»Reloaded agents... not up to scratch?«

Hey, everybody, I'm new here, like the movies, etc etc.

Was it just me, or were the agents in the 2nd movie... just a little... downgraded? While I don't mean that literally, they just didn't get involved as much, didn't get up to as much shenanigans.

They were impressive (the one guy was) in the highway scene, but I would have loved to see a brief agent foray into the burly brawl, (which could have happened, had it not been tragically cut short by Smith's mysterious replicating ability - really gotta feel for the Shopping Lady, morphed into twice in moments.)

At any rate, besides that little rumble at the beginning, and a few other sporadic showings, they didn't get up to much. I felt like they are a major player (even with Smith gone renegade, or whatever) and should at least have some involvement.

I really felt like they had been sidelined, as though they weren't running the Matrix anymore. Bummer.

Any thoughts?

btjaus wrote:

Hey, everybody, I'm new here, like the movies, etc etc. Was it just me, or were the agents in the 2nd movie... just a little... downgraded? While I don't mean that literally, they just didn't get involved as much, didn't get up to as much shenanigans.

That's a given though, right?

It's clearly established in the first film and at the beginning of the second film that Agents are no match for the One. Therefore, once Neo attained 'messiadom', the Agents were a lot lower down on his list of priorities.

Of course, they still pose a problem for everyone else (of course, the freeway chase in Reloaded is driven from beginning to end by the relentlessly pursuing Agents), but Neo's troubles are far greater than what they were in the first film.

Naturally.

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They were impressive (the one guy was) in the highway scene, but I would have loved to see a brief agent foray into the burly brawl, (which could have happened, had it not been tragically cut short by Smith's mysterious replicating ability - really gotta feel for the Shopping Lady, morphed into twice in moments.) At any rate, besides that little rumble at the beginning, and a few other sporadic showings, they didn't get up to much. I felt like they are a major player (even with Smith gone renegade, or whatever) and should at least have some involvement. I really felt like they had been sidelined, as though they weren't running the Matrix anymore. Bummer. Any thoughts?

Like I said, Neo doesn't really give a flying hoot about Agents anymore unless they're threatening his gal or his mentor.

The arena of the second film has shifted from that of the first.

That's called 'evolution'

Evolution? well... perhaps, but you can go backwards when it looks like you're going forwards.

The movie evolved, no doubt, reloaded was quite a great piece, but the characters of the agents weren't developed. In the end, with everything going on, the agents really could have taken on a bigger role. They weren't even acted as well - (sure, the new agents are probably just acted by the stuntmen themselves, but hey) take a look at the things they say about Neo when they see him at the beginning of the film, before the 40 second scuffle. Talk about stilted.

Are we to believe that as soon as the one becomes powerful, the agents become relatively meaningless? Argue what you will, but this is what happened. It seemed as though any involvement they had was an afterthought. Sure, this time, Smith was a different element in the continuing cycle of the prophecy, but surely the agents could have done a bit more... at least to fight off Smith.

It's their job!

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Of course, they still pose a problem for everyone else (of course, the freeway chase in Reloaded is driven from beginning to end by the relentlessly pursuing Agents), but Neo's troubles are far greater than what they were in the first film.

But the freeway chase begins as a result of police involvement (ill give you, these guys are basically agents in pod-person form), and as a result of the Merovingian's (strangely pointless) "Twins" following Trinity and Morpheus... presumably to grab the keymaker. It seemed to me that the Agents were but a minor annoyance to all parties involved. As soon as an agent jumps on top of the car that Trinity is driving, the intertwined Twin and Morpheus both point the same gun at the agent, empty a clip (to his credit, the agent dodges them all) and then Trinity slams on the brakes, losing the agent. After the agent is gone, they all get back to what they were doing before they were so rudely interrupted.

The only difference is that battle between the chief agent and Morpheus, one which Morpheus wins... rather strangely, considering how he was so roundly beaten by Agent Smith in Matrix 1, and especially since this new agent is an 'upgrade'.

