I think this movie was a good movie, and I also think that most critics were unjustified in their reasoning for panning it. Almost seems like a conspiracy. Anyway, the story was interesting, it set up some kind of a reality where we have this "gun kata", and stuck with it. The "gun kata" never became a deus ex machina, it just drove the action sequences, while staying clear of the actual plot, which had some interesting twists, certainly more than the matrix. I think Christian Bale's character was a kind of clone of keanu reeves in the Matrix, but he is clearly a better actor, and his range was really challenged. The other characters were much less "wooden" and comic book like than the evil characters in the matrix, which ironically made them more human, almost too human for an action movie, and that is probably why the critics were so hard on it. The matrix (at least the first one) didn't take itself too seriously, but this one did...and I think it lived up to the challenge as much as any action movie set in the distant future with some reality bending. I really enjoyed it, and would have liked to see it in the theatre, none the less a great rent if you liked the first matrix, kill bill, or any other film that blends action with choreography and weaves an interesting tale of reality. My suggestion might have been more extreme antagonists, but then, perhaps this movie will help me accept more human-like villains in action movies. Anyway give it a try!
