Alan Morrison

A typically engaging performance from Johnny Lee Miller takes this slightly above the usual underdog movie cliche.

Morally dubious it may be, but this gory melange of torture, terror and darkly humorous depravity appeals to the sick puppy within us all.

Formula is now the name of the game, although a steady diet of stunts and shootouts ensures that the audience is never bored.

An uplifting film that cemented the reputation of its star.

Hollywood over-indulgence at its best.

Performances are good but not career best.

Relentlessly juvenile, it will offend moralists while making fans laugh out loud. It's only when demands of storytelling intrude that the film can't keep it up.

Plot holes and a mixed tone lessen the impact but Gordon-Levitt holds it together with a strong lead performance.

The Year Of The Matrix will be remembered as an indulgence for fans, while the original movie will be affectionately held as a separate entity by a bigger crowd, much as the original "Star Wars" trilogy hasn't really been tainted by divisions over Episodes I and II.

Aside from Rose Byrne's complex performance, there's nothing here that improves upon the original.

Bit of a mediocre drama from writer-director Assayas despite some good turns, not least from Nick Nolte and Beatrice Dalle.

There's a Cronenbergian coldness to Olivier Assayas' corporate thriller.

Despite strong turns, it feels little more than an Egoyan lecture on Serious Stuff; lots to talk about, little to enjoy.