The Matrix sequels were “soul numbing” to shoot, “and it showed up on screen”

Fans mostly agree that the Matrix sequels weren’t as good as the original. Now, a guy who worked on all three three movies reveals what went wrong.

Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s Matrix movies are among some of the most influential works of science fiction ever made. While the first movie is almost universally beloved, the second two — The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions — are much more of a mixed bag, with the kinetic action and thought-provoking sci-fi twists giving way to long-winded monologue and overlong fight scenes.

Why did the sequel movies take a turn? It may have to do with how they were made. Cinematographer Bill Pope, who worked on all three movies, recently talked about his experience behind the camera on the Team Deakins podcast. According to him, the Wachowskis were heavily influenced by legendary director Stanley Kubrick, and not in a good way.

Kubrick, who died in 1999, was a titan in the world of science fiction; the guy who made 2001: A Space Odyssey is pretty much guaranteed a spot in the sci-fi hall of fame. But the Wachowski’s fascination with Kubrick’s style of directing, mixed with a ton of pressure to perform after the first movie in addition to “personal problems” led to a “torturous” shoot.

“Everything that was good about the first experience was not good about the last two. We weren’t free anymore. People were looking at you,” Pope said. “There was a lot of pressure. In my heart, I didn’t like them. I felt we should be going in another direction. There was a lot of friction and a lot of personal problems, and it showed up on screen to be honest with you. It was not my most elevated moment, nor was it anyone else’s.”

As for Kubrick, he was famous for doing tons and tons of takes, the idea being that you get the best performance out of actors when they’re exhausted. As you can expect, this did not translate to a happy set. “The Wachowskis had read this damn book by Stanley Kubrick that said, ‘Actors don’t do natural performances until you wear them out.’ So let’s go to take 90! I want to dig Stanley Kubrick up and kill him.”

In all, the shooting period for the Matrix sequels lasted 276 days, which Pope called “mind numbing and soul numbing.” And that “numbs the movie.”

"You think about The Hobbit, where they [shot] one, two, and three, and the movies are just numbing. In the books you don’t feel that because you pick it up and put it down. In a movie shoot it’s too long. There’s a limit from what you can take in."

Despite Reloaded and Revolutions not achieving anywhere near the critical success of the first movie, nor getting as much love from fans, Pope still claims that he is “proud of them.”

Let’s hope that The Matrix 4 lives up to expectations, and that director Lana Wachowski loosens up a bit with the Kubrick worship. Keanu Reeves (Neo) and Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity) are both slated to return, with the movie (hopefully) releasing in theaters on May 21, 2021.

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