Chapter 829: Chapter 235: River’s “Boyfriend
“Look, she’s serious, what an exciting love.” On the big screen, Sophie, dressed seductively, said in a lazy tone, staring unblinkingly at Monica, who wore leather and sunglasses and raised two guns.
The movie’s plot had advanced to where Morpheus, Trinity, and the Prophet’s Bodyguard went to the Frenchman to find the Trainman to save Neo, only to be surrounded by the Frenchman’s men. At this point, Trinity clearly expressed her willingness to do anything to save Neo, prompting a remark from the Frenchman’s wife.
If it were the original version of “The Matrix Revolutions,” this exclamation wouldn’t be anything special, but now it’s different. Because the second movie had been hailed by many fans as a classic scene, where Sophie, in a cameo as the Frenchman’s wife, forcibly kissed Monica, who played Trinity.
“You have to admit, when Sophie Marceau and Monica Bellucci kissed, it was incredibly enticing,” someone wrote online with such admiration.
In this context, Sophie’s character saying such words seemed a bit ambiguous, and coupled with her lazy expression tinged with regret, many would surely have this scene play out vividly in their minds.
“Seeing it like this looks much better than during filming. Did you practice together many times in private?” Adrian, sitting in his seat, intentionally whispered to Sophie and Monica, who sat together, chuckling. He seemed mischievous, but what he got in return were two rolled eyes and a soft scoff.
So, if it were to be modified to have Neo fake his death and then return, this amusing scene would naturally be missed. Okay, this is a joke. The main reason for not modifying it is that the novel was originally written following the original plot. Therefore, when adapting, simply supplementing the plot or making various cuts is fine, but completely overturning some plots might make some book fans unable to accept it, especially since the novel’s author, script adapter, and movie director are the same person. Add other factors, such as re-arranging hints in the details, and Adrian had to abandon this somewhat interesting idea.
Anyway, the original plot is actually not bad, so if it can’t be modified, then more effort should be put into patching it, especially in the final showdown between Neo and Smith. In the original, the two fought like Superman, going up and down, making it seem impressive but also more obviously fake. Although everyone knows this is a battle between antivirus software and a virus.
So, if this final battle can be made more spectacular, then the movie would certainly be elevated to another level. For this purpose, Adrian decided to have Eighth Master Yuan instruct the action himself instead of leaving it to his apprentice, and also added a creative team.
Although they finally had to agree to Eighth Master Yuan’s demand for a price increase — even though initially Adrian had him sign a contract for the trilogy, since the crew acted as if no one else could do it, Eighth Master Yuan inevitably had to do this. But that’s okay; although they agreed to the price increase, after repeated negotiations and finding out his bottom line, the number wasn’t very large. Furthermore, the action design team established early by Universal had made significant progress in this aspect, and in two more years, unless it’s a martial arts film, they probably wouldn’t need a Hong Kong action director anymore, so the money could be considered as retirement or tuition for him.
Eighth Master Yuan probably saw this to some extent, which is why he made such a demand at that time.
This money was actually well spent. With Eighth Master Yuan and the creative team, along with Adrian occasionally joining in discussions, the battle between Neo and Smith became very interesting, especially the scene that defied the laws of physics, fighting down a vertical wall of a building with various sizes of flying bricks and stones, full of dynamism, giving a completely different feeling from the action scenes of the first part, with a sense of comic book-style apocalyptic grandeur.
Of course, this CG was repeatedly rendered, and Adrian specifically instructed the special effects team to take their time since the release date was at the end of 2003, and this CG started production right after the two were filmed together, with almost a year to work on it, so the final effect was naturally outstanding.
Despite some liking it and others not, at least Adrian thought it was pretty good. This unique and exciting fight was a perfect end to “The Matrix” trilogy.
“Although the Miracle Director initially claimed that both the movie’s ending and the novel’s ending were equally outstanding despite being different, after watching it, I think the movie’s ending is not as good as the novel’s. Yes, the movie’s ending is very bright, with Neo sacrificing himself, and the humans of Zion and the machines reach a peace agreement. However, compared to the novel’s ambiguous and hazy ending, it lacks that profound flavor.” This is a part of an article by a critic during the preview of “The Matrix Revolutions,” which gained quite a bit of agreement after the movie’s release.
In the novel version, the future of humanity wasn’t clearly given, but it ended with a minor character turning away with a subtly meaningful smile, accompanied by a mental description of “everything is normal.” Meaning, if desired, it could be interpreted as Zion being a second layer of virtual reality, offering endless imagination.
