Posted by Darth Mabel at nygateway1.prudential.com on November 06, 2003 at 11:11:10:
In Reply to: Well, (spoilers)... posted by FistofSloth on November 06, 2003 at 10:06:15:
I thought the ending was pretty inspired. It’s obviously a rerun of the end of the first film, but in a very different context and with very different consequences. The first time, Neo was able to defeat Smith, temporarily, by diving into his “body” and destroying it from the inside. This time, Smith had become so powerful that there was only one way to beat him: by allowing Smith to win, he becomes him and then has the choice of destroying himself in the knowledge that what happens to one Smith happens to them all. It’s a pretty nifty digital metaphor for “taking on the sins of the world”, etc., in order to liberate Mankind.
Neo really wins because he’s willing to sacrifice himself, a concept that Smith, in that wonderful ending speech they give him, can’t come to grips with in any way at all. He’s pure ego (“Me, me, me”). To give your life for the greater good is the complete opposite of “Me”. Their final confrontation, like much of “Revolutions” really boils down the concepts the other two movies have played with to their essence, which I think is what gives this final, if sobering, installment so much power.
Robert.