was great.
Saw the trailer and can't wait for it to hit theaters.

I am definitely planning to catch The Matrix Revolutions in theaters. There’s this killer track by George Jones, "I'm not perfect, but I'm perfect for You," and honestly, while The Matrix Reloaded felt a bit off during my first theatrical viewing, it actually seems quite decent on DVD.

To be blunt, I truly enjoyed the experience this time around. I went in knowing the flaws, stopped constantly measuring it against the unreachable standards of the first film, really applied myself to grasp the deeper themes, and—poof—it turns out it isn't a bad movie at all. The direction is incredibly sharp; you can tell an immense amount of effort was poured into it, and that craftsmanship is palpable. I suspect that once we have Revolutions to tie everything together into a cohesive whole, both The Matrix Reloaded and the trilogy as a whole will be viewed much more favorably.

I won't bother listing the negatives of The Matrix Reloaded, because I acted like a spoiled brat and trashed it immediately after seeing it in the theater (to be fair, it didn't click for me then). The point is, I have a genuine feeling—a real gut feeling—that once everything is tallied up, Revolutions could end up being a very, very good film. Here is my thumbs up 👍.

could, should, ought to ^^

but even if I agree, you just HAVE to see movies like that in a theater... honestly, there’s nothing quite like it...

even now, when I'm watching a DVD on the best surround sound system money can buy, I still find myself saying, "Man, this was absolutely insane in the cinema"

I’ve memorized every single line from The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded. I’ve watched them both a million times already...

YES! I am going to the premiere. If they actually bring it to Cleveland. To hell with them.

In my opinion, the biggest flaw in The Matrix is the lackluster acting from Keanu Reeves and Kate Moss, especially when you look at the second installment...

Ethan Perez97 said:In my view, the primary failure of The Matrix is the subpar acting from Keanu Reeves and Kate Moss, particularly during the second installment...

Are we even watching the same version of The Matrix?

I’ll be heading to the theater to see the third installment if nothing else happens, purely out of hope that The Wachowskis might actually pull it all together and deliver something decent. I found the first one to be excellent, whereas the second... well, not so much. Regardless, The Matrix is exactly the kind of spectacular spectacle that truly demands the big screen.

casualmarlin9 said:Did you watch the same version of The Matrix as the rest of us?

I did, and I’m sticking to my guns... the truth is that Keanu Reeves was never really much of an actor; sure, he has his moments in certain films, but he isn't the type of performer who’s going to walk onto a stage and pick up an Oscar one day. If you sit through the movie again and actually pay attention to the dialogue, you'll see that everyone else holds their own, except for the parts involving neov... Keanu Reeves just comes across as far too cold...

Ethan Perez97 said:Honestly, the biggest letdown for me in The Matrix was just the acting from Keanu Reeves and Kate Moss, especially when you get into the second one...

But seriously, what is there even to act? You basically just put on this stone-faced expression and start swinging at enemies. 😁
It’s not like there’s some deep, complex emotional range required in these superhero flicks anyway. 😎

Man, based on the trailer alone, I really thought Reloaded was going to be this absolute masterpiece. I spent every single day obsessing over those clips until I finally sat down to watch it, only to end up feeling totally let down. Look, I’m not saying the movie is trash—it’s not *that* bad—but my expectations were through the roof and it just didn't hit the mark. Honestly, the trailer for the third one looks incredible too, but who knows if the actual movie will actually deliver...
If the distributors don't screw us over again, I'll head to the theater, but if they pull another stunt, I'll just grab it on MPEG later. 😉