Editing The Matrix Reloaded (section)

===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 74% based on 246 reviews, and an average score of 6.80/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Though its heady themes are a departure from its predecessor, ''The Matrix Reloaded'' is a worthy sequel packed with popcorn-friendly thrills."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/matrix_reloaded |title=''The Matrix Reloaded'' (2003) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=July 12, 2022 |archive-date=July 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712172810/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/matrix_reloaded |url-status=live }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a [[weighted average]] score 62 out of 100 based on 40 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-matrix-reloaded |title=''The Matrix Reloaded'' Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=July 9, 2016 |archive-date=September 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917020208/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-matrix-reloaded |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, a grade down from the "A−" earned by the previous film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com/|title=Find CinemaScore|format=Type "Matrix" in the search box|publisher=[[CinemaScore]]|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=April 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Positive comments from critics included commendation for the quality and intensity of its action sequences,<ref>{{cite news |last=McCarthy |first=Todd |date=May 7, 2003 |title=''The Matrix Reloaded'' |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VE1117920694&categoryid=31&cs=1 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430154655/http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VE1117920694&categoryid=31&cs=1 |archive-date=30 April 2010}}</ref> and its intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/Matrix-fans-can-t-afford-to-miss-Reloaded-1114604.php |title='Matrix' fans can't afford to miss 'Reloaded' |newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |date=May 14, 2003 |first=William |last=Arnold |access-date=July 12, 2007 |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021191536/http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/Matrix-fans-can-t-afford-to-miss-Reloaded-1114604.php |url-status=live }}</ref> Tony Toscano of Talking Pictures had high praise for the film, saying that "its character development and writing...is so crisp it crackles on the screen" and that "''Matrix Reloaded'' re-establishes the genre and even raises the bar a notch or two" above the first film, ''The Matrix''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/click/movie-1122457/reviews.php?critic=columns&sortby=default&page=3&rid=1140415 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310233205/http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/click/movie-1122457/reviews.php?critic=columns&sortby=default&page=3&rid=1140415 | archive-date=March 10, 2007| title=The Matrix Reloaded (2003) movie review |website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=May 20, 2003 |first=Tony |last=Toscano |access-date=July 12, 2007}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' also commended the film, giving it three and a half stars out of four. He described it as "an immensely skillful sci-fi adventure, combining the usual elements: heroes and villains, special effects and stunts, chases and explosions, romance and oratory" and praised the fact that "it develops its world with more detail than the first movie was able to afford, gives us our first glimpse of the underground human city of Zion, burrows closer to the heart of the secret of the Matrix, and promotes its hero, Neo, from confused draftee to a Christ figure in training." He also compared the choreography of the "Burly Brawl" fight to that of [[Yuen Woo-ping]] in the 2000 film ''[[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]]'', and called the scene "one of the three great set pieces in the movie" (along with Morpheus' announcement to the people of Zion and the freeway chase).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-matrix-reloaded-2003 |title=The Matrix Reloaded movie review (2003) |website=RogerEbert.com |date=May 14, 2003 |first=Roger |last=Ebert |access-date=April 12, 2021 |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411153547/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-matrix-reloaded-2003 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Negative comments included the sentiment that the plot was alienating,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030519-450996,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305172252/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030519-450996,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 5, 2005 | title=The Matrix Reboots |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]|date=May 11, 2003 |first=Richard |last=Schickel |access-date=July 12, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://ae.miami.com/entertainment/ui/miami/movie.html?id=95606&reviewId=12076 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030812071056/http://ae.miami.com/entertainment/ui/miami/movie.html?id=95606&reviewId=12076 | archive-date=August 12, 2003| title=Sequelitis infects 'Matrix Reloaded' with talk - lots of it |newspaper=[[Miamiherald.com]] |date=May 14, 2003 |first=Rene |last=Rodriguez |access-date=July 12, 2007}}</ref> with some critics regarding the focus on the action as a detriment to the film's human elements.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0516/p15s02-almo.html |title=Ready for a Neo world order? |website=[[csmonitor.com]] |date=May 16, 2003 |first=David |last=Sterritt |access-date=July 12, 2007 |archive-date=June 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612030409/http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0516/p15s02-almo.