Another Reloaded thought. So I have a theory as to why people didn’t like the movie. Or at least partly. So with most (interesting) movies, the first time you see it, you’re first struck by the story, and on repeated viewings, the ideas behind it.
I think Reloaded kind of works in reverse. The ideas and philosophy are so front and center that it makes the biggest impression on first viewing. (Jieun describes Reloaded as being fight scene, philosophical jargon, fight scene, philosophical jargon, ad infinitum. She hated the movie.) But then, if you watch it again, you see how much of an interesting story it is. At least for me.
That’s why I think people have problems with it. Most people want / need a straightforward story and don’t like to be challenged. They need a good story first, ideas (if at all) second. I think Reloaded has both in spades. But because the ideas are so front and center and the story so loaded, I think the ideas make the strongest initial impression, the story less so. And that’s why people (Americans) don’t like it. I dunno, just a theory.