To this day I would defend The Matrix as one of the best, most influential features of the late 20th century. It had everything I ever longed for in these kinds of movies and then some, with a compelling story, astonishing imagery and the energy and verve to put every other sci-fi flick of the last 20 years to shame. But, during the second half of the second Matrix movie I began to secretly wish Neo had taken the blue pill.