Whoa. The A-Z of Matrix Reloaded

Neo and Again

8 Days, April 2003, No. 652

Paul Calder, direct from Sydney

Ahead of its release next month, we go behind the scenes of The Matrix Reloaded to reveal the secrets of this year's hottest sequel.

A is for The Animatrix

When conceiving The Matrix, writer-director siblings Andy and Larry drew inspiration from the Japanese-style of animation known as anime. "They really dig anime and thought it looked so cool," says visual-effects supervisor John Gaeta who accompanied the pair to Tokyo to meet the director of the cult-classic Akira. So impressed were the brothers that they piloted a series of nine direct-to-DVD animated shorts titled The Animatrix. Due for release in June, these tales, three of which were penned and directed by the Wachowski, will explain how the Matrix came to be.

B is for Bullet Time

That's the much imitated visual trick that we first saw in The Matrix in which the camera seems to whirl around a seemingly frozen image. Since then, it's been used in TV ads and parodied in films like Charlie's Angles and Shrek. Although the Wachowski brothers first saw the imitation as a form of flattery, they soon grew weary of the copycats. "So for The Matrix sequels, they decided create visual effects that could never be copied," boasts producer Joel Silver. "We were in the Stone Age when we were doing the bullet-time sequences. In The Matrix Reloaded, we have done visual effects that - because of the time and money involved - will ever be seen again." Well, at least not for some time. Some of the images in The Matrix Reloaded took over two years to create.

C is for Clones

If you were a fan of Neo's nemesis, the dour Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving, right), you'll be seeing more of him in The Matrix Reloaded. In the sequel, Smith has learned to replicate himself and now exists as a computer virus. In one dazzling sequence, Neo squares off against dozens of Smith clones. "Smith's ego has expanded," jokes Weaving. "But basically he's on the same path. If Neo exists, Smith has to exist."

D is for Down Under

All three Matrix films were largely filmed in Sydney, Australia. "There was a certain look that we established in the first film that we wanted to carry through in the next two," explains production designer Owen Paterson. Arriving Down Under in September 2001, the cast remained there until last August. Shooting both The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions simultaneously for a reported cost of US$300 million, the production occupied six soundstages and required 150 sets be built, including the interiors of four subways. But filming wasn't limited to the soundstages. Parts of Sydney's city centre were closed to allow for filming of a low-flying helicopter chase. For two days, office buildings were evacuated to accommodate the shoot.

E is for Expectations

Visual-effects supervisor John Gaeta didn't have hopes for The Matrix. "We thought it was going to be a weird alternative film," he recalls. "That took all the pressure off us for we thought it was too strange for the mainstream." How wrong they were. Not only did The Matrix earn US$459 million worldwide, it became the first DVD title to see al million copies. Now the challenge is to top the original and wow the audiences with something new. If Gaeta is feeling the burden of expectation, he's not showing it. He's confident that fans will embrace this latest chapter. "After reading the script, I thought that this was just an outrageous and wild extension of the story. All we had to do was follow the blueprint that the directors had laid out.

F is for Freeway finale

The Matrix Reloaded contains a climactic freeway chase sequence that reportedly makes anything in Speed look like a Sunday drive. Rather than shoot on a regular freeway,  the producers chose to build their own at a deserted naval base in California. One segment from the trailer that has fans all revved up shows a rouge agent leaping onto a moving car's bonnet, crushing the vehicle and then bounding away. One Newsweek reporter who was shown the full 15-min sequence concluded that it is "the most audaciously conceived, thrillingly executed car chase sequence ever filmed."

G is for Getups

Carrie-Ann Moss didn't mind squeezing into Trinity's skintight leather jumpsuits. "What's so wonderful is that as soon as I slip into my outfit, I'm Trinity. My costumes give me a big part of my character." That was always the intention of costume designer Kym Barrett who adds that in The Matrix Reloaded, "Carrie-Ann Moss' character is in love, so her costumes show off more of her feminine attributes." But Carrie-Ann Moss will have some competition in the sexy stakes from Italian stunner Monica Beluuci (right) who plays the enigmatic temptress Persephone. "Monica doesn't need a dress to look sexy," notes Barrett. "You could put her in a plastic bag and she'd look gorgeous."

H is for Halfway

Consider this a warning: The Matrix Reloaded has a cliffhanger ending. To see how things pan out, you'll have to queue up for the final instalment, The Matrix Revolutions, when it opens in November. Producer Joel Silver tells fans not to think of the movies as two separate adventures. It is one enormous movie that's been cut in half."

I is for Injuries

All that bullet-dodging, high-fling action comes at a price. As Laurence Fishburne explains, "People don't understand how physically taxing all this work is. When we fight each other, we're often making contact and walking  away bruised. Hugo Weaving, however, was ready to roll with the punches. "The first time we were all pretty shocked at how difficult and dangerous the training was. I really had to force myself to get through it. I think we were a bit more prepared for it this time around.: Well, not everybody. While rehearsing a stunt for The Matrix Reloaded, Carrie-Ann Moss landed badly. For the next six weeks, she had to rehearse her scenes with a broken leg.

J is for John Gaeta

He's the F/X wizard who, along with his team of tech wizards, bucked the odds and beat out Star Wars: The Phantom Menace to bag the Best Visual Effects Oscar in 1999. "No one even considered that a possibility," he laughs. But don't expect him to be gracious about his fellow nominee. He still considers Star Wars adventures "very boring and not very good-looking films."   Next >>

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