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-matrix-reloaded-1798198595 |title=''The Matrix Reloaded'' review |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=May 13, 2003 |first=Nathan |last=Rabin |access-date=July 12, 2007 |archive-date=February 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215041210/http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-matrix-reloaded,5628/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Some critics thought that the number of scenes with [[Exposition (narrative)|expository dialogue]] worked against the film,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/v279420/review |title=''The Matrix Reloaded'' review |website=[[AllMovie]] |first=Skyler |last=Miller |access-date=July 9, 2016 |archive-date=August 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814150612/http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v279420/review |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/2003-05-16/the-matrix-reloaded/ |title=''The Matrix Reloaded'' review |newspaper=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |first=Marc |last=Savlov |date=May 16, 2003 |access-date=July 12, 2007 |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817003944/http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/2003-05-16/the-matrix-reloaded/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the many unresolved subplots, as well as the [[cliffhanger]] ending, were also criticized.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/mmx-030514-moviesreviewmatrixreloadedmc,0,1704389.story?coll=mmx-movies_top_heds | title=Movie review: 'The Matrix Reloaded' |website=[[Metromix]] |date=June 11, 2003 |first=Mark |last=Caro |access-date=July 12, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071230193732/http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/mmx-030514-moviesreviewmatrixreloadedmc,0,1704389.story?coll=mmx-movies_top_heds <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = December 30, 2007}}</ref> Other criticisms included the film's perceived lack of pacing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/05/15/Film-of-the-Week-Matrix-Reloaded/74341053012588/ |title=Film of the Week: 'Matrix Reloaded' |first=Steve |last=Sailer |author-link=Steve Sailer |website=[[United Press International|UPI]] |date=May 15, 2003 |access-date=October 6, 2015 |quote=It has only two speeds: you either get leaden philosophizing about free will or super-colossal action set pieces. It's like "[[My Dinner with Andre]] on the [[Hindenburg disaster newsreel footage|Hindenburg]]." |archive-date=October 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006233718/http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/05/15/Film-of-the-Week-Matrix-Reloaded/74341053012588/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' named it as one of "The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/5804864.html | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] | title=The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made | first=Chris | last=Nashawaty | date=December 22, 2007 | access-date=July 9, 2016 | archive-date=April 22, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422003632/http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/5804864.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

Marc Salov of ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'' gave it a two-and-a-half out of five rating, saying, "There's only so much [[Rubik's Cubism]] a film can handle, and ''Reloaded'' is awash in sci-fi and religious overtones that continually bog down the film's forward motion."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2003-05-16/the-matrix-reloaded/|title=The Matrix Reloaded - Movie Review|last=Savlov|first=Marc|newspaper=[[The Austin Chronicle]]|date=May 16, 2003|access-date=December 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209220421/https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2003-05-16/the-matrix-reloaded/|archive-date=December 9, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> Mike Clark of ''[[USA Today]]'' gave the film three and a four stars and said, "Salvaged by its rally, ''Reloaded'' seems less tired than ''[[X2 (film)|X2]]'', its current sequel rival."<ref>{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Clark (critic) |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2003-05-13-matrix-review_x.htm |title=Visuals save the day for 'Matrix' |work=USA Today |date=May 13, 2003 |access-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-date=June 3, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030603220039/http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2003-05-13-matrix-review_x.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote, "Relax, the staging of the action sequences is as viciously elegant as you've been primed to expect, though there is a dispiriting more-of-the-same aspect to the picture."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/14/movies/film-review-an-idealized-world-and-a-troubled-hero.html|title=FILM REVIEW; An Idealized World And a Troubled Hero|website=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 14, 2003 }}</ref> In a mixed review, [[Joe Morgenstern]] of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' said, "In this second installment of the trilogy, lithe bodies endowed with superior brains do all sorts of spectacular things, but the movie has the dead soul of a video game."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10535202255462100|title='The Matrix' Finally Reloads, But Its Aim Isn't Always True|work=Wall Street Journal |date=May 21, 2003 |last1=Morgenstern |first1=Joe }}</ref>