‘The Matrix Revolutions,’ while nowhere near as revolutionary as the original, does a wonderful job of bringing the science-fiction trilogy to a satisfying end.

With its mix of intriguing plot twists lifted out of philosophy textbooks, visually stunning special effects and a host of well-developed characters strongly played by the cast, ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ entertains from start to finish and proves the six-month wait for answers was worth it.

Picking up directly where this summer’s ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ left off, Neo (Keanu Reeves), the predestined champion of an underground society of humans trying to overthrow the machines who have enslaved them, remains in a coma after mysteriously destroying a pack of sentinel robots. Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) discover that Neo has become trapped between The Matrix and the real world, and they slap back on their leather and head into The Matrix to seek help from the Oracle (Mary Alice, who replaces the deceased Gloria Foster).

Upon returning to the real world, Neo learns that the machine army is just hours away from drilling through the walls surrounding the last human city of Zion and destroying the entire human race. On top of that, the villainous Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) continues to corrupt The Matrix by copying himself. So while Morpheus and fellow rebel leader Niobe (Jada Pinkett-Smith) rush back to Zion to help defend the city, Neo and Trinity choose to travel to the surface in an attempt to destroy the machine’s power source.

Reprising their roles for the third time, the stars of ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ – Reeves, Fishburne, Moss and Weaving – continue to breathe life into their popular characters, making it easy for the audience to cheer them on or hiss their every move.

Reeves dominates the film as the conflicted Neo, constantly torn between his self-doubt and the pressures put upon him as The Chosen One. This is particularly true in the film’s quieter moments, in scenes where Neo broods on his fate or quietly expresses his love for Trinity. He also comes off as believable during the film’s larger-than-life action sequences.

His co-stars keep doing what they do best in their signature roles. While his part in ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ is surprisingly smaller than in the previous installments, Fishburne makes Morpheus as cool as ever with the confidant attitude he projects onscreen and his booming delivery. Moss, meanwhile, infuses Trinity with a tough-as-steel resolve while still maintaining a feminine edge. This is evident in one early scene where, after her demands for information about Neo’s condition fall on deaf ears, she snarls, ‘I don’t have time for this shit’ before proceeding to unleash her fury on every person in the room. As for Weaving, his slimy take on Agent Smith has made the character one of the most interesting big-screen baddies in years.

A great deal of ‘The Matrix Revolutions,’ once again directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski, takes place in the real world. But that does not mean it lacks exhilarating action sequences and top-of-the-line special effects. While none match the highway battle in ‘The Matrix Reloaded,’ there is still plenty of eye candy. One of the most impressive sequences is a battle staged halfway through the film, pitting machine gun-outfitted robots piloted by the citizens of Zion against an overwhelming swarm of octopus-armed sentinels. Another finds Neo face to face with Agent Smith, who has also developed the ability to fly, leading to a rain-soaked fistfight in The Matrix.

Will Neo save the day? Will the humans survive the machines’ invasion? ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ answers all these questions and more in a thrill ride that completes and does justice to its predecessors.

Christopher Reilly is a senior magazine major. His reviews appear Fridays in The Daily Orange. E-mail him at cgreilly@syr.edu.

Published on November 5, 2003 at 12:00 pm