For those who enjoy overanalyzing, taking details from the previous two movies and analyzing their inner meanings repeatedly, the novel’s ending undoubtedly better suits their tastes, and they instinctively reject the clear-cut movie ending. However, some like the novel’s ending, while others prefer the movie’s ending — straightforward and clear, without needing to ponder its meaning.
“Mr. Cowell has never said this is a literary film. Despite many metaphors in it, by essence, the ‘Matrix’ series is primarily a commercial movie and then a representative of cyberpunk culture. Although the two sequels lack the stunning quality of the first, they are still outstanding works, with many details worth analyzing, with no need to make much ado about the ending,” a film critic wrote on his highly-visited blog.
This review also gained support from many. Regardless, those who love overanalyzing and finding dubious details in a film are relatively few; more people go to the cinema to relax. This is one reason Adrian stuck with the original ending — he couldn’t afford to give up the larger audience for the preferences of a small portion.
The debate arose, which is a good thing because debates attract attention. Overall, “The Matrix Revolutions” still had a good reputation. However, what amused Adrian was that after some back-and-forth debate among fans online, quite a few proponents of the first notion defected, and the reason was that although Adrian arranged such an ending, throughout the story, he left enough clues to indicate that the real ending is the novel version.
They provided a wealth of evidence, with some watching the movie three or four times in cinemas, noting down critical points or points they believed to be critical, that could round out this claim and posting them online. Well, this is an extreme level of extrapolation, likely die-hard fans of both him and “The Matrix”; otherwise, why be so passionate?
That’s partly why “The Matrix Revolutions” made over a hundred million in its first week, quite impressive, even if it didn’t match “The Matrix Reloaded”‘s 130 million in the first week. This is the result of holding off until the second movie fully fermented. Adrian became the first director with two films netting over one hundred million in their first week, proving his miracle reputation once again, while also stirring up the December film market after the fervor of November.
In this climate, no one could stand up directly to the challenge. That’s why Tim Burton’s new film “Big Fish,” released shortly after “The Matrix Revolutions,” was extraordinarily low-key, only showing in six theaters, and without a premiere event. Adrian found this somewhat regrettable, as he had recommended Kirsten for Burton’s female lead, and if there had been a premiere, he would not have minded supporting the little fairy on stage.
But it’s also okay this way. Tim Burton rarely abandoned the gothic style this time and took a turn for fantasy and inspiration, but it faced severe setbacks. Adrian remembers recommending Kirsten for the female lead part, understanding this was one reason.
So it seems, the only person who could compete with him was himself. A week after “The Matrix Revolutions” was released, it officially went head-to-head with “Big Fish.”
“Don’t you think asking me this question is a bit silly, sir? For a director, all their works are their children, there’s no such thing as a favorite,” Adrian once again stood surrounded, this time by Blanchett and Liv, instead of Monica and Sophie, as the photographers unceasingly clicked their shutters.
“Mr. Cowell, why didn’t Gwyneth Paltrow make it to today’s event?”
Adrian’s smile doesn’t change: “Shouldn’t this question be asked to her agent? Well, according to what I’ve heard, she’s feeling a bit unwell and is resting at home, so she can’t attend the premiere. She has already apologized and expressed her regret to me over the phone.”
“What a pity, why didn’t I apologize and express my regret over the phone back then?” Once Blanchett got rid of those journalists outside and entered the theater, she immediately lamented, while Liv on the other side stifled a giggle, covering her mouth.
Even though they were flanking him, this time he didn’t hold their waists as he did at “The Matrix Revolutions” premiere. The photos taken a week ago had already attracted a lot of attention, and if he repeated that, it’s uncertain whether some reckless individuals might want to go further. Previous reports vaguely mentioned Monica and Sophie’s children, so that’s why reporters asked why Gwyneth was absent today.
If when Blanchett and the others were pregnant at first, because the Internet wasn’t as developed as it is now, and although their fame was significant, the general public’s reception wasn’t as widespread as that of those youth idols. But later, Julia had huge popularity as America’s Sweetheart, and Gwyneth, after several near misses for the Oscar, finally gained Best Actress through “Monster,” drawing much attention. The journalists were targeting every move they made.
The former was okay, as Adrian sent her to Hawaii for a break for a while, and “White Oleander” kept her in the public eye, plus she quickly lost weight after giving birth, so even if people suspected, it was just baseless speculation. But Gwyneth immediately told her mother about her pregnancy, leading to yet another round of arguments and compromise, though Gwyneth spent a lot of time with her mother, resulting in a photo being taken showing a slight belly bulge.