Although I see your point - the agents are only a pain - To Neo - when they threaten his gal or his mentor. Heh. Nevertheless, I would have liked to see them take a more active (and empowered) role against the other characters in the movie, especially Smith.

btjaus wrote:

Evolution? well... perhaps, but you can go backwards when it looks like you're going forwards.

Yeah, but the Agents are hopelessly outmatched by Neo. The whole point was that only the One would be able to overcome them. And now he has.

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The movie evolved, no doubt, reloaded was quite a great piece, but the characters of the agents weren't developed. In the end, with everything going on, the agents really could have taken on a bigger role. They weren't even acted as well - (sure, the new agents are probably just acted by the stuntmen themselves, but hey) take a look at the things they say about Neo when they see him at the beginning of the film, before the 40 second scuffle. Talk about stilted.

You don't go to extraordinary lengths to develop characters whose function within the stories is little more than a short-lived obstacle.

Again, it's all down to Neo being ridiculously bad-ass after he became the One. What role could they possibly play now, anyway?

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Are we to believe that as soon as the one becomes powerful, the agents become relatively meaningless?

Yep.

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Argue what you will, but this is what happened.

I ain't arguing anything. I agree. And it was the right choice.

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It seemed as though any involvement they had was an afterthought. Sure, this time, Smith was a different element in the continuing cycle of the prophecy, but surely the agents could have done a bit more... at least to fight off Smith.

Neo kicked the Agents' asses easier than bustin' out a fart. Smith was able to overwhelm Neo during the Burly Brawl.

What the hell can the Agents do to Smith?

Jack all, is the answer.

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It's their job!

Yeah. "It's their job". But Neo and Smith are too powerful for them, now. "Their job" just became impossible to do.

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But the freeway chase begins as a result of police involvement (ill give you, these guys are basically agents in pod-person form), and as a result of the Merovingian's (strangely pointless) "Twins" following Trinity and Morpheus... presumably to grab the keymaker. It seemed to me that the Agents were but a minor annoyance to all parties involved. As soon as an agent jumps on top of the car that Trinity is driving, the intertwined Twin and Morpheus both point the same gun at the agent, empty a clip (to his credit, the agent dodges them all) and then Trinity slams on the brakes, losing the agent. After the agent is gone, they all get back to what they were doing before they were so rudely interrupted.

The Twins are there "presumably to grab the Keymaker"? What, you missed the Merovingians' line, "you two: get the Keymaker"?

The action dynamic of the freeway sequence is awesome. It's the three separate 'teams' of the Matrix represented in one kick-ass action sequence. The rebels, the Machines and the exiles all crammed together on one freeway! It's a Matrix tripple-threat, for goodness sake!

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The only difference is that battle between the chief agent and Morpheus, one which Morpheus wins... rather strangely, considering how he was so roundly beaten by Agent Smith in Matrix 1, and especially since this new agent is an 'upgrade'.

Actually, the Agent beat Morpheus. If you remember, Morpheus got sent flying off the back of the truck and, as far as Agent Johnson was concerned, Morpheus had finally lost that weight he'd been putting on in the form of a crisply pressed asphalt pancake. In terms of the 'fair fight', Johnson kicked Morpheus' ass.

But Morpheus ended up killing the Agent merely because he caught him off guard à la Trinity's "dodge this" shot in the first film.

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Although I see your point - the agents are only a pain - To Neo - when they threaten his gal or his mentor. Heh. Nevertheless, I would have liked to see them take a more active (and empowered) role against the other characters in the movie, especially Smith.

Like I say, the playing field has shifted considerably since the first movie. Certain players have moved up, and other have moved down. Neo and Smith are far too powerful to be hassled by Agents, and their battle is firmly entrenched between each other, with Neo's 'goal' being clearer than ever, and the Merovingian presenting obstacles for him to overcome.

Nevertheless, the normal rebels are still threatened by them, which is why they make an appearance on the freeway, and why they were still utilised in the Enter The Matrix video game, where the main threat to the protagonists are the upgraded Agents introduced in Reloaded.

As far as the fictional reality created by the Brothers goes, I think that they use the characters exceedingly well.