Data on Matrix Reloaded
		Extracted from "Rage Against the Machines", Premiere Magazine. Fishburne on the Wachowskis: The Matrix was a sleeper hit that became a phenomenon. Created by the Wachowskis, Chicago natives who graduated from writing comic books to screenplays and whose only previous film as writer-directors, the lesbian neo-noir Bound, had them pegged as the next Coen brothers, The Matrix reinvented the sci-fi wheel in much the same way that Blade Runner, Star Wars, and Metropolis had done before it. “It was the first film to deliver on what comic books have always promised,” says Laurence Fishburne, who returns as Morpheus, the captain of one of the rebel humans’ ships and the man who plucked Neo from the Matrix. As influenced by Lewis Carroll and cyberpunk guru William Gibson as it was by Greek mythology and Eastern religion, The Matrix borrowed also from computer games, superhero comics, Peckinpah westerns, Hong Kong chopsocky cinema, and Japanese animation to create something unique. “They took the best elements of all the things they liked and used them in such a way that it’s not disrespectful,” Fishburne says. “They live in the modern world, so they’re taking all of the old stuff and trying to present it in a modern context.” (...) Weaving on Matrix Realoaded: Though the sequels delve further into the architecture of the Matrix and the artificial intelligence behind it, as well as the Real World and the machine city, Reloaded concerns itself mainly with the titular computer system. It begins with Zion—the last human city deep down near the Earth’s core, a place mentioned but not seen in the original film—under attack from an army of machines, boring down on top of them. “The underlying story is the defense of Zion,” Weaving says, “and whether you protect it by fighting on the boundaries against the machines or whether you go out and discover what is behind it all.” (...) Silver on the Wachowskis: “They don’t want to explain or substantiate what they’ve done or how they’ve done it,” says Silver, who has become their appointed voice on earth. “They want the audience to accept it for what it is.” (...) For reading the complete article (in english), click here. NEWSWEEK General Editor Devin Gordon got an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the sequels. Read the transcript. (...) Gaithersburg, MD: What's the deeper story behind "The Matrix'? How did the Wachowski brothers hit upon the idea of Matrix? Was it a Zen Buddhist experience? A hit in the head? Devin Gordon: The Wachowski brothers are big-time philosophy readers as well as pop-culture enthusiasts--comic books, Japanese anime, etc. They're also tech geeks. Pondering philosophical questions about the nature of reality, about truth and perception, about destiny and free will, is basically a hobby of theirs. They just have a different way of expressing their interest than most of us. You know those guys in college who would sit in the hallway at 3 a.m. and talk about Baudrillard? The Wachowskis are like those guys, only much, much cooler. As for how they came upon the specific idea for the Matrix, I haven't had the opportunity to ask--but their influences are obvious and all over the place. Anime, comic books, William Gibson novels, the Bible. Take your pick. (...) Miami, FL: The actual mystery that makes "The Matrix" such an intriguing movie has already happened in the first movie, what do these sequels offer that can help contribute to that special thrill that "The Matrix" provides? Devin Gordon: This is an excellent question, and it's my chief worry about the new movies. Based on the footage I've seen, I have no doubt that fans will be ecstatic over the action and special effects. "Blown away" is more like it. However, whenever people ask me if the new movies will be as good as the first, I have to say I don't know. The "discovery" that went along with the first one--the mystery, as you call it--is gone. We know what the Matrix is and how it works ... now we're just watching the story play out. Can the Wachowskis create as much dramatic intrigue without the biggest element of surprise they had? I'm not certain. (...) New York, NY: Is there anything significant in the anime that could be possibly be related/telling to the upcoming movies? From what I've seen, it looks like they're telling us the history of the Matrix, right? Devin Gordon: The nine anime short films that make up "The Animatrix" are not necessary to understand the plot of "Reloaded," but they do provide back story. Also, more importantly, the short films are AWESOME. Matrix fans should not, cannot, miss them. The best of the nine--a two-part film called "The Second Renaissance"--tells the back story of "The Matrix." In other words, how did we get from the world we know and live in to the machine-dominated world we see in the first movie? The answer is fascinating. In a nutshell: it was the humans' fault. (...) Hollywood, CA: In looking at Reeves's career, it seems that he's wanted to express the "Matrix" message for a long time in his work. "The Matrix" looks to me like the culmination of his own ideological world. Is there anything out there in interviews that would give credence to such an idea? Devin Gordon: I know what you mean. I think you trace a distinct philosophical thread from "The Matrix" all the way back to "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." And of course, including "Feeling Minnesota" and "The Replacements" along the way. Sorry, couldn't pass up that opportunity. In all seriousness, silly as it may sound, Reeves does have a history of tackling some weighty, thoughtful projects.(...)It was clear from my time with Reeves that the philosophy of "The Matrix" deeply interests him--and covers ground he's wondered about for years. I know that sounds implausible--people think of Keanu Reeves as, well, to put it kindly, not exactly an intellectual heavyweight. In person, however, you'd never think that. Reeves is extremely well read and extremely thoughtful. (...) For reading the complete article (in english), click here.    Within April 2003.