Fortunately, because of Adrian’s adequate precautions, the media only reported her as a bit plump without digging too deep, and after temporarily staying under the radar with “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” also maintaining her presence, she’s only suspected at best. Yet, not being able to attend “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” certainly leads to more speculation. In such situations, Adrian certainly can’t give reporters more information. He knows that as their daughters grow, these will inevitably become public, but the manner of revealing changes the outcome, and if done after the plan is fulfilled, the negative impact is believed to be minimized.
But in doing so…
“If you really want, Kate, we can try,” Adrian raised his eyebrows and said, then turned to Liv who was about to speak: “You too.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Liv stuck out her tongue, quickly changed her tune, and still pouting, gave a dissatisfied hum.
Alright, the principle of consensus, their mood is understandable, so… let’s communicate slowly after going home once the premiere is over.
Like “The Matrix Revolutions” premiere, many guests were present, but from the director’s and producer’s perspective, Adrian was already Hollywood’s most powerful person, not to mention holding the position of AC Media, both a media group leader and an outstanding director and producer, the first in Hollywood history, sure to attract a lot of support. Especially his production of “The Matrix Revolutions” raking in money worldwide, and the equally likely successful “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” it’s impossible not to personally engage in such a rare scenario.
In this situation, Adrian socialized for a good while, finally catching up with the Phoenix brothers.
“I’ve heard them say, whenever Legolas draws his bow, the girls’ screams are the loudest. It seems your future image will be fixed in this manner,” Adrian joked with the youngest, Silver, then winked: “Why, didn’t your little girlfriend come along?”
Saying this, he feigned looking around, making Joaquin and River burst into laughter.
“Because I don’t want to be sued,” Silver sighed, his face expressing “can’t you let me off,” proving their amicable relationship.
“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about this,” Adrian waved his hand, then turned to Joaquin and River, “I watched the last few scenes of ‘Walk the Line’ as soon as I returned, proving Joaquin is perfect for playing Johnny Cash, so River, are you ready to beat your brother?”
“I don’t know,” River shrugged, giving this answer, “I haven’t seen the edited final effect, so I can’t comment, but I’ve undergone thorough training in Montana, and surely won’t lose.”
“Yeah, just having to kiss a guy on camera is enough to put me down,” Joaquin laughed, hugging River’s shoulder while rolling his eyes, then turned curiously to Adrian: “By the way, Ed, you never told us who River’s boyfriend is.”
“Well…” Adrian thought for a moment but proceeded to answer: “Alright, after all, you’ll meet soon, the shoot starts in March at the latest—have you seen ‘Meet Joe Black’?”
“Let me think…” Joaquin scratched his head but couldn’t recall, while Silver and River simultaneously exclaimed: “Brad Pitt?!”
“Yes, that’s correct, Brad Pitt,” Adrian chuckled, “although much older than River, together they definitely look good.”
“Wow, wow,” Joaquin couldn’t help but shout, “Listen, our Miracle Director spoke! Oh my, I heard some women fancy the idea of pairing charming men in their fantasies, who would’ve thought you also have this hobby, don’t tell me you actually are…”
“Want to try?” Adrian raised an eyebrow immediately, giving him a dangerous look.
“I didn’t say anything, didn’t say anything,” Joaquin hurriedly covered his mouth, forced a smile while waving his hands frantically.
River shook his head beside him, elbowed his brother lightly, then changed the topic: “I know Pitt, I once did a cameo as a journalist in ‘Interview with the Vampire’ and acted alongside him. He’s alright, but why choose him for the role of Jack Twister, Ed?”
“When producing ‘Interview with the Vampire’ I met him briefly. As an actor, he’s fairly good, unique, diligent, just not so lucky,” Adrian explained, “While browsing for suitable roles, after going through many lists without finding a match, I saw a poster of ‘Meet Joe Black,’ right when he’s kissing the female lead’s hand, it coincidentally matched the image in my mind for ‘Brokeback Mountain’s’ Jack Twister—don’t worry, not while kissing Ennis Del Mar’s hand.”
Suddenly, a low laughter arose, then Adrian continued: “Overall, it felt right, so I tried to meet him several times. He was very meticulous and sincere, even without the script, he read the original novel repeatedly, and shared many insights, which was invaluable, so I gave him this chance.” (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to visit Qidian () to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)