The Matrix Reloaded had deep philosophical grounding in the works of
Cornel West and others. I am interested in reviews or descriptions of
the movie that discuss the impact of these ideas on the film. Very
important: I am not lookin for inteprerations - not how the Matrix
Reloaded can be USED to understand something else. I am interested in
the intetional use of philosophical ideas in the film (In the same way
that Baudillard is used in the first film).

barneywahoozie-ga:

I was interested in the very same thing after I saw Matrix Reloaded.
The best article I found at the time, and the closest to what you are
looking for is by Ken Mondschein, founder of www.corporatemofo.com.
His analysis is not only insightful, but actually looks at the
philosophy that he ascertains to actually *influence* the film.

http://www.corporatemofo.com/stories/051803matrix.htm

While most of the other mainstream reviews were redundant, generic,
and generally "dumbed down", I did find blogs to be a good source for
essays and reviews of the *philosophy* behind the Matrix. Some of
these are better than the first article, some of them are grasping at
straws, but they all make you think about the relevant issues. In
fact, many of these essays are attempting to do the same thing yours
does... Make sure to check out the archives!!

http://matrixessays.blogspot.com/
http://thematrix.talkinbout.us/

There is a good compilation of resources at:

http://www.relevanthistory.com/archive/cat_matrix_reloaded.html

If you have any questions or need clarification, please feel free to
ask.

Search Strategy:
"Matrix Reloaded philosophical basis"
"philosophy Matrix Reloaded"

Best Regards,
leeann-ga

Though you will have a hard time finding any direct information on
what the Wachowski brothers consciously intended to do with the film
(they're pretty tight-lipped and grant few interviews) you should at
least read the philosophical essays they've made available on the
Warner Brothers' Matrix site:

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/phi.html

There are a million interpretations out there, but these sanctioned
essays explore various philosophical questions in the context of the
film. I think you could consider that if the topic is discussed
therein, the directors are consciously playing with it in the film,
and attempting to stimulate conversation about it.

Good luck

Thank you scarabic-ga. That is a great resource. However, as you know,
that is just about the first film, not the second. The second seems to
rely strongly on Foucault, but I have yet to see anyone grounded in
postmodern theory capable of discussing it yet. I gave it a shot at
http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.06.06/oped3.html

barneywahoozie-ga, I've read your essay on the possible relationship
between Matrix Reloaded and the Middle East roadmap; and I am very
dubious that the world-outlook underlying the movie could possibly be
helpful in resolving the differences between Israelis and
Palestinians. On the contrary, I think the "messages" expounded by the
ingenious Matrix movies are most unhelpful. Dominant themes of Matrix
and its sequel are that we human beings have little freedom of action
or control over our own lives, and that the more we try to find
answers to difficult questions the further we find ourselves from the
truth; also, the Matrix films focus out attention on the complex
problems of metaphysics.

Whereas, surely what the Palestine problem cries out for is for the
protagonists to eschew metaphysics (ie religion), to realise that they
are free to take control of their own lives, and to try to find
answers to their problems through the everyday processes of discussion
and compromise.

Only in one respect - and admittedly this is an important one - are
the films helpfully relevant to the Middle East problem. Seeing the
films might open both sides' eyes to the truth that each is trapped in
a web composed of history, tradition, religious belief and mutual
irrational prejudice and hatred. However, this matrix has not been
imposed by any outside agency but by the parties themselves -  and
could be dissolved by the same means.

Please forgive me for expressing such pre-postmodern and boringly
"scientist" views.

the matrix would help the middle east as much as the star trek episode
where the two guys with half black and half white faces who hate each
other helped south africa.