It finally made it to theaters. The movie sci-fi nerds waited impatiently to plug into. The movie sophisticated snobs eagerly awaited because they wanted to catch glimpses of philosophical truths. The movie teenage girls held their breath for because a romantic love story (and some sketchy freak dancing) was reportedly part of the plot. And the movie the average Joe couldn’t order tickets to fast enough just so he’d have an excuse to take his girlfriend into a darkened room. After a year of hype, finally it made it to theaters.

Whatever your reasons for going to see The Matrix Reloaded, you’ll probably find what you want. Jam-packed with special effects that made jaws flop around on the floor like hyperactive children on a sugar high and complimented by a plot that left even the most in-the-know audience members asking, “What just happened here?" you either walked away completely mesmerized, completely confused, or completely ready to dump the friends who dragged you along to see the movie.

The Matrix Reloaded is of course the first of two anxiously awaited sequels to the blockbuster hit from 1999. The movie centers around Neo (Keanu Reeves), the prophesied savior of mankind, and the people of Zion, the last human city, as they make preparations to head off an attack by machines bent on wiping out everyone who disconnects from the virtual world they built to keep humans in check.

The opening 60 minutes of the movie caused some people to wonder just what the Wachowski brothers, the enigmatic duo who wrote and directed the trilogy, thought they were doing. For instance, why was it necessary to have a sex scene that was at least five minutes long and interspersed with shots of the citizens of Zion getting down themselves in what is essentially a giant mosh pit?

Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question and neither can I answer why Neo has to fight everyone he encounters instead of, say, using his powers of flight to avoid using his fists altogether.

It’s true. If you were to watch only the first half of this movie, you’d be disappointed. Sure there are some amazing graphics and action sequences during that first hour, but the plot seems to be almost nonexistent. Neo is confronted by literally hundreds of bad guys and there never seems to be a reason why the encounters have to happen at the precise moments they do. It’s almost as if the evil powers that be got bored and decided that, seeing as it was a lovely day outside, it might be nice to go find some people to beat up.

Grit your teeth and bear it because if you can tough out the opening, you’re in for a treat.

First and foremost, there are the stunning visual effects that just might cause a few heads to spontaneously combust, so be careful and bring a bucket so you won’t have to keep your brain in your lap. Reloaded features what could be the greatest car chase scene ever. The Wachowski brothers go full throttle with the eye candy on a freeway toward the end of the movie. The characters battle on top of trucks, smash and fly through cars, execute acrobatic leaps from motorcycles and even do a little bit of driving.

The special effects are an integral part of some of the new characters. Take for instance the Twins, a freakish pair of albino computer thugs with white, dreadlocked hair and white, shiny suits. The two, played by Neil and Adrian Rayment, periodically show up to carry out dirty work, often transforming into translucent, green-glowing apparitions that can float through walls and other objects. The agents, programs in the matrix meant to keep the system in order, also have a fair number of stunts.

Most of the characters that lived through the first movie take part in the action once again. Laurence Fishburne, who portrays the spiritual captain, Morpheus, and Carrie-Anne Moss, who plays Neo’s high-kicking girlfriend, Trinity, both return for the good guys.

Fishburne is without a doubt the best actor of the returning trio from the Nebuchadnezzar (the Wachowski brothers’ answer to George Lucas’s Millenium Falcon). He makes it clear there’s depth behind those black hole-like glasses he wears. And while the speech he delivers to the masses underground is far from the most stirring monologue ever written, he executes it admirably with all the emphasis and emotion of a televangelist except without asking for donations and without condemning his audience to eternal hellfire.

Fishburne is definitely one of the highlights of the film as far as acting is concerned, but his competition from the actors who portray characters on his side of the good/evil rift, is less than fierce. For instance, it’s not hard to outperform Keanu Reeves. After all, this is the same guy whose career got jump-started when he landed the roll of Ted in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and whose southern accent in Devil’s Advocate was about as consistent as Cher’s hair color. Still, with that said, Reeves didn’t detract from the film and even worked some intensity into his lines.

Of all the actors, Hugo Weaving delivers the most memorable performance. That’s partially because he’s playing the biggest, baddest villain since Darth Vader, but more importantly, he was perfectly cast for the part. Weaving’s character, Agent Smith, is a renegade program in the matrix that’s looking to get his revenge on Neo after their encounter in the first film. Weaving has some one-liners that complement his character’s personality perfectly and his exaggerated tone of voice and facial expressions make the crowd both chuckle and cringe. Couple his funny talk with the epic battles he and his clones engage in with Neo and you’ve got a great character.

All in all, this is by far the best film so far this year and it’s only the setup for The Matrix Revolutions coming out in November. It’s not for young kids both because of the massive doses of violence doled out and because of the sexual content, but if you’re a teenager or older, go see it and keep an eye out for sneak preview of the next episode after the credits.

For more information about The Matrix trilogy, check out TheMatrix